On 5 September 2025, Nepal Development Research Institute (NDRI) and Resources Himalaya Foundation (RHF) successfully co-organized the 226th episode of the Contemporary Policy Dialogue Series in a hybrid format. The session featured a presentation on “The State of Agricultural Higher Education in Nepal” delivered by Prof. Dr. Punya Prasad Regmi, Senior Research Specialist at NDRI, former Vice Chancellor of Agriculture and Forestry University, and former Executive Chair of the Youth and Small Entrepreneur Self-Development Fund.
Prof. Dr. Regmi highlighted the current scenario of higher education in Nepal, noting that there are 25 universities and 1,432 colleges, including 545 community colleges, 164 constituent colleges, and 723 private colleges. Among the provinces, Karnali Province has the lowest number of higher education institutions, while Tribhuvan University (TU) alone accounts for 78% of total student enrollment. He further emphasized that 555 colleges in Nepal currently have fewer than 100 students enrolled, raising concerns about efficiency and sustainability.
He reflected on the history of agricultural education, recalling that Nepal once had a requirement-based quota system for agriculture students, which has since been diluted by the proliferation of institutions. The Agriculture and Forestry University, established in 2010, was intended to serve as a specialized institution for agricultural education. He advocated for the adoption of the land-grant university model, first introduced in the United States under President Abraham Lincoln, which emphasizes large-scale land-based practical learning. While every U.S. state hosts such universities, he argued that Nepal’s policymakers have yet to recognize the importance of this model.
Prof. Dr. Regmi stressed the need to understand the carrying capacity of agricultural universities in Nepal, suggesting that investment in one strong, specialized institution would be more beneficial than spreading resources across multiple universities, which risks compromising quality. He concluded by emphasizing the role of policy debate in ensuring the production of quality graduates and urged leaders to take a more strategic approach to higher education in agriculture.
