Education Glossary Nepal

The SEE is Nepal's national school-leaving examination taken after Grade 10, conducted by the National Examination Board (NEB). It replaced the old School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exam in 2017 and uses a letter-grading system.

The National Examination Board (NEB) is the government authority responsible for conducting the SEE (Grade 10) and Grade 12 national examinations in Nepal, setting curricula, and certifying results for higher secondary education.

The CMAT is a national-level entrance examination conducted by Pokhara University and partner universities in Nepal for admission into MBA and MBS postgraduate management programs, testing quantitative, verbal, and analytical skills.

The CEE is Nepal's national entrance examination for medical programs (MBBS and BDS), conducted by the Medical Education Commission (MEC). It replaced separate university entrance tests to ensure a fair, transparent, and unified admission process for medical education.

The IOE Entrance Exam is the competitive admission test conducted by Tribhuvan University's Institute of Engineering (IOE) for BE (Bachelor of Engineering) programs, covering Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, and English.

An entrance exam is a competitive admission test required by Nepali universities and colleges for enrollment into specific programs, including engineering, medicine, management, and other disciplines. Performance in these exams determines admission eligibility.

Tribhuvan University (TU) is Nepal's oldest and largest public university, established in 1959. It operates through constituent campuses and hundreds of affiliated colleges, offering programs from bachelor's to doctoral levels across science, management, humanities, and professional disciplines.

Kathmandu University (KU) is an autonomous, not-for-profit public university established in 1991, located in Dhulikhel. It is known for its semester-based credit system, international academic standards, and programs in engineering, medical sciences, management, and arts.

Pokhara University (PU) is a public university headquartered in Pokhara, established in 1997. It serves the western region of Nepal with programs in engineering, management, science, humanities, and health sciences through affiliated colleges and constituent campuses.

CTEVT is Nepal's apex government body responsible for regulating, coordinating, and developing technical and vocational education. It governs TSLC, diploma, and short-term skill programs offered through technical schools and vocational training centers nationwide.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) Nepal is the government body responsible for allocating grants to universities, maintaining academic quality standards, and accrediting higher education institutions. It functions under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

Affiliation is the formal relationship between a college and a university that authorizes the college to offer the university's approved programs and award its degrees. Affiliated colleges operate under the university's academic guidelines but are independently managed.

A constituent campus is a campus directly owned, operated, and funded by a university, as opposed to affiliated colleges that are independently managed. Constituent campuses follow the university's academic programs and are generally considered the primary face of the university.

Accreditation is the quality assurance process conducted by UGC Nepal that formally certifies that a college or university program meets defined academic, infrastructural, and administrative standards. Accreditation status signals institutional credibility.

GPA (Grade Point Average) is a numerical scale used to evaluate a student's academic performance in a semester or academic term. In Nepal, most semester-based universities use a 4.0 GPA scale, where A+ equals 4.0 and represents the highest achievement.

CGPA is the aggregate Grade Point Average calculated across all completed semesters of a student's program. It represents overall academic performance and is a key metric used for graduation honors, graduate school applications, and employment.

A credit hour is the standard unit of academic workload in Nepal's semester-based universities. One credit hour typically represents one hour of classroom instruction per week over a semester. Degree completion requires accumulating a specified total number of credit hours.

The semester system is an academic calendar model that divides the academic year into two main semesters of approximately 6 months each. Universities following this system conduct examinations and award grades at the end of each semester.

The annual system is a traditional academic calendar model where students are assessed through one comprehensive final examination at the end of each academic year, rather than at the end of each semester. It is predominantly used by Tribhuvan University programs.

Equivalence is the official process in Nepal of recognizing foreign or non-standard academic qualifications as equivalent to standard Nepali credentials, enabling holders to pursue further studies or employment using their foreign degree certificates.

The +2 or Plus Two level refers to the two-year higher secondary education program (Grades 11 and 12) in Nepal, offered after passing the SEE. Managed by NEB, it covers streams including Science, Management, Humanities, and Education.

A bachelor's degree is an undergraduate academic qualification typically requiring 3 to 4 years of study after completing +2 (Grade 12) in Nepal. It is the foundational degree for most professional careers and a prerequisite for postgraduate studies.

A master's degree is a postgraduate academic qualification requiring 1.5 to 2 years of study after a bachelor's degree in Nepal. It provides advanced specialization in a field and is a prerequisite for doctoral research or senior academic and professional roles.

M.Phil is a research-intensive postgraduate degree in Nepal that bridges the gap between a master's degree and a PhD. It typically requires 1 to 2 years of study and independent research, culminating in a dissertation evaluated by academic experts.

A PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is the highest academic degree awarded by Nepali universities. It requires original research contributing new knowledge to a field, typically taking 3 to 5 years, and is assessed through a doctoral dissertation and oral defense.

The TSLC is a vocational qualification managed by CTEVT in Nepal, typically requiring 15 to 18 months of training after SEE (Grade 10). It provides practical technical skills in fields such as health, computing, construction, and agriculture for immediate employment.

A diploma in Nepal's vocational system is a 3-year technical qualification offered through CTEVT-affiliated institutions after completing Grade 10 (SEE). Diploma programs provide advanced technical skills above TSLC level in fields like engineering technology and health sciences.

A scholarship is a financial award given to students to support their education costs, including tuition, fees, and sometimes living expenses. Scholarships in Nepal are awarded by the government, universities, NGOs, foreign governments, and private institutions based on merit, need, or specific criteria.

A merit-based scholarship is a financial award granted to students based on their academic achievement, entrance exam rankings, or exceptional performance in specific fields. These scholarships recognize and reward outstanding students regardless of their financial background.

A need-based scholarship is a financial award granted to students based on demonstrated financial hardship or economic vulnerability, regardless of academic performance. These scholarships aim to ensure that economic barriers do not prevent deserving students from accessing education.