ECAN Demands Immediate Withdrawal of New Educational Consultancy Regulations, Announces Peaceful Protests

EDUCAST, The Educational Consultancy Association of Nepal (ECAN) has strongly objected to the recently issued “Educational Consultancy, Language Teaching and Preparation Classes (Operation and Management) Regulation, 2083,” brought forth by the Ministry of Education and Sports. Expressing deep concern over the entire process of drafting and finalizing the regulation, ECAN stated that the government completely bypassed direct stakeholders, education consultants, legal experts, and industry professionals. The association has demanded that the government immediately withdraw the current document and engage in meaningful, formal dialogue with the concerned parties before reintroducing any policy.

The association warned that the newly introduced provisions, rather than organizing the sector, are highly restrictive and deeply unpractical. ECAN highlighted that the stringent rules will discourage private investment, jeopardize the future of thousands of entrepreneurs and employees, and push the entire international education industry toward a gradual decline. A primary point of contention is the newly proposed security deposit (deposit system) for consultancies. ECAN argued that financial deposits do not guarantee student safety—which is better achieved through proper monitoring and legal accountability—and will instead displace small and medium-sized enterprises while stifling healthy market competition.

The consultancy sector has played a pivotal role over the last two decades, connecting hundreds of thousands of Nepali students with global educational opportunities. ECAN emphasized that the industry has heavily contributed to the nation by creating jobs, generating significant revenue for the state, bringing in foreign exchange, and building valuable human capital. However, the association fears that the new bureaucratic hurdles, ambiguous legal clauses open to administrative abuse, and structures that clash with Nepal’s federal governance system will heavily damage Nepal’s competitive edge in international education.

In response to these challenges, ECAN has put forward a clear set of demands to the government, including the immediate cancellation of the current regulation, a thorough review of the controversial ‘Education Equity Fee,’ and a complete restructuring of the policy to align with the Constitution of Nepal and international best practices. To press for these changes, ECAN General Secretary Bhabanath Humagai announced a phased, peaceful, and constructive protest program. Nevertheless, the association remains open to collaboration, stating that it stands ready to sit down for positive talks and find an amicable solution the moment the government creates a welcoming environment for dialogue.