Nepal bans student politics, scraps exams up to class 5

Guwahati: Nepal’s government has announced a series of sweeping reforms aimed at insulating the education system from political influence, including a ban on student politics in educational institutions and the abolition of traditional examinations up to Class 5.

The decisions were approved at the first Cabinet meeting of the newly formed government on March 29. The administration led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah has outlined a 100-point reform agenda, with education emerging as a key priority.

Under the new policy framework, all student organisations affiliated with political parties will be barred from operating in schools and universities. Authorities have directed that such groups be removed from campuses within a specified timeframe.

In their place, non-political student bodies, termed “Student Councils,” will be established within 90 days to represent student concerns and interests.

The government has also moved to curb political influence within the education administration by prohibiting teachers and government officials from maintaining affiliations with political parties. Additionally, party-linked trade unions are set to be abolished.

In a significant shift aimed at reducing academic pressure, internal examinations up to Class 5 will be discontinued. Officials indicated that alternative assessment methods, including psychological and continuous evaluation systems, will be introduced to replace conventional testing.

At the higher education level, the government has mandated timely declaration of results in accordance with the academic calendar, seeking to address persistent delays that have affected students in recent years.