Minister Pant Stands Firm: Diploma Certificate is a Necessity for Issuing NOC

In a national dialogue program focused on the sustainability and excellence of community campuses, Education, Science, and Technology Minister Raghuj Pant called for a national-level debate on the issue of students going abroad after Plus Two (Grade 12). He advocated for a national consensus on this matter, stressing the need for unified decisions by all political parties.

Minister Pant highlighted his concern over premature student migration, stating that students who have just passed Grade 12 should not be sent abroad under any circumstances. He expressed personal worry, often losing sleep over the issue, and emphasised that most students are still very young after Grade 12, making it crucial for the government to take this matter seriously.

The Minister clarified that there can be exceptions for students who are exceptionally talented and receive scholarships from reputed universities, even after completing Grade 12. However, he emphasised that if such conditions are not met, students should not be allowed to go abroad.

Minister Pant also pointed out that nearly NPR 2 trillion has already left the country through illegal means, in addition to the NPR 1.1 trillion shown in formal banking records, due to student migration. He shared anecdotes of cases where people who spent a crore (NPR 10 million) were deported by former U.S. President Trump himself.

The Minister further emphasised the need to curb the growing obsession with foreign countries, stating that one minister alone cannot stop the trend of students going abroad after Plus Two. He called for bold and unified decisions by all political parties, warning that allowing students to go abroad for higher education without completing a diploma is putting the country's future at risk.

In his speech on the National Consensus Initiative, Minister Pant mentioned the Nepali Congress as the political party that needs to be involved in this discussion. He reiterated that it is the responsibility of the Minister of Education to reform the situation of the country becoming hollow from within due to the obsession with foreign countries.

If the country truly cares about its future, Minister Pant asserted, it must stop issuing No Objection Certificates (NOC) to those who haven't passed their diploma. He concluded by urging all parties to come together and make decisions that will secure the future of Nepal's youth.