Tribhuvan University Faces Over NPR 2 Billion Loss Due to Misuse of Study Leave by Professors

Kathmandu. Tribhuvan University (TU) has incurred a loss of over NPR 2 billion due to professors who went on study leave and failed to return. According to TU regulations, teachers and staff are entitled to up to five years of study leave.

The university grants paid study leave with the objective of producing qualified, skilled, and research-oriented academic manpower. However, it has been found that professors have severely misused this leave. Following reports on this issue, TU formed a three-member committee led by Dr. Jiban Kafle to investigate teachers and staff who did not return after their study leave. The committee includes members Krishna Hari Acharya and Deepak Tiwari.

The committee's investigation revealed that approximately 398 professors have misused their study leave. This has caused both financial and academic damage to TU. The university has faced additional financial burdens by hiring part-time and contract teachers to replace the permanent faculty who went on study leave.

Committee coordinator Dr. Kafle stated that the increasing number of professors who go abroad on study leave and do not return is causing TU to suffer financial losses, educational problems, and moral damage. "The negligent trend of teachers and staff not returning after study leave sends a negative message to students," he said, adding, "It has also impacted the perception of TU."

The TU Executive Council formed the investigation committee on 25 Poush 2081. The report prepared by the committee identifies a total of 398 professors, including 191 who did not return and 207 who took leave but did not complete their studies. According to committee coordinator Kafle, an additional 50-60 files have also been discovered.

TU's Teacher and Staff Service Regulations 2050 state that teachers who have utilized study leave for more than three years up to five years must return and serve for at least five years. If three years of study leave are utilized, the rule requires at least three years of service to the university.

Teachers and staff also sign an agreement to return the salary and allowances received from the TU treasury with 10 percent interest if they do not return after the study leave ends. It has been found that some have drawn salaries from TU for five years and settled in various countries including the USA, Australia, Canada, and Europe after their leave ended.

Tribhuvan University Rector Prof. Dr. Khadga KC mentioned that TU has taken the bold step of bringing the long-standing issue of study leave misuse to light. He said, "The committee's study found that 193 people did not return after completing their five-year study leave, and over 400 people did not complete their studies after taking leave."

According to Rector Dr. KC, TU has written to those who have not returned to refund the amount with interest as per the agreement made with the university, and 20 individuals have already deposited the funds. NPR 60 million has been recovered from them. According to the agreement, if they do not return after the study leave, they must refund the salary and allowances received from the TU treasury with 10 percent interest. They are returning the money based on that agreement.

Following TU's follow-up, more than 50 professors are in the process of returning the funds. According to TU, the professors who do not return are required to refund at least NPR 1 million to over NPR 5 million per person. Dr. KC said, "We are still working ruthlessly. Now, in the first phase, we will take legal advice and make the names of those who do not pay public. If they do not come into contact within the 35-day notice period, they will be recommended to the relevant bodies for action."

Based on the initial details of the report, considering only the service facilities of a TU lecturer, with a basic salary of NPR 48,737, eight grades totaling NPR 13,000, 10 percent deductions each for the Employees Provident Fund and Citizen Investment Trust totaling NPR 12,348, monthly sick leave of NPR 2,573, dearness allowance of NPR 2,000, academic allowance of NPR 1,000, and festival expenses of NPR 61,737, totaling an annual amount of NPR 1,017,633, 397 teachers and staff have misused approximately NPR 2 billion over a five-year period.

Concern of the Prime Minister and Education Minister

The government has taken an interest in the misuse of study leave. Prime Minister Walendra Shah and Minister of Education, Science and Technology Sasmita Pokharel, who also serves as the government spokesperson, are studying the matter with concern. The secretariats of Prime Minister Shah and Education Minister Pokharel have held discussions with the investigation committee coordinator Dr. Kafle. After the Prime Minister and Education Minister showed interest, TU has further intensified its work.

Committee coordinator Dr. Kafle said that he is visiting the Dean's office, campuses, and central departments to search for the professors and staff who have not returned. He said, "The situation of misuse is seen in higher numbers than previously estimated, and after the formation of the committee, those who misused it are coming forward to pay the compensation amount according to TU rules, evaluating the impact on their public life."

According to Dr. Kafle, the team has directly observed 60 percent of TU's constituent campuses and offices so far, and it has been found that there is a significant number of teachers and staff who did not return to service after taking study leave, as well as those who could not obtain their degrees after taking study leave.

TU grants study leave ranging from one to five years to teachers and staff working in campuses and offices under the university for their professional development, teaching, and research. The paid study leave is granted with the expectation that the knowledge and skills gained will be in the overall interest of the university.

Teachers on study leave are required to serve the university according to the time they have utilized the study leave, and there are provisions for punishment for those who do not serve accordingly. TU had written to all bodies to provide details of teachers who did not return after study leave. But when accurate details were not received, the committee started collecting them by visiting campuses.

"The committee is investigating by reaching the respective campuses. It has been found that a large number of teachers and staff went on study leave and did not return," said committee coordinator Dr. Kafle. The committee stated that it is searching and studying all files since 2044 BS. TU did not have data on how many teachers and staff who went on study leave returned and how many hid abroad. Therefore, TU is collecting data by forming a committee.

According to the committee, the investigation in TU's constituent campuses, Dean's offices, and central departments has been completed. He said that the data on how many teachers and staff are hiding abroad will be made public at once. The committee, which has a deadline until the end of Ashar, is working rapidly.

Four hundred misused the leave

The committee found that 400 professors misused the leave after investigating all TU bodies for six months. After the committee's follow-up, professors who did not return from study leave have started returning the money. Committee coordinator Dr. Kafle informed that 44 people have submitted applications so far, and 20 of them have returned NPR 65 million.

He said, "So far, NPR 65 million has been collected from 20 people. We are also writing to others."

It is said that the number of teachers and staff who did not return after study leave is confirmed to be around 400, and as more cases are coming in, this number is expected to reach nearly 500. The university's rules have a provision to take study leave for up to five years. Those who have completed three years of study leave must serve for at least three years, and those who have utilized more leave must serve for at least five years. Teachers sign an agreement on Nepali paper to return when they are on leave. It is stated that if they do not return, the amount taken will be recovered even from their property. However, TU teachers who went on study leave since 2045 BS have not returned.

Most professors are reluctant to return the money because the interest is higher than the salary they received. TU officials are discussing what to do about this. Rector Dr. KC mentioned that the support and cooperation of the government, civil society, and media are needed to bring those who misuse study leave to legal accountability and to make them accountable, as there are challenges and loopholes in implementing the report.

The committee noted that the number of teachers and staff who do not return to the campus office after taking study leave is relatively higher in the institutes than in the faculties. The committee concludes that the main purpose of study leave has failed because some TU teachers did not complete their studies within the stipulated time after taking approved study leave and did not return to the campus or department after the leave ended.

TU rules state that if a teacher is absent from the campus or office without notice for 90 consecutive days, they can be removed or dismissed from service. They send resignation letters to TU from abroad but do not return the money.

These are the campuses investigated by the committee

The campuses investigated by the committee for teachers and staff who did not return after study leave include the Institute of Science and Technology, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Institute of Forestry, Institute of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, Central Department of Chemistry, Central Department of Zoology, Central Department of Physics, Central Department of Botany, Central Department of Geology, Central Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Central Department of Microbiology, Central Department of Mathematics, Central Department of Statistics, Central Department of Environmental Science, Central Department of Science and Information Technology, and Central Department of Biotechnology.

Similarly, Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus, Amrit Campus, Nepal Law Campus, Pulchowk Campus, Pulchowk, Campus of International Languages, Mahendra Ratna Multiple Campus, Thapathali Campus, Mechi Multiple Campus in Jhapa, Mahendra Morang Adarsha Multiple Campus in Biratnagar, Post Graduate Campus, and Biratnagar Nursing Campus are included.

Likewise, Purwanchal Campus in Dharan, Mahendra Multiple Campus, Central Campus of Technology, TU Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, Ayurveda Campus, Manmohan Cardiothoracic, Vascular and Transplant Center, Maharajgunj Nursing Campus, Prithvi Narayan Campus in Pokhara, Paschimanchal Campus, and Institute of Forestry Campus are included.

During the investigation, it was found that many professors from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Science and Technology, and Institute of Engineering have misused study leave. Out of 398 professors who misused study leave, 114 are from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, 106 from the Institute of Science and Technology, and 99 from the Institute of Engineering. There are 28 professors in the Institute of Forestry, 13 in the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, nine in the Institute of Medicine, nine in the Faculty of Education, 19 in the Faculty of Management, and one in the Faculty of Law.

Lawmakers also among those returning funds

Lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Nepali Congress who did not work for the full period after taking study leave from Tribhuvan University have returned their salary and allowances. RSP lawmaker Dr. Ananda Chand, elected from Kailali-5, and Congress lawmaker Jagat Timilsina, elected to the National Assembly from Gandaki Province, have returned the money.

Before becoming lawmakers, Lecturer Chand was working at TU Patan Multiple Campus and Associate Professor Timilsina was working at the Central Department of Management. Chand returned NPR 4,456,000 on 30 Chaitra, and Timilsina returned NPR 3,350,000 on 2 Baishakh.

Similarly, those returning the money include Mitramani Subedi, Himakumari Raut, Reena Shrestha, Pushparaj Acharya, Gyan Prasad Gautam, Dr. Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Jibnath Lamsal, Dr. Buna Bhandari, Deepak Pudasaini, Saraswati Dawadi, Thira Bahadur Budhathoki, Narayan Subedi, Prakash Acharya, Shambhu Poudel, Jagat Timilsina, Balhari Poudel, Birendra Prasad Gupta, Archana Nyaupane Timilsina, Shailendranath Adhikari, and Ananda Bahadur Chand. TU has kept the money collected from teachers and staff who misused study leave in the pension fund. In the budget for the fiscal year 2082-83, TU has also included this heading as a source of internal income.