Approval of UGC Programs and Budgets

The Board Meeting of the University Grants Commission held on 26th August 2020 has made the decision to approve the budget and programs for the fiscal year 2019/20 (2077/78) with the total amount of Rs. 16.4614 billon for the operation and capital development of higher education sector.

Out of this budget NRs 4.4465 billion has been allocated for the capital development. It is 27.01% of the total budget whereas 72.99% is allocated for operation and consumption. Tribhuvan University alone receives NRs. 8.893 billion of the total higher education sector budget. It is 54.02% of the total higher education budget. Community colleges are also receiving significant amount of the grants through UGC.

For the current fiscal year community colleges are receiving NRs. 0.85 billion. Funding to community colleges is based on formula and some of the prerequisites of documentation. UGC is also implementing Higher Education Reform Project since 2015 with the soft loan support of World Bank. The aim of this project is to support reforms in selected institutions for improving quality, relevance and efficiency of higher education; and to assist underprivileged students for equitable access. The total cost of the project is NRs. 6.5 billion.

The Commission allocates the grants to higher education institutions for operation and academic excellence as it is provisioned by its act (1993). The allocation and disbursement of UGC grants to higher education institutions takes place broadly under two categories: operation grants and capital development grants. UGC funding to universities are in the form of block grants and formula based grants. Block grants for operation is calculated based on number of teachers and administrative staffs of university whereas formula based grant is calculated on the basis of cost recovery.

In line with the concept of multi-university, the number of universities are increasing. Human resources produced by our universities must be competitive and of international standard. UGC has envisioned to expand the opportunities of technical higher education, to realize the innovative thinking of promoting economy based knowledge and technology and to improve quality, relevance, good governance, accountability and participation in higher education sector. UGC considers that creating opportunities for capable youth to serve in the country is essential and for this restructuring of educational administration so as to combat the current global pandemic is a must. Taking this in to account the Commission has adopted the following annual policies and programs for the FY 2077/78 :

• The modality of grants provided to all higher education institutions will be improved and the pattern of investment through the government will be based on results,

• Efforts towards conducting National Eligibility Test will be done to improve the quality of higher education,

• In order to make higher education efficient, relevant, employment oriented and enrolment in technical subjects will be increased by launching new educational program. The new programs will be based on higher education mapping and areas of national priority through developing new or through revising the old curriculum,

• Support for patentable innovative research projects and programs of national importance will be extended by emphasizing research and invention which would contribute to achieve national goals of ‘Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali’. Furthermore, this support is expected to help brand the country a destination of higher education in the international arena,

• Research projects required by the country will be conducted in collaboration with the research centers of the universities,

• Study, teaching and research will be improved by making maximum use of information, technology and communication to cope with the current global pandemic Covid-19, and

• Programs of mutual benefit and social responsibility will be conducted between the university and the industry sector.