Minister stresses quality over quantity in establishing universities

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 30, 2026

Nepal’s Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokharel, called for prioritizing quality and coordinated management over the expansion of universities, urging thorough assessments and alignment with student demand and market needs before establishing new institutions. This approach aims to enhance the efficiency and relevance of higher education amid ongoing policy developments and efforts to better integrate provincial universities into the national system.

HETAUDA, Oct. 29 — Nepal’s Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokharel, has underscored the importance of prioritizing quality over quantity in the establishment of new universities. Speaking at the opening of a two-day workshop on “Strengthening Nepal’s Higher Education System: Management and Coordination of Provincial Universities” in Hetauda on Thursday, he emphasized that new institutions should be founded only when justified by student demand, market needs, and a sound rationale for state investment.

Minister Pokharel advocated for a thorough assessment of existing universities, their capacity, and the relevance of academic programs before moving forward with the creation of additional universities. He also called for enhanced coordination among Nepal’s federal, provincial, and local governments to effectively mobilize resources, stressing that public investment in education must be clearly linked to measurable outcomes.

Nepal currently has 28 universities operating under federal and provincial governments as well as science academies, according to the minister. He highlighted that the core challenge lies not in the proliferation of universities but in ensuring their efficient management and quality standards.

The minister further noted the need to clarify the respective roles of the federal government and the University Grants Commission (UGC) in overseeing provincial universities. He recommended consulting the UGC before establishing new universities and urged the introduction of curricula based on emerging needs rather than duplicating existing offerings.

Minister Pokharel also informed participants that the government is developing the School Education Act and related policies for higher education, indicating readiness to introduce new legislation if required to support sectoral improvements.

Bagmati Province Chief Minister Kiran Thapa Magar, speaking at the event, highlighted the critical role of provincial governments in advancing higher education. She advocated for provincial universities to be fully integrated into the national higher education framework and to function as hubs of research and learning, beyond their role in granting degrees.

Other speakers, including former chief minister Rajendra Pandey, UGC Chairman Prof. Dr Khadga KC, and National Planning Commission member Prof. Dr Sudan Jha, echoed the call for enhancing education quality rather than simply increasing the number of institutions.

The workshop convened vice-chancellors, campus chiefs, and academic professors to discuss strategies aimed at improving the quality of higher education, strengthening provincial universities, and fostering better coordination across the sector.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.