Tribhuvan University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. The news that Kesharjung Baral has resigned within 13 months of assuming office has been published. This is not just an issue of personal resignation, but it has become a serious political, academic and structural question raised on the Nepali educational system.

Although this resignation given due to health problems seems normal on the surface, the crisis within its ranks is deep, multifaceted and worrying.

dr. Baral was the first Vice-Chancellor to use 'Meritocracy' in Trivim. He is a person who came from an open competition led by the largest and oldest university of the country like Trivi. Therefore, the height of hope and expectation towards him was not normal. Issues like improving the quality of education, emphasis on research, establishing transparency and accountability in university administration were on his agenda. But resigning within 13 months is not just the failure of one individual, it is a glaring illustration of the incompetence of the entire institutional structure.
dr. Baral's resignation has raised some questions – can open competition leadership really work in the current educational structure? Or was the process merely a 'showcase of reform'? Dr. Was Baral's decision to withdraw rather than silently tolerate the institutional obstacles and political interference, was it a stance or just a personal compulsion? Finding a satisfactory answer to these questions is the need of the hour. Not only

, questions are being raised from other angles as well. Can the ideal of 'Meritocracy' really be implemented in Nepal's higher education sector? Or does it remain limited to formal and smooth words?
'Meritocracy' is only possible to succeed when the system protects independent, fearless and planning leadership. But here it seems that the strategy of marginalizing the leadership as much as possible is becoming stronger.

On the other hand, Dr. Baral's resignation is also a warning - if competent and committed people are constantly blocked by administrative, political and institutional obstacles, then qualified people will be afraid to take the lead. In such a situation only 'friendly' and 'obedient' characters will advance. It will not strengthen our recruitment system or make it more hollow. Education is the backbone of any nation. Empowering that backbone requires autonomy, transparency, accountability and long-term thinking in universities and educational institutions.

dr. Baral's resignation needs to be seen as the end of a chapter. However, the answers to many questions raised in the context of that chapter are yet to come. What is clear from this is that now the leadership selection process is not enough just to be transparent. It is necessary to make it institutionalized, protected, with clear rights and accountability. Otherwise, universities will once again become like branches of political parties. Where there will be a tradition of working by orders rather than the quality of education and relationships rather than plans.

– Techendra Adhikari , Biratnagar