Attempt to Appoint Unqualified Registrar at Karnali Academy of Health Sciences: Appointment Halted
Nepal Health News, Kathmandu – A controversy has erupted at the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS) following an attempt to appoint a Registrar in violation of established rules. Although Minister of Health and Population Pradeep Paudel had decided to appoint Laxmi Chandra Mahat as Registrar based on the recommendation of the Academy's Vice-Chancellor Dr. Pujan Rokaya, the appointment was halted due to Mahat not meeting the required qualifications.
Despite pressure until late Thursday to issue an appointment letter to Mahat, Academy staff refused to issue the letter, citing that the appointment would be against regulations.
New criteria blocked the appointment
On Chaitra 17, 2081 BS (March 30, 2025), the Academy amended its regulations during the 11th Senate meeting, setting specific qualifications for key positions including the Registrar. According to the new standards, a candidate for the Registrar position must hold at least a postgraduate degree in medical science, hospital administration, or a related management field from a recognized institution and must have a minimum of 10 years of experience in the relevant area.
According to sources at the Ministry, Laxmi Chandra Mahat holds an MA in Population Studies and is currently pursuing an MPhil. He has long worked with the international NGO USAID. However, his academic and professional background does not align with the updated criteria outlined in the amended regulations.
"Unqualified appointment is risky"
According to a staff member at the Academy, “Mahat’s educational qualifications and experience clearly do not meet the revised criteria specified in the regulations. Since the issue of qualifications could even reach the court, the appointment was withheld.”
Minister Paudel had based his appointment decision on the old criteria, following the Vice-Chancellor’s recommendation. However, the Academy had already informed the Ministry about the updated regulations. The Registrar post at the Academy has been vacant since Asar 3 (June 17, 2025). The inability to appoint a qualified candidate has begun to impact the administrative functions of the institution.
