Prime Minister Balen Shah, who also serves as chancellor of universities, recently appointed vice-chancellors to seven universities. However, not a single woman was selected.
The government had issued the Integrated Procedure for Selection and Recommendation of Vice-chancellors of Various Universities 2026 and called for applications for the posts.
Following the completion of the process outlined in the procedure, vice-chancellors were appointed to seven universities on July 3. Appointments for some universities are still pending.
All procedures – from the call for applications to shortlisting and recommendation as specified in the procedure – were completed before the appointments.
A search committee was formed under the leadership of Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel, who also serves as pro-chancellor of universities. The committee recommended three names for each university. PM Shah made the appointments based on those recommendations.
The appointed vice-chancellors are Bhola Thapa for Tribhuvan University, Kisan Datta Bhatta for Far Western University, Rajan Suwal for Mid-West University, Rishi Ram Kattel for Agriculture and Forestry University, Shyam Narayan Labh for Rajarshi Janak University, Devendra Adhikari for Pokhara University, and Sujan Babu Marhatta for Purbanchal University.
The fact that all seven appointees are men has raised questions about the absence of women in the appointments.
Applications remain open for Nepal Sanskrit University and Lumbini Buddhist University, where the selection process has yet to conclude.
According to the Ministry of Education and Sports, a total of 227 people applied for the vice-chancellor positions. The majority of applicants from the beginning were men.
For Tribhuvan University alone, 50 people applied, but there was not a single woman among them.
Among other universities, 9 people had applied for Nepal Sanskrit University, 38 each for Purbanchal University and Pokhara University, 20 for Mid-West University, 19 for Far Western University, 27 for Rajarshi Janak University, 11 for Lumbini Buddhist University, and 15 for Agriculture and Forestry University.
According to the ministry, only two women each applied for Purbanchal and Pokhara Universities, one each for Mid-West, Far Western, and Rajarshi Janak Universities, four for Lumbini Buddhist University, and two for Agriculture and Forestry University.
Out of the total 227 applicants, only 13 were women. The ministry’s search committee shortlisted 197 qualified candidates, among whom only 9 were women.
According to the ministry, when the shortlist was reduced to 82 candidates in the second phase, only 6 women remained.
A member of Education Minister Pokharel’s secretariat told Setopati that even though fewer women applied, the intention was not to exclude them deliberately.
“We are aware that no woman was appointed vice-chancellor. There has also been criticism regarding this. But the unfortunate reality is that very few women applied. The overwhelming majority of applicants were men, which is why no female candidates could be selected,” the secretariat member said.
According to the secretariat member, the number of female candidates remains very low in the remaining universities and other appointment processes.
“There are still some candidates left in the appointment process, but even there the number of women is extremely low. Therefore, even if we want to, it’s not possible to say much,” the secretariat member said.
They added that those appointed were found to be more qualified than other candidates.
Another ministry official noted that many seemingly qualified individuals did not even apply.
"We found that some seemingly eligible people did not even apply. The main reason no women were appointed was the low number of applicantions," the official said.
The official also noted that some candidates were penalized for attempting to lobby during the selection process.
“Qualified people tend not to engage in lobbying, but some who had given poor presentations and submitted weak plans were found to be involved in lobbying anyhow. Some candidates lost points because of such lobbying too,” the official said.
