Admission Dispute Between Medical Education Commission and CTEVT Reaches Prime Minister’s Office

April 27, Kathmandu – A dispute between the Medical Education Commission and the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) over carrying out student admissions for diploma-level medical courses without conducting entrance exams has escalated to the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers’ Office. According to a senior official of the Commission, although CTEVT claims to have followed its own regulations to proceed, the Commission views this as a violation of the Medical Education Act’s intent and provisions, and is preparing further action. The official told OnlineKhabar, “They claim all procedures were completed and actions taken per ministerial approval and their regulations. However, regulations cannot override the Act. No one is above the law. The Commission will not treat this lightly.”

CTEVT’s recent initiation of admissions for diploma-level health programs without a unified entrance exam has drawn opposition from the Commission. Following the government’s appointment of Dr. Shrikrishna Giri as the Commission’s Vice-Chairman on Tuesday, sources reported that a lengthy discussion took place between the two bodies on Wednesday. The Commission maintained a clear stance that activities must proceed strictly following the Commission’s laws and standards, while CTEVT argued that its actions were in accordance with applicable rules.

According to Commission sources, during the discussions, CTEVT was reminded that the Commission was established precisely to address past irregularities in medical education admissions, the practice of selection based on influence, substandard outputs, and political interference. “The Commission was created to stop such arbitrary actions,” the official reported stating, “They cannot casually enforce their separate rules.” The Medical Education Act mandates that entrance examinations and admissions for certificate-level health education programs run under the Council must be coordinated solely through the Medical Education Commission. This time, however, admissions were opened without such coordination.

Education and Sports Minister Sashmit Pokharel reportedly facilitated the issuance of new CTEVT regulations that eased the admission process. After the government removed all political appointees via an ordinance, including the Commission’s officers, the body was left without leadership, including its Vice-Chairman. It was during this leadership vacuum that admissions were opened directly, bypassing the Act’s prescribed procedures.

On May 6, Minister Pokharel revoked the CTEVT Examination Regulations (2071) and approved new regulations in 2083 (Nepali calendar). Following this, on May 15, CTEVT published admissions notices for various three-year diploma programs in medical education. This decision contravened mandatory legal procedures established under the National Medical Education Act, 2075. Section 16, subsection (5), clause (c) of this Act stipulates that entrance exams and admission processes for certificate-level health education programs operated under the Council must be conducted only in coordination with the Commission.

Failure to reach consensus led to escalation to the Prime Minister: Due to unresolved disagreements, a discussion involving the Education Minister was held on Wednesday afternoon, with representatives from both the Commission and CTEVT present. A source claimed that the Education Minister himself appeared seriously concerned about admissions without entrance exams. “It seemed the Education Minister was not fully clear on the Commission’s role and duties. After hearing the Commission’s explanation, he questioned how admissions could proceed without any entrance exam for medical education,” the source said.

CTEVT argued that its regulations justify the legality of their procedures. Nevertheless, the Commission reiterated that no regulation can override the Act. Commission officials contended that rather than admitting mistakes, the focus should be on rectifying the process. “If the foundation of a house is weak, painting the walls doesn’t fix it,” the official said during discussions. “The strong foundation of medical education lies in a common entrance and merit system. Quality health workforce cannot be produced without an effective student selection system.”

Following the talks, sources suggest the Education Minister showed partial agreement with the Commission’s arguments and assured that after consulting the Prime Minister, necessary decisions would be made. As the dispute intensified, consultations reportedly took place between the Education Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office. “Discussions lasted late into the night between the Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office,” a source close to the Commission said. “No one will accept actions that undermine the law.” The Commission is preparing a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Balendra Shah next Thursday (June 4), during which contentious issues in medical education such as the entrance exam system, merit-based admissions, and regulation of private and public institutions are expected to be discussed.

The Commission’s warning – No one is above the law: Most health-related diploma programs under CTEVT are designed for students who have passed the SEE exam. Hence, admissions were advanced to attract high GPA students immediately. Regulations or bylaws subordinate to the Act cannot override its main provisions. Student admissions in medical education are not a routine administrative process; the Commission establishes strict criteria and multilayered procedures.

Before any institute operates health diploma programs, it must submit a self-appraisal form detailing infrastructure, faculty, laboratories, hospital affiliations, equipment, and human resources. Subsequently, the Commission or its approved agents carry out on-site monitoring. Only after the Commission’s full board approves a “seat allocation” based on monitoring reports can admissions proceed. However, this year, before the Commission’s full board convened, the government removed the Commission’s Vice-Chairman Dr. Anjanikumar Jha and other officials through an ordinance on April 1.

With the Commission left leaderless, new regulations were approved at the ministerial level, and CTEVT unilaterally initiated admissions. According to Regulation 4, sub-regulation (3) of the ministerially approved rules, lists of eligible students can be published solely based on students’ SEE or SLC grades or GPA, eliminating the entrance exam for medical diploma programs. The implication is an absence of an entrance examination, allowing students with higher SEE GPAs priority. Former Commission officials warn that removing entrance exams weakens fair competition and opens the door for private institutions to select students based on personal preferences. CTEVT officials, however, assert they have not added any new programs and have proceeded based on quotas determined last year by the Commission.

According to Commission sources, this admission process issue is closely linked to the future of the medical education system itself. “If the entrance exam system is diluted, old malpractice will return,” said a source. “Merit will disappear, seats will be captured by influential people, and ultimately, the quality of healthcare services will deteriorate.”