KU in Media (24 May 2006)

Nepotism in KU
(Courtesy:http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=74533)
Kathmandu University (KU) came into being in 1991 through the bill passed in the Parliament as a non-profit organization. The quality education slogan later changed to quality education for leadership. Since it was a private university, it could do everything what TU couldn't do. There was less politics there as compared to TU, and that made KU an attractive school for the faculty members as well. But they started treating their employees as their slaves, made them teach 20-24 hours a week. Their administration is infested with their kith and kin, who enjoy all the powers; the academic staffs are not their people.

Recently, Sushil Doranga pointed out that he was unable to attend the university due to Kathmandu banda. His salary was deducted for that particular day. Of the Rs 200,000 research fund, he spent only Rs 48,000, and he was told that there is no money left for him. Later he left KU.

The administrators make a lot more money than the academic staffs. In terms of ratio of students, they have received good amount of money from the government as well. Is it not time to see what they have given to the country? The accounts need to be audited from an independent auditor. While their kith and kin visit abroad, enjoy travel allowances, paid leave, and university vehicles; the academic staffs are forced to resign if they want to leave for higher studies. Some of them were forced to return the benefits taken from KU while working. Once I raised this issue to the registrar. He told me that I should resign if I need justice.

Most of the teachers leave KU in a year or two because Vice Chancellor Dr Suresh Raj Sharma and registrar Sitaram Adhikary dictate the staffs. It is more like Sharma and Adhikary Company, a profit making company, where the family members get paid. VC's brother is the administrator. VC's daughter is a big shot in the administration. His son-in-law also works there. Registrar's brother is a legal advisor and his both sons work at the university. Another brother of the registrar also works at the same place. The list is very long. While there are voices to remove the VC of Mahendra Sanskrit University and the VC of TU, why are the parliamentarians tight-lipped in this issue? Dr Sharma was one of the supporters of the umbrella organizations to please the king. Is monopoly still tolerable in Nepal? Since KU is a public property, it should be transparent to the public. Dr Sharma has been its VC for the past 15 years. I therefore request the parliamentarians to take this seriously and look for a substitute before it gets too late.

Ghanshyam Bhatt
Former Assistant professor
Mathematics Department