The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued a crucial decision instructing officials to authorize the enrollment of MBBS students prior to the commencement of the upcoming academic term. The ruling requires the Medical Education Commission and Kathmandu University to reach a conclusion on this issue within a 15-day period.
The court's 15-day deadline will start once the Commission and Kathmandu University fully comprehend the decision. Furthermore, the Supreme Court has directed the government to adhere to the standards established 13 years ago, on March 24, 2068, for medical schools.
The decision is a result of a legal petition submitted by Durga Prasai, contesting the refusal to grant accreditation to a medical institution despite meeting all the essential infrastructure criteria. Justices Chudamani Sharma and Manoj Kumar Sharma of the Supreme Court have decreed that entities that have made significant investments in advancing the healthcare industry should not face restrictions on their operations.
Before the enactment of the Medical Education Act in 2075 BS, universities held the authority to grant affiliation to medical colleges. However, Dr. Govinda KC, a prominent crusader for medical education reforms, has been staging hunger strikes, demanding that colleges failing to meet the criteria should not receive affiliation.
In the wake of allegations of improper reassignments influenced by external factors, the procedures, including reassignments, have been transferred to the Medical Education Commission.
The Supreme Court's decision declares that trying to ban the operation of medical colleges using a subsequent law is an unjustified intrusion on the fundamental rights of profession, business, and employment protected by the Constitution of Nepal. This action constitutes a clear breach of the current law and cannot be deemed fair or respectable.
