It has been revealed that Tribhuvan University decided to grant affiliation to a new medical college in the Kathmandu Valley when Dr Govinda KC was staging his 11th round of hunger strike.  

The Executive Committee on July 27 had granted affiliation to National Medical College, Ghattekulo, an extension of Birjung-based National Medical College, owned by CPN-UML mayoral candidate for Birgunj Metropolitan City Basruddin Ansari.

Dr Govinda KC had staged his 11th fast-unto-death from July 24. 

Sudha Tripathi, Rector of TU, confirmed the decision claiming that they were just abiding the decision of Supreme Court to allow National Medical College to run medical programmes.  

“We got six letters from Judgement Execution Directorate to implement its decision to affiliate National Medical College so that it can run MBBS programme,” said Tripathi. “This time the letter had indirectly warned us that if we don’t grant affiliation then TU has to face the contempt of court.” 

Tripathi was referring to the decision of SC on September 16, 2014, when a division bench of then Chief Justice Damodar Sharma and Justice Om Prakash Mishra had asked TU to grant affiliation. In their final hearing, the SC had argued that there is no reason to hold the affiliation if National Medical College meets the set criteria. 

A team led by Dr Kabir Nath Yogi had inspected the NMC at Ghattekulo and recommended the TU to grant the affiliation in 2014. However, sources at the Nepal Medical Council said that Dr Yogi and his team had produced falsified information.  

“The National Medical College do not meet the required occupancy of hospital beds. It is also the infamous medical school that present fake professors during inspections. Yet, the report of Yogi completely ignores these facts,” said a high-level official of NMC.  

Dean of IoM Dr JP Agrawal said they have no idea on the issue of affiliation.   

IoM, the medical education unit of TU, had been repeatedly denying affiliation stating that it does not have the institutional capacity to inspect more medical colleges. 

 Dr KC to begin 12th hunger strike 

Dr Govinda KC on Saturday warned that he will immediately begin hunger strike if the decision to grant affiliation to National is not annulled. 

Dr KC said the TU office bearers have disrespected his repeated protest to bring reform in medical education. “We all know that the TU office bearers are party cadres. They serve the interest of their political master and businessmen,” said Dr KC.