KATHMANDU, June 8: Hundreds of education consultancy operators are facing growing uncertainty as the government continues to suspend the registration of new consultancies, a policy that has remained in place since 2018.
Many operators say they have repeatedly approached the Ministry of Education, seeking approval, only to be told that new registrations remain closed. With police intensifying action against unregistered consultancies in recent weeks, many business owners have reportedly shut their offices and stayed home to avoid possible arrests.
Areas such as Putalisadak, Bagbazar and New Baneshwor were once crowded with consultancy firms helping students pursue higher education in countries including Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom and other European nations. Today, many offices remain closed or operate with minimal staff.
Consultancy operators argue that the problem stems from government policy rather than unlawful business practices. They say thousands of firms have been unable to obtain ministry approval because the registration process has remained frozen since 2018.
According to the Ministry of Education, registration was halted after federalism came into effect and uncertainty emerged over whether the federal or provincial governments should regulate educational consultancies. Although new legislation and regulations were proposed, the legal framework has yet to be finalized.
The ministry stopped processing registrations while 786 applications were still pending. Seven years later, those applications remain unresolved, leaving many businesses in legal uncertainty.
Former president of the Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal, Shesh Raj Bhattarai, said demand for foreign education services has increased significantly, but the absence of clear laws and policies has created room for irregular operators to enter the sector.
Bhattarai said the association repeatedly raised the issue with successive education ministers. Some progress was made during the tenure of former Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai, but broader reforms have yet to materialize.
Industry representatives remain hopeful that a new regulation currently being prepared by the ministry will reopen the registration process.
Although educational consultancies have expanded across the country, the Ministry of Education officially recognizes only 760 institutions. Industry estimates suggest that more than 10,000 consultancies are operating nationwide.
Many of these firms are registered with local governments and the Office of the Company Registrar, pay taxes regularly and employ staff. However, without ministry approval, they remain outside the government’s official list of recognized consultancies.
Ministry officials acknowledge the prolonged suspension is problematic but say they are bound by previous policy decisions. Deputy Secretary Semanta Koirala said registrations cannot resume until a new regulatory framework clearly defines the responsibilities of federal, provincial and local governments.
Officials at the Educational Counseling and Certification Branch said a new consultancy regulation is under preparation and could be finalized soon.
Koirala noted that while companies can legally operate under company laws and fulfil tax obligations, only the federal government has the authority to approve educational consultancy services. He added that some provincial governments had previously attempted to register consultancies but later suspended the process after questions emerged over constitutional jurisdiction.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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