Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Foreign Study Permit Division, under the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, has begun issuing foreign study permits, or No Objection Certificates (NOC), electronically.
Minister for Education, Science, and Technology Ashok Rai inaugurated the online-based system on Monday. Speaking on the occasion, Rai said students can now apply for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the convenience of their homes.
According to the ministry, students can make payments for the NOC fee through digital platforms.
Education Secretary Ram Krishna Subedi said that the ministry has initiated a faceless, paperless, and cashless system for its services. “The online-based system, which has now been implemented for NOC, will gradually be extended to other services,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government has reversed its decision to implement new guidelines for foreign study due to pressure from education consultancy operators.
As per the new guidelines, which were implemented on April 1, NOCs for foreign study would only be issued for higher education purposes only. This meant that students intending to go abroad for training, diploma courses and language studies would no longer be eligible for NOCs. Education consultancy operators launched protests against the government, with some political parties also expressing support for their cause.
Basudev Osti, the Chief of the Foreign Study Permit Division, stated that NOCs are currently being issued based on the previous guidelines. He added, “Although the new regulations are in effect, we are issuing NOCs for students going to countries like Japan to study language in accordance with the previous guidelines.”
The education consultancy operators argue that NOCs should be issued also for students seeking to go abroad for training programs, language studies, and diploma courses.
After the government implemented the guidelines, an organization representing education consultancies, which had close ties to the ruling CPN (Maoist Center), submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, calling for the withdrawal of the provision. They had also submitted a memorandum to Minister Rai.
Around 30% of the approximately 100,000 students who received NOCs last year were planning to go abroad for training programs, language studies, or diploma courses. This indicates a significant number of students pursuing education in these areas.
The government has granted permission for Nepali students to study in over 10,500 educational institutions across 106 countries.
