Kathmandu, October 30
The Ministry of Education and Sports has said it is moving ahead with reforms in medical education by implementing agreements reached with Prof Dr Govinda KC at various times.
The ministry has highlighted the enactment of the National Medical Education Act, establishment of the Medical Education Commission, scholarship management and expansion of access to medical education across the country as major achievements in implementing the agreements.
According to the ministry, various reforms have been introduced to strengthen the policy and institutional framework of medical education, expand academic opportunities and ensure good governance.
Following the enactment of the National Medical Education Act, 2018 (2075 BS), the Medical Education Commission was established. Through the commission, a common entrance examination has been introduced, quotas have been determined for different academic levels and disciplines, scholarship recipients have been selected and managed, and educational institutions have been regulated.
“Through the phased implementation of recommendations from various studies, task force reports and proposed reforms over the years, medical education has become relatively more organised and an attractive field in Nepal,” the ministry said in a statement.
The government has prioritised the establishment of educational institutions and infrastructure development in different provinces to expand access to medical education. The ministry said infrastructure development and academic programmes had begun in Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces.
The Martyr Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences was established in Geta, Kailali, Sudurpaschim Province, and academic programmes in various medical disciplines began there this year.
Similarly, infrastructure development for medical education institutions is underway in Surkhet of Karnali Province, Butwal of Lumbini Province and Bardibas of Madhesh Province, the ministry said.
The ministry claimed that the process of granting affiliations to educational institutions, determining quotas for different academic levels and disciplines, and managing student admissions had been made more systematic, transparent and criteria-based through the Medical Education Commission.
It also said that scholarship quotas had been determined in accordance with the National Medical Education Act, 2018, its Regulations, 2020, and other relevant standards, providing a large number of students with opportunities to pursue education free of cost.
The ministry said a task force had been formed and was actively working to implement the provisions of the latest agreement reached with Dr KC on August 27.
“Task forces have been formed and are actively working to implement the provisions of the latest agreement,” the statement said.
The ministry also expressed its commitment to continuing to prioritise reforms in medical education, service delivery and good governance in the education sector.
Meanwhile, Dr KC began his 25th hunger strike on Thursday at Narayan Temple in Ilam, saying the government had shown little interest in addressing his demands.
He has demanded the scrapping of the Medical Education Commission’s decision to allow MBBS and nursing programmes to begin in the current academic session at the Martyr Dasharath Chand University of Health Sciences in Geta without the minimum required infrastructure and academic staff. He has also demanded the cancellation of decisions to increase student quotas at various educational institutions.
