A meeting of the Education and Health Committee, House of Representatives (HoR) today endorsed a bill related to the establishment of Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology. The bill was passed with amendments.

The bills aims to establish a university for world standard education and research works basically on science and technology.

Committee President Jayapuri Gharti presented the bill with the proposal for appointing the University Board of Directors’ Chair among for the Nepali citizen and appointing a lawmaker elected from the respective constituency under the first-past-the-post system as a member on the University Board of Patrons for a decision which was later accepted by the meeting unanimously.

Earlier, the government proposed the possibility of appointing the University Chair among from foreign nationals. However, this proposal has been nullified through the amendment. The amendment was made after taking views of the government. However, there is a way for appointing other office bearers among from foreign citizens.

Though Vice Chancellor is assigned to take the leadership of other universities in the country, the leadership of chairperson has been proposed in case of this University.

Though the government had proposed either Chitlang of Makwanpur or Panchkhal and Namobudhha of Kavrepalacnhwok as the central office of the University, the amendment granted an authority to take the decision in this regard to Board of Patrons. Similarly, two members on the Board of Patrons shall be from among University alumni’s not those recommended by chair of Madan Bhandari Foundation which was earlier proposed by the government.

This university is being established to produce capable and skilled technicians and scientists as well as new ideas, knowledge and technology.

In the meeting, Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel said the Chinese side was willing to extend support in setting up the university and a decision regarding the university’s central office would be made later on. He added that the university is being established to making it a world-class university focusing on research and study on ecience and technology sector.

Stating the university is going to be a specialized institution of higher learning in view of producing human resources required for attaining prosperity for the country, the Minister stressed that the options should be kept open regarding offering courses in other subjects also based on partnership and need.

Khagaraj Adhikari, Mana Kumari GC, Umesh Shrestha, Jeevan Ram Shrestha, Surendra Kumar Yadav, Sarita Neupane, Biddya Bhattarai, among other lawmakers speaking in the meeting emphasized on the need of making the law more enriched based on amendment and feedback as the main spirit of the bill is right.