14 Student Organizations Oppose Government Move to Remove Campus Structures

Kathmandu. Fourteen student organizations have expressed serious concern following the Nepal government's announcement to remove student organization structures from educational institutions. In a joint press statement issued on Wednesday, they demanded the immediate revocation of the Cabinet's decision made on Chaitra 13 (point no. 86 of the governance reform agenda).

The statement, signed by the presidents and representatives of 14 student organizations including the Nepal Students Union (NSU), ANNFSU, and ANNFSU (Revolutionary), labeled the government's announcement as immature, apolitical, unconstitutional, and undemocratic. They argued that the government's perspective of blaming student organizations for all irregularities in the education sector is superficial.

Reminding that the right to associate is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution, the statement said, 'Imposing restrictions on any ideology is contrary to democratic values and creates obstacles in the natural political socialization process of the younger generation.'

They claimed that efforts to reform the student movement, such as implementing a 28-year age limit for Free Student Union (FSU) elections, have been ongoing. Clarifying that student organizations are always committed to constructive dialogue, cooperation, and reform with the government, they urged the government to build consensus through meaningful dialogue with all stakeholders.

According to the decision of the first Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah, who was appointed on Falgun 13, the government announced the removal of student organization structures from school and university premises through a '100-point governance reform agenda' to free educational institutions from political interference.

According to the government's announcement, structures of organizations formed on a partisan basis will be removed from educational institutions within the next 60 days.