The Medical Education Commission (MEC) has approved and issued the Scholarship Grant Procedure 2083, marking a significant step toward strengthening Nepal’s medical education support system.

The decision was made during a commission meeting chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. According to Prime Minister Shah’s Press and Research Advisor Deepa Dahal, the procedure was approved within 24 hours of receiving formal consent from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Finance.

The newly approved procedure is expected to resolve long-standing legal ambiguities and administrative challenges related to scholarship grants in medical education.

The legal pathway for issuing the procedure was created after Clause 54(B) was added to the National Medical Education Act, 2018 through the Ordinance to Amend Certain Nepal Acts, 2083. This amendment empowered the commission to formulate necessary guidelines and procedures governing scholarship grants.

Previously, Section 35 of the Legislation Act, 2081 had automatically invalidated the commission’s existing directives and procedures, creating a legal vacuum in scholarship administration. The new procedure fills that gap and establishes a clear framework for future grant distribution.

Under the new policy, public educational institutions will be eligible to receive grants for providing free scholarships to students. The provision also covers postgraduate medical programs, including Doctorate of Medicine (DM) and Master of Chirurgiae (MCh), allowing institutions offering free scholarships in these programs to receive government grants.

Officials believe the initiative will improve access to medical education and reduce financial barriers for deserving students pursuing higher medical studies. It also provides a structured mechanism for supporting educational institutions that contribute to scholarship-based learning opportunities.

The meeting was co-chaired by Health and Food Hygiene Minister Nisha Mehta and attended by MEC Vice-Chairperson Prof. Dr. Shreekrishna Giri along with other commission members.