MBBS and BDS students studying under the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of Tribhuvan University (TU) have submitted a memorandum to the concerned authorities, drawing serious attention to what they describe as an unjust, legally ambiguous, contradictory, and student-unfriendly “double Barrier system” currently being enforced at TU–IOM. The students have demanded the immediate implementation of a fair, legal, and student-centered academic Barrier policy.
In the memorandum, the students state that the existing Barrier arrangements are being applied simultaneously in conflicting ways, causing severe negative consequences for the academic future, mental health, and professional careers of thousands of medical students.
Serious Problems Created by the Existing Barrier System
According to the memorandum, the so-called First Phase Barrier currently enforced at TU–IOM has created a situation in which a student’s admission is automatically cancelled within approximately three years. The students argue that such a provision is not practiced in any other university in Nepal, nor is it implemented in neighboring India.
They point out that in India, the National Medical Commission (Undergraduate Medical Education Board) has, since 2023, implemented a uniform Barrier system across all medical colleges, allowing students a maximum of ten years to complete the MBBS program. Similarly, in the United Kingdom, students are provided a time span of up to nine years from the date of matriculation to complete their medical studies.
In contrast, the memorandum claims that the current Barrier system at TU–IOM has already seriously affected the academic and mental well-being of more than 1,000 students. The students state that some individuals have been driven to suicide, while many others are currently suffering from severe mental stress and depression due to the uncertainty created by the policy.
Critical Situation of International Students
The memorandum highlights that the situation of international students studying at TU–IOM is even more serious. It states that most foreign students were not clearly informed about the Barrier system at the time of admission, leading them to feel academically deceived.
As a result, many international students have been forced to leave their colleges within six to eight months of enrollment, which has severely damaged the international image of TU–IOM. The memorandum further alleges that in the past, more than 100 foreign students were charged over NPR 100 million collectively under the pretext of a full five-year course, only to have their admissions cancelled within two years. It is claimed that not a single rupee was refunded to these students, with colleges citing financial loss as justification.
Two Barrier Systems Applied Simultaneously at TU–IOM
The students state that two different Barrier systems are being enforced simultaneously at TU–IOM.
The first Barrier is based on a decision of the Academic Council dated 2048/12/18 B.S. (Decision No. 398). Under this provision, students are not allowed to enter the Second Phase without passing the First Phase, which includes the first and second years. All First Phase subjects must be passed within four attempts, and failure to do so results in automatic cancellation of MBBS admission. According to the students, this system effectively cancels a student’s enrollment within approximately three and a half years.
The second Barrier is based on the Tribhuvan University Examination Management and Operation Procedures, 2072, Clause 3.6.15. This provision states that for annual examinations, all subjects must be passed within the total academic duration plus an additional four years, failing which the admission is cancelled. For MBBS programs, this clearly provides a maximum study period of ten years. However, the students claim that this provision is not being implemented in practice.
Legal Ambiguity and Questions of Authority
The memorandum alleges that TU–IOM has violated the Tribhuvan University Organization and Academic Administration Rules, 2050. Rule 217 under Chapter 60 explicitly states that students who have filled out examination forms within the stipulated time published by the Office of the Controller of Examinations are eligible to enter the Second Phase, even if they were absent from or failed the examination.
Despite this, the students claim that TU–IOM annually prevents approximately 500 to 700 students from progressing from the second year to the third year, based on the decision of a committee formed in 2048 under the Dean’s Office and the Academic Council.
The memorandum further states that under Chapter 41 and Section 136 (gha) of the Tribhuvan University Act, the Academic Council is authorized to determine eligibility criteria for progression from one academic phase to another. However, it does not appear to grant the authority to cancel a student’s admission entirely.
The students also note that the Executive Council, exercising powers granted under Chapter 89 (Miscellaneous) and Section 397, set a maximum time limit for completing MBBS studies at ten years through the Examination Management and Operation Procedures, 2072. Although this Barrier is said to apply to TU–IOM, there is no recorded instance of a student’s admission being cancelled under this provision, indicating that it has not been effectively implemented.
Furthermore, the memorandum argues that once the 2072 procedures came into force, the older 2048 Academic Council decision should have been automatically repealed as a matter of legal principle. The continued simultaneous application of both the old and new Barrier systems is described as unlawful and unjust.
The students also note that India’s Medical Council of India and the National Medical Commission have enforced a uniform and student-friendly Barrier system across all medical universities since 2023, and argue that similar reforms are urgently needed in Nepal.
Proposed Policy and Practical Solutions
The memorandum emphasizes that the nature, duration, and structure of any Barrier system fall entirely within the realm of policy and administrative discretion. However, the students argue that both the state and the university have a responsibility to reform, review, and align such systems with international standards without destroying students’ futures.
They assert that policy reform, uniformity, and clarity are now unavoidable due to the contradictory and uneven implementation of the existing Barrier system.
The students have put forward eight specific demands. These include implementing a single, clear, and legal Barrier system strictly in accordance with the Examination Management and Operation Procedures, 2072, which provides a maximum of ten years for MBBS completion; formally repealing the 2048 Academic Council decision that results in automatic admission cancellation within three years; and applying the scientific, fair, and student-friendly Barrier system used by Kathmandu University equally at Tribhuvan University.
They have also demanded the removal of the Year-Drop system currently applied in the second year, proposing that the Barrier be enforced only in the final year, as practiced at Kathmandu University. Additionally, they have called for ensuring eight examination attempts for the first year and six attempts for the second year, noting that although the Dean’s Office previously agreed to this provision, it has not been implemented.
Other demands include establishing a clear policy that failure in the First Phase (Basic Science) does not result in admission cancellation, as practiced at Kathmandu University and foreign medical universities. The students further cited international admission data from the past five years, stating that Kathmandu University has consistently been the first choice for international students, indicating a gradual decline in TU’s international appeal and reputation.
To address this decline, the memorandum calls for the adoption of a scientific, just, and student-friendly academic system to restore Tribhuvan University’s international standing.
Call for Immediate Action
Concluding the memorandum, the students state that it is tragic for an institution meant to build students’ lives to enforce rules that instead destroy their futures. They have clarified that they are not seeking special privileges, but rather justice, equality, and legal clarity. The students have urged the concerned authorities to make a prompt and positive decision, expressing hope for necessary directives, initiatives, and assurances from the government.
The memorandum has been submitted on behalf of MBBS and BDS students of the Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University.
