The All Nepal National Free Students’ Union (ANNFSU) has accused colleges operating in Nepal under affiliation from foreign universities of creating serious discrepancies in the education sector and demanded a thorough investigation and strict action.
On Tuesday, the union submitted a memorandum with 15 demands to the Minister of Education, stating that some colleges affiliated with foreign universities have seriously compromised students’ futures, increased exploitation of students’ time and finances, and adversely affected the overall educational environment.
The memorandum states that the problem has escalated due to the absence of clear legal provisions regarding foreign educational institutions. It calls for the administrative records, operation permits, and renewal processes of such institutions to be managed under the concerned ministry, while assigning the University Grants Commission (UGC) the responsibility for ensuring quality assurance, monitoring, and setting standards.
To prevent student exploitation, the memorandum emphasizes that unnecessary programs under the name of “foundation courses” after Grade 10+2, which add extra financial and time burdens on students, and various professional diploma courses that charge extra fees in the final year, must be stopped immediately. ANNFSU demands an end to such fraudulent activities.
The union further stated that the registrations of colleges that do not meet the prescribed standards, operate under affiliation from more than one university, provide instruction for both Nepali and foreign university affiliations at the same location, or extend the duration of programs unnecessarily to exploit students must be immediately canceled. This includes all colleges involved in such practices, including The British College.
ANNFSU also demanded that alternative arrangements and proper compensation be provided for students affected by such fraud to continue their studies. Additionally, it called for all programs and student-related details of colleges operating in Nepal to be submitted to the University Grants Commission (UGC) and updated annually.
The memorandum also included the following demands:
- Due to the absence of clear provisions regarding foreign educational institutions in existing laws, necessary legal arrangements must be made immediately to regulate such institutions.
- Administrative records, operation permits, and renewal processes of foreign educational institutions should be managed through the relevant ministry, while the UGC should be responsible for quality assurance, monitoring, and standard setting.
- Running courses after Grade 10+2 under the name of “foundation courses,” which impose additional financial and time burdens on students, and conducting various professional diploma courses over two years and charging top-up fees in the final year to defraud students, must be stopped immediately.
- The registrations of colleges that do not meet prescribed standards, operate under affiliation from multiple universities, provide instruction under both Nepali and foreign university affiliations at the same location, or extend a three-year bachelor’s program to four years and a one-year master’s program to two years, thereby exploiting students, including The British College, must be immediately canceled.
- Alternative arrangements and proper compensation must be provided for students affected by injustice and fraud by all colleges, including The British College.
- All programs and student-related details of colleges operating in Nepal must be submitted to the UGC and updated annually.
- At least 10% of students should be provided with mandatory free scholarships, and the list of scholarship recipients must be published on the college’s website each semester.
- All colleges (institutional and educational) operating in Nepal must obtain Quality Assurance and Accreditation (QAA).
- Colleges must include a minimum of 10% foreign students and 10% foreign faculty.
- Programs must be developed to ensure equivalence with Nepali university curricula.
- A transparent examination system must be implemented, and both internal assessment and final exams should be aligned with other universities in Nepal.
- Colleges must conduct admissions only once a year, following the Nepali academic calendar, and maintain annual intake according to Nepali university standards.
- Colleges’ physical infrastructure (buildings, laboratories, libraries, ICT, etc.) must meet prescribed standards.
- Affiliated foreign universities must rank within the top 1000 globally and invest at least 10% directly in the affiliated college.
- College fees must be set according to Nepali university standards and implemented immediately.
ANNFSU warned that if these demands are not implemented promptly, it will launch phased protests.
