KATHMANDU: Dr Purna Bahadur Lamichhane, one of the shortlisted candidates for the position of Sanothimi Campus Chief, is facing allegations of plagiarism.
The controversy has brought questions about Tribhuvan University’s meritocracy-based selection process into the spotlight.
Lamichhane is accused of plagiarizing substantial portions of his research article published in Third Eye Journal (2018, Volume 1, Issue 3, Pages 108–117) under the title “Use of Proverbs and Its Significance.”
The article reportedly copied content verbatim from a 2016 publication by Indonesian scholar Adnan Zaid in the International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature (Volume 4, Issue 10, October 2016, Pages 1–5).
Lamichhane allegedly failed to provide proper citations or references to Zaid’s work.
The matter resurfaced after the publication of the final shortlist for the Sanothimi Campus Chief position.
Tribhuvan University’s Vice-Chancellor Keshar Jung Baral included Lamichhane among the final five shortlisted candidates for the position. However, senior and experienced professors claim they were overlooked, sparking criticism of the selection process.
“Meritocracy has been disregarded. Experienced professors were sidelined, while someone accused of plagiarism was shortlisted,” a professor remarked on condition of anonymity.
Applications for the position included senior professors such as Dr Binod Luitel, Associate Professor Dinanath Pandit, and Associate Professor Jagat Poudel. Despite their qualifications, Lamichhane’s inclusion in the final list has raised concerns about political interference.
Lamichhane, who previously served as the Head of the English Education Department at Sanothimi Campus for 12 years, is perceived to have strong political backing. He currently serves as the Central Vice-Chair of the Maoist-affiliated professors’ union.
Political considerations are believed to have influenced the selection process, with reports suggesting that the final shortlist includes two candidates from the Maoist party, one from Congress, and two from UML.
When contacted, Lamichhane denied detailed knowledge of the plagiarism allegations, stating, “I am not aware of the specifics. I don’t believe I intentionally did such a thing.”
The interview for the Sanothimi Campus Chief position is scheduled for Monday. Critics argue that including a candidate with plagiarism accusations while sidelining senior professors undermines the integrity of the selection process.
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