Forty-four professors from Tribhuvan University (TU) who took study leave and did not return to work have paid back Rs. 110 million.
After Onlinekhabar reported that TU had suffered losses of over Rs. 2 billion due to professors who went on study leave and never returned, the university formed an investigation committee. The committee, led by Jeevan Kafle, prepared a report finding that 398 professors had misused their study leave. Following a public notice issued by TU demanding repayment, 44 professors have so far returned Rs. 11 crore.
“As of today, 44 individuals have made repayments, totalling Rs. 11 crore,” says committee coordinator Kafle.
After the committee submitted its report, TU established a help desk, also coordinated by Kafle, which is handling the collection of funds and informing professors who still need to repay. According to Kafle, 61 professors have submitted applications to make repayments.
“We request those who still have outstanding amounts to come forward and contact us,” he says.
Even sitting members of parliament who took study leave but did not serve their full term have made repayments. MPs from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the Nepali Congress have returned their salaries and allowances.
RSP MP Ananda Chand, elected from Kailali-5, and Nepali Congress National Assembly member Jagat Timilsina, elected from Gandaki Province, have both made repayments. Before becoming MPs, Assistant Professor Chand was working at TU’s Patan Multiple Campus, and Associate Professor Timilsina was at the Central Department of Management. Chand repaid Rs. 44 lakh 56 thousand, while Timilsina repaid Rs. 33 lakh 50 thousand.
Under TU’s Staff Service Regulations 2050, teachers who have taken study leave of more than three years (up to five years) are required to return and serve the university for a minimum of five years. Those who took three years of study leave must serve at least three years upon return. However, most professors who went on leave have not been coming back.
If a professor fails to return after their study leave ends, they are required, under a bond they sign, to repay all salaries and allowances received during the leave period, plus 10% interest. Despite this, most have opted to resign rather than repay.
TU provides paid study leave to develop expert educators, but the leave has been grossly misused, causing the university financial, academic, and reputational harm. TU plans to issue one more public notice for those who have not yet come forward, and to take further disciplinary action against those who still fail to respond.
Government’s concern
The government has also taken notice of the issue. Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel described the repayments as a significant achievement in the campaign to establish good governance, accountability, and institutional discipline in higher education.
“Study leave is a special opportunity provided to supply universities with skilled, research-oriented, and internationally capable academic staff. However, the misuse of this facility, funded by public resources and state investment, by those who do not return to service has caused not only financial but also educational and ethical damage to the university,” Minister Pokharel wrote on social media.
He noted that the ministry has been encouraging the university to take the necessary steps, treating the matter with seriousness.
“As a result of the investigation and legal processes, the pace of repayments has accelerated. This achievement is not merely about recovering funds; it is an important step toward ensuring public accountability, maintaining institutional discipline, and strengthening citizens’ trust in the higher education system,” the minister says.
Minister Pokharel also reaffirmed his commitment to further strengthening governance, transparency, and accountability in the education sector, and to protecting public resources while improving the quality of higher education.
