BSc Nutrition and Dietetics Students Facing Career Ruin Due to Lack of License

News 01 Mar 2023 818

Central Campus of Technology

Students who have studied BSc Nutrition and Dietetics at the Central Campus of Technology in Dharan are facing career problems due to a lack of license even after completing their studies. The campus is the only place where nutrition and dietetics are studied in Nepal, and every year, 30 students pass out from there. However, the lack of a license is causing them to miss out on government job opportunities.

Background:

In 2068, the Ministry of Health and Population and Tribhuvan University signed an agreement to provide teaching in nutrition and dietetics at the Central Campus of Technology. The program was initiated due to a need identified by the National Planning Commission. However, at the time, no one was aware that a Nepal Health Professional Council (NHPC) registration was required for students who completed the program to be able to apply for government jobs.

Current Situation:

The Public Service Commission has recently advertised for the position of Nutrition Officer. However, candidates must be registered with the NHPC to be eligible to apply. This has caused difficulties for the students who have completed the BSc Nutrition and Dietetics program as they do not have the required license. The Departmental Head of the Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Kavindra Bhattarai, has stated that the lack of a license is depriving the students of opportunities in government service.

Efforts to Resolve the Issue:

The campus and the students have requested support from the Medical Education Commission, the Ministry of Health, and other relevant agencies to resolve the issue. However, the matter is yet to be resolved. The Ministry of Health has stated that an umbrella law for health-related matters is in the works and that the issue of licensing for BSc Nutrition and Dietetics students will be included in the same law. However, there is no certainty as to when the law will come into effect.

A separate council has demanded BSc Nutrition and Dietetics students. A case was filed in the Supreme Court for this matter two years ago, but the hearing has not yet been conducted. The students who have completed the program have been able to find employment in hospitals, but they are still under mental stress due to the lack of a license.

Overall, The lack of a license is causing significant problems for the students who have completed the BSc Nutrition and Dietetics program. They are missing out on government job opportunities, and the issue is causing them mental stress. Efforts have been made to resolve the issue, including requesting support from relevant agencies and filing a case in the Supreme Court. However, the matter remains unresolved, and the students are still facing career ruin due to the lack of a license.

Key points:

  • BSc Nutrition and Dietetics is only taught at the Central Campus of Technology in Nepal, where 30 students graduate every year.
  • If students want to apply for government jobs, they need registration from a government agency, but it is not clear which agency provides it.
  • The program started in 2068 after the Ministry of Health and Population signed an agreement with Tribhuvan University.
  • After seven batches of students graduated, they tried to take the public service exam but were asked for a license that they did not have.
  • The Nepal Health Professional Council (NHPC) later said that students studying nutrition and dietetics cannot be registered and should look to the Medical Education Commission.
  • The campus has requested support from various agencies, including the Ministry of Health, to create a separate council for this matter.
  • The students who studied public health nutrition are given registration as Public Health, but those who studied nutrition and dietetics are not allowed to register.
  • Hospitals have not interrupted the work of these students, but the lack of registration is causing mental stress.
  • The Medical Education Commission needs to ask for a license before the council can grant one.
  • Professional councils cannot issue licenses as soon as the universities offer courses.
Dharan

Central Campus of Technology, Dharan

Dharan, Dharan

Estd. 1972

public

+977-25-520228

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