The Institute of Medicine is finalising a plan to become an autonomous body in terms of many administrative and fiscal decisions from the Tribhuvan University. 

The IoM began drafting its plan after Dr Govinda KC launched his 11th fast-unto-death. Among many other demands, Dr KC has sought an autonomy for the institute from the TU. He is into 11th day of the hunger strike.

The TU has been widely criticised for centralising many of the IoM’s jurisdictions, including the authority to allocate seats for medical schools. “We will finalise the autonomy plan by Friday and submit it to the TU for endorsement,” said IoM Dean Dr Jagdish Prasad Agrawal. 

Until two years ago, the IoM’s faculty board had the authority to allocate seats to enrol students in its affiliated colleges. However, that authority was curtailed in what many believe as ill intent of TU office bearers to negotiate “under-the-table deals” with the private medical colleges.

Seats of medical students have remained an important determinant of accruing profit by colleges. A majority of the private colleges charge Rs5 million a seat for the MBBS programme, with a placement in a post-graduate programme can go up to Rs10 million for some of the most sought-after subjects, including Radiology.

Dr Agrawal said the autonomy is the need of the hour as the IoM often has to go through unnecessary bureaucratic hassles of the TU for many of its procurement and financial decisions. 

Apart from the seat allocation and finances, the IoM plan has also proposed appointing its assistant deans and campus chief on the recommendation of the incumbent dean. The appointment has so far been done by the TU, but such appointments have often courted controversies for favouring doctors and officials who are close to 

political parties. 

Having lingered  for months, the TU appointed the assistant deans and campus chief only on July 24, the day Dr KC went on his 11th round of hunger strike. 

Similarly, the IoM plan has sought an authority to set fees for undergraduate and post-graduate medical programmes. The fees are currently determined by the TU Executive Council.