Prakash Kafle / Kathmandu — The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology recently made a controversial decision to completely shut down all types of “bridge courses” and “entrance preparation” classes operating across the country from Chaitra 15. The decision, taken at the ministerial level by Minister Sasmit Pokharel, announced that such additional classes would be banned starting from the upcoming academic session 2083.
The ministry’s main argument was that these courses create unnecessary psychological pressure on students, add financial burden on parents, and weaken the principle of equal access to education. To strictly implement this decision, the ministry had also directed all 77 District Administration Offices through the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor and take action.
However, shortly after the decision was made public, the related notice and information were suddenly removed from the ministry’s official website, creating confusion and sparking debate. On social media and in academic circles, many have criticized the move as a hasty decision aimed at gaining “cheap popularity” or going “viral,” without proper preparation or alternatives. Students and stakeholders have expressed concern about how they will prepare for higher education entrance examinations if bridge courses are shut down.
The removal of the notice from the website has raised serious questions about whether the ministry is trying to backtrack on its decision or reconsidering it after widespread criticism. So far, the ministry has not provided any official explanation regarding the technical or administrative reason behind the removal, further increasing uncertainty about the future and implementation of this “viral” decision.
