Tribhuvan University offers credit transfer for Nepali students returning from KIIT

NEW DELHI: Nepal's prestigious Tribhuvan University on Tuesday announced that Nepali students returning from KIIT in Odisha due to safety concerns following the death of fellow student Prakriti Lamsal can continue their education in the country with a credit transfer facility. Prakriti, a third-year B Tech (Computer Science) student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, was found dead in her hostel room on February 16, leading to unrest on the campus.

She allegedly died by suicide under circumstances that her family and authorities are currently scrutinising. There are around 1,000 Nepalese students studying in KIIT. Over 500 Nepali students have left the institute due to security concerns following the unrest. In an official notice issued on Tuesday, Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal’s oldest government-run university, announced, "For those students, who were compelled to return to Nepal due to the problem they faced in KIIT, Odisha , it is notified that they can continue their remaining classes in Tribhuvan University with credit transfer facility if they so desire."

Safety concerns raised

The university also provided an email contact for interested students and guardians to facilitate the process. The departure of Nepali students from KIIT followed tensions that arose after the death of Prakriti. In the aftermath, the institution initially asked protesting Nepali students to vacate the hostel. Although KIIT later apologised and requested students to return and resume their studies, nearly 50 per cent of the approximately 1,000 Nepali students studying there have already returned home.

At a press conference in Kathmandu, some returning students expressed concerns about their safety and questioned whether the university administration could provide a secure and supportive learning environment. Observers opine that in recent years, Nepalese universities have faced declining enrolment as increasing numbers of students choose to study abroad in countries such as the US, Japan, the UK, and India. However, this development may prompt more students to consider pursuing higher education within Nepal.