Minister of Education, Science, and Technology Mahabir Pun resigned from his post on Tuesday. Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal confirmed the news on social media, writing, "Mahabir Pun has resigned to focus on his campaign."
Before resigning, Pun donated all national and international medals he had received to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology via the Secretary. He utilized the social media to clarify, "I previously attempted to sell these medals to raise funds for the National Innovation Centre and the Birgunj Agricultural Tools Factory. However, despite four years of effort, no one came forward to buy them. Therefore, they have now become the property of the Government of Nepal." He also mentioned that he is trying to sell 28 ropanis of land in Thulakot, Pokhara, to support the agricultural tools factory, though the land has not been sold yet.
Following his resignation, Mahabir Pun confirmed on social media that he has filed his nomination as an independent candidate for the House of Representatives in Myagdi on Tuesday.
Pun was appointed to the interim government led by Sushila Karki on September 22. His resignation follows the recent resignations of Energy Minister Kulman Ghising, Youth and Sports Minister Bablu Gupta, and Communication Minister Jagdish Kharel, all of whom left to contest the House of Representatives elections.
During his short but impactful tenure, Pun introduced several landmark reforms spanning from depoliticizing Nepal’s education system to other major initiatives. Key initiatives included the historic decision to remove the Prime Minister from the role of University Chancellor. He further prioritized structural integrity by banning political affiliations for teachers and staff, while simultaneously mandating that universities publish examination results within three months to prevent irreparable loss of time for students.
Beyond governance, Pun emphasized modernizing technical education and protecting student welfare through rigorous oversight. He initiated a comprehensive overhaul of the CTEVT curriculum to integrate research and emerging technologies and a 10-point directive to regulate foreign-affiliated colleges, effectively abolishing the controversial "Discipline In-charge" system in favor of psychological counseling. From making computer science a compulsory subject to investigating land encroachment at universities, Pun’s brief leadership was marked by a shift toward accountability and a future-ready academic environment.
A well-known advocate for innovation, Pun is the founder of the National Innovation Centre (NIC) and a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award. He is also widely recognized for his work in bringing wireless internet to rural Nepal and his efforts to repair ventilators during the Covid-19 pandemic.
