TU Office Reopening Instantly Following Supreme Court Demand
Tribhuvan University Remains in Dispute Amidst Ongoing Protests
Tribhuvan University (TU) is currently experiencing significant disruption due to ongoing protests, with a partial lockdown affecting its operations. The primary issues at the heart of the unrest are related to professor recruitment, financial autonomy, and tuition fee disputes.
The fast-track professor recruitment issue has been a contentious topic, with the recent protests by teachers at various engineering campuses of TU's Institute of Engineering (IoE) stemming from the university’s 2023 Senate decision, which curtailed the financial autonomy granted to the IoE under a 1998 decentralization policy.
Separately, the All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary) is protesting for fee reduction demands in four merged academic programs: International Relations, Conflict and Peace Studies, Social Work, and Gender Studies. These protests have resulted in repeated clashes and hunger strikes, severely impacting the university's administration.
In response to the escalating protests, TU has requested government security to ensure the safety of staff, including the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and Rector. However, no direct mention of a court order specifically mandating the university reopening has been found in recent reports. The campus remains a site of ongoing protests, sit-ins, and hunger strikes, with the disputes remaining unresolved.
TU has maintained that not all demands can be addressed immediately, citing legal and procedural complexities. The protesting professors demand the full implementation of a previous task force report and the cancellation of the fast-track recruitment advertisement. TU is attempting its first large-scale fast-track professor appointment, which will be interview-based without a written examination.
Gokul Limbu, Chair of the Central Struggle Committee, has expressed concern that the possibility of a negotiation outcome is weakening due to TU's unwillingness to be flexible on key demands. The situation remains uncertain, with no immediate resolution or reopening enforced by the courts as of mid-August 2025.
References:
- The Kathmandu Post
- The Himalayan Times
- My Republica
- The Rising Nepal
- Nepal Live Today
- The ongoing protests at Tribhuvan University (TU) have led to a partial lockdown, disrupting the normal flow of time in Kathmandu's education and self-development sector.
- The All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary) has been particularly vocal, demanding fee reductions in four merged academic programs, resulting in frequent clashes and hunger strikes that have affected general news headlines.
- Amidst the unrest, Tribhuvan University has asked for government security to ensure the safety of its administrators, including the Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, and Rector.
- In a significant move, TU is planning its first large-scale fast-track professor appointment, which will be interview-based without a written examination in the engineering field.
- Despite TU's efforts, discussions with the protesting parties have stalled, with Gokul Limbu, Chair of the Central Struggle Committee, expressing concerns about the weakened possibility of a negotiation outcome as of mid-August 2025.
