Buckling under the pressure from student unions, Tribhuvan University is set to withdraw its decision to implement semester system in its constituent campuses in the Valley from this year. Now TU is likely to open admission forms for master’s level under the old annual system from Sunday.

An informal meeting held between TU officials and three student unions — Nepal Students Union, All Nepal National Free Students Union and All Nepal National Independent Students Union-Revolutionary — aligned to three major parties today reached an understanding to not implement semester system in Valley campuses, largely for lack of infrastructure, curriculum and trained teachers.

Prof Dev Raj Adhikari, Acting Registrar, TU, who is also the Dean of Faculty of Management, said it was not possible to implement semester system without the consent of student unions. “We are yet to formally announce the decision, but it is for sure that we are in no position to go with the TU Assembly’s decision without the support from student unions,” he said. “We are likely to open forms under annual system soon.”

TU had opened admission forms for semester system on December 16. January 4 was the last day for submitting the forms. But student unions, protesting against the semester system, had halted form distribution in various campuses. They had also warned of protests if TU failed to withdraw the decision.

UP Lamichhane, Spokesperson for NSU, aligned to the Nepali Congress, said today that TU would open form for annual system from Sunday.

“Since it is impossible to implement semester system in Valley campuses from this year with the same old infrastructure, curriculum and teachers, TU today finally agreed to annul its own decision,” he said.

Ramesh Malla, Vice-president, ANNISU-R, aligned to the Unified CPN-Maoist, said TU was ‘still planning to implement semester system in colleges teaching science and law’. “It is not possible to implement semester system in Valley campuses in any faculty this year. Opening forms for annual system from Sunday will be the best option,” he added.

TU had earlier implemented semester system in its 32 central departments. But Lamichhane of NSU said TU needed to strengthen semester system in these 32 central departments first before implementing it in other constituent campuses.

source:KOKILA KC , The Himalayan times, 8 jan 2015