At a time when Dr Govinda Kc was staging his indefinite 11th hunger strike, it has been reported that Senate and Executive Council of Tribhuvan University has given the affiliation to Ghattekulo-based Kathmandu National College.

The council has granted the affiliation to the college, which is said to lack the proper infrastructure, denouncing the cabinet decision and the decision of the Educational Council of Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2013.

The government led by Sushil Koirala had decided not to provide the affiliation to any new medical colleges until the endorsement of Medical Education Bill. Likewise, the Educational Council of IOM had halted the affiliation procedure of the Kathmandu National College in 2013 citing that the college does not have proper infrastructure to operate.

Rector Sudha Tripathi revealed that the meeting of the Senate and Executive Council of TU under the chair of TU Vice-Chancellor Tirtha Khaniya, made decision on July 27, three days after Dr KC started his strike.

Tripathi claimed that the council was compelled to make the decision after Judgement Execution Directorate of the Supreme Court repeatedly inquired on the implementation of the verdict of the court.

It has been learned that the decision was made standing on the mandamus from the SC on September 16, 2014. Demanding the affiliation, Jainuddin Ansari of the Kathmandu National College had filed the case on which a bench of then Chief Justice Damodar Sharma and Justice Om Prakash Mishra had issued mandamus to decide on the affiliation as per the law.  Referring to the decision from the SC, the management of the college urged for the affiliation whereas the IOM had claimed that the institute is not obliged for the process as the SC had not made any clear mandamus regarding the affiliation issue.

source:republica, 20 august 2017