Power meritocracy, Academic Freedom and Institutional Autonomy: Their Role in Promoting Quality Innovation and Accountability.
This research explores the theme meritocracy is a type of power, academic freedom and institutional autonomy of university within the context of recent policy reforms in governmental services and higher education in Nepal. This research addresses the problem of how these reforms impact the ability of universities and others area to operate independently while remaining accountability accountable to governmental expectations. The primary objectives of the study are to understand how university and others leaders define and experience meritocracy academic freedom institutional autonomy, to analyze the effects of policy reforms on governance structures and decision-making processes, and to identify the challenges that impede effective autonomy. Employing a qualitative methodology, the research utilizes semi-structured interviews with university job holders, students, general people and political parties’ members supplemented by document analysis to capture a comprehensive view of governance dynamics. As the Nepalese government seeks to enhance the quality and competitiveness of its everywhere governmental services, Universities V.C and others appointment higher education system, the balance between institutional autonomy and state control has become a critical area of study. The findings reveal a complex landscape where higher position university leaders perceive practices academic autonomy negatively but new political members positive, yet face significant bureaucratic constraints and political pressures that limit their operational freedom. While recent reforms have led to increased decision-making authority at the departmental level, financial dependencies and informal control mechanisms continue to pose challenges. These insights contribute to the broader discourse on higher education governance, highlighting the need for policies that foster genuine autonomy while ensuring accountability. Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of balancing institutional independence with regulatory oversight, offering recommendations for policy makers aimed at enhancing university autonomy in a way that promotes innovation and responsiveness to societal needs.
Keywords: Power, Meritocracy, Academic Freedom, Institutional Autonomy, Promoting Quality Innovation and Accountability.
