Rajarshi Janak University

(General University Vs Technical University)

Er. Satya Narayan Shahi

B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering (India)
MS (Manufacturing Engineering & Management (UK)
Email: er.snshah@gmail.com; snshah@dor.gov.np
16, August 2009 

The Finance Minister in his Budget Program of F/Y 2066/067 has announced to establish
Rajarshi Janak University this year. This is certainly a good message for all the people who were
very anxiously waiting for this action. This is not that the government has shown its interest first
time. The Government started showing its interest on the request of people of Janakpur region
through formation of a Task force under the chairmanship of the then Minister Mr. Mahanth
Thakur on 8/5/2055 to study and submit a report to the government on the establishment,
organization, operation of the proposed University.

The formation of the above Task Force is the result of the people’s request to the Government. It
is well known to the entire countrymen that the people of this region have been contributing with
their honest and untiring efforts in establishing several institutions to build educated society.
Establishments of numerous institutions in this region are the examples. This is a step forward in
the field of education to conceptualize need of a University on the occasion of Silver Jubilee
Celebration of Ramswaroop Ramsagar Campus (RRC) attended by all the Teaching and non-
teaching staffs of the campus, Students, Reputed Local Professionals, Head of the Social
Organizations, Local Donors, Social Workers and Community leaders.

In the continuity, the 4th District convention of the District Development Council held on 9 -10
Bhadra 2053 anonymously decided to name the University in the name of King Janak as Rajarshi
Janak University, Janakpur. The convention also anonymously decided to donate Rs. 100,000/-
by each Village Development Committee of Dhanusha District to establish the University. The
amount such collected was deposited in a fixed account.

To move the concept ahead, a Workshop/Seminar was organized under the chairmanship of Mr.
Ram Saroj Yadava on Mansir 18, 2053 (December 3, 1996) by DDC, Dhanusha, which was
attended by The Ministers of Education Gobind Raj Joshi, all the sitting Ministers of Dhanusha
and Mahottary Districts, Deputy Speaker, Members of Parliament from Dhanusha, Mahottary,
Rautahat, Sindhuli, Udaypur, Siraha, Okhaldhunga, Presidents of DDCs, and Mayors from
Saptary to Parsa Districts along Tarai strip, Representatives of political parties, Educationists,
Professionals, Community Leaders, Social Activists and Local Businessmen and Students.
Among the active participants Mr. Bal Gopal Vaidya- Member NPC, Mr. Madhav Raj Sharma-
Rector TU, Dr. Hom Nath Bhatarai- Member Secretary of UGC, Dr. Nar Singh Narayan Singh-
Director of NASC and Ex Secretary for Education Ministry, Ex- VCs of TU Mr. Ram Chandra
Bdr. Singh, Mr. Mahesh Kumar Upadhyay, and Chairman of Brihat Janakpur Vikas Samiti Mr.
MN Nidhi were also present in the workshop. After vigorous discussions, the workshop made
two resolutions. (A.) To facilitate and provide higher education, establishment of Rajrshi Janak
University at Janakpur is justifiable and every one deserves appreciation for the untiring efforts
and strong determination to make this a success. (B) It is indispensable to form a TASK-FORCE
to prepare workable MASTER PLAN for the establishment and sustainable operation of the
University. Main objective of the workshop was to create an environment for the establishment
of the University and seek general consensus from the political leaders, community leaders,
educationists, professionals, and other social activists.

To activate the concept the District Development Committee of Dhanusha has also formed a
University Establishment Cooperation Committee on 15/12/2053 under the chairmanship of Mr.
Bimalendra Nidhi, which is still working.

The proposed Rajarshi Janak University has been conceptualized to provide general education
like existing Universities. The present scenario of this country can not be ignored that there is
growing demand of huge numbers of technical professionals in Nepal and abroad. Overseas job
opportunities for the Nepalese technical experts are also quite high. Hence, the college education
should be revolutionized and relate it to national and international necessities. There should be
sufficient facilities and quality teaching for degrees of Engineers, Doctors, Agriculturists, Forest
scientists, and other technical manpower.

There are all together 12 Medical Colleges, 31 Engineering Colleges, 3 Agriculture & Allied
Science Colleges, and 2 Forestry Colleges in operation in Nepal to provide technical education in
their respective disciplines. All these colleges are either constituent or affiliated colleges of the
existing Universities. The numbers may be sufficient but the most important thing is the quality,
which matters a lot. It is very sad to say that some of the Universities are not seen to be able to
give proper attention on the evaluation and monitoring of colleges due to lack of resources and
sense of accountability. In the time when the world demands specialists, we can not drag with the
same old concept.

Another issue in the education sector is that the students having eligible aptitude to study
technical education find very rare opportunity due to high fees. The state must show its vision
whether it wants to produce professionals to serve the societies with reasonable cost or produce
business men to earn profit through their services. It is very true that for the social transformation
we need educated people but along with that we need quality people too. Quality life begins with
quality education, which is possible through clean institutions. Determination, Honesty and
Vision with proper mobilization of resources and innovations create clean Institution. Sincere
efforts, motivation, dedications and hunger for continuous improvement have no replacement.
For all these, Universities and colleges play vital role where there will be more and better
libraries, more and better laboratories, and more and better research institutes. Under it we
should have an army of doctors, engineers, agriculturists, forest scientists and other experts who
will be real servants of the nation, and answer the varied and growing requirements of people
who are becoming increasingly conscious of their rights and wants.

 The above reasons are a few of many, which create a demand to establish a Technical University
to start with four types of technical education and to develop curriculum as per the demand of
time and have proper monitoring and control to produce the quality professionals; they are
Medicine; Engineering; Forestry; Agriculture and Animal Science. This University must have
vision to be capable to provide appropriate technical education for producing quality
professionals to develop true professionalism for sustainable future.

This matter to establish Rajarshi Janak University as Technical University was widely discussed
during the workshop. There may be various reasons but the most importantly, we have no
Technical University in Nepal and there is great demand for it. Other justifications to establish it
at Janakpur are (1) it is located at almost in the middle among the highly populated areas, (2)
there are ample possibilities of acquisition of sufficient lands, (3) there are comparatively poor
students in this region who are compelled to give up their wish to take up technical education.

Thus, to establish the proposed University as Technical University is well justified and for this
Local Governments and the donors and Government agencies should have strong and clear
memorandum of understanding. Secondly, an act for the proposed university has to be brought
by the Government of Nepal and approved by the parliament. The concern universities should
easily release the affiliation of the willing institutes/colleges to get affiliation to the newly
established technical university. Another most important thing is that the the Government should
initiate and support the newly established university to either establish its constituent colleges
and faculties or transfer the existing facilities. Without sincere and positive helping attitude of
University Grant Commission the establishment of this university will not be possible.

Alternatively, as this matter was also raised during NRN Conference at Janakpur in October
2008, a model of Public Private Partnership (PPP) can also be thought of. To go ahead with this
idea a joint task force based on PPP should be formed to initiate and promote the further
activities of the proposed university.

                                                            
i
 Mr. Shah was organizing Secretary of the Workshop organized by the DDC and presently he is a Member of University Establishment 
Cooperation Committee. He is also Member of the Board of Governors of Nepal Engineering Council.