KATHMANDU: Dozens of colleges in Nepal running programs under foreign university affiliations are operating without fully complying with government standards, raising serious concerns over regulatory oversight under the leadership of Balendra Shah.

Although the government permits Nepali colleges to offer higher education through partnerships with foreign universities, monitoring and enforcement remain weak. The Ministry of Education has formed multiple study committees over the years to assess such institutions and recommend reforms. However, a significant number of colleges continue to function outside prescribed criteria with key recommendations yet to be implemented.

According to existing provisions under the “Directive on Operation of Higher Education through Affiliated Foreign Institutions, 2059 BS,” colleges must partner only with universities ranked within the top 1,000 in global rankings such as Times Higher Education or Shanghai Jiao Tong. A 2081 BS committee led by Prof. Dr. Vinil Aryal further recommended limiting colleges to a single foreign affiliation and ensuring adherence to international academic standards.

Despite these guidelines, most of the 59 foreign-affiliated colleges currently in operation fall short of compliance. Some institutions, including The British College, maintain affiliations with multiple foreign universities, with at least one partner failing to meet the required ranking threshold. Similarly, education networks such as ISMT Group and ING Group are also reported to have affiliations that do not meet the stipulated standards. The Aryal led committee proposed comprehensive reforms, including benchmarks for infrastructure, student intake, scholarship provisions, and limits on multiple affiliations. However, more than a year after the report’s submission, these recommendations remain largely unimplemented.

Education expert Parshuram Tiwari noted that enforcing the proposed standards would require amendments to existing directives, a process that has seen little progress so far.

Efforts to regulate the sector have previously faced resistance. During the administration of KP Sharma Oli, then Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai resigned amid pushback while attempting to tighten regulations on private schools, consultancies, and foreign affiliated colleges.

Sources within the Ministry of Education indicate that under current Education Minister Sasmit Pokharel, there has been limited advancement in addressing these regulatory gaps, leaving the sector largely unchecked.