Regional and Gender Disparities in Higher Education in Nepal: A Quantitative Case Study

Abstract

National enrollment figures can conceal inequalities across regions, academic levels, and fields of study. This quantitative case study examined regional and gender disparities in Nepal’s higher education system using 2023/24 data from the University Grants Commission’s Education Management Information System. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze enrollment, campus distribution, and financing by province, ecological belt, gender, academic level, faculty, and campus type. Women constituted 56.58% of 633,053 students, with a national gender parity index of 1.3 and a higher gross enrollment ratio than men (24.6% versus 17.8%). However, female representation decreased across academic levels, from 57.6% at the bachelor’s level to 48.7% at the master’s level, 22.4% at the MPhil level, and 17.7% at the PhD level. Women accounted for 24.4% of engineering enrollment and 14.5% of Sanskrit enrollment, compared with over 70% in education. Regional concentration was pronounced: Bagmati Province accounted for 44.04% of enrollment and 43.58% of campuses, compared with 4.01% and 4.05%, respectively, in Karnali Province. The Hill, Tarai, and Mountain belts accounted for 55.47%, 41.96%, and 2.56% of enrollment, respectively, while Tribhuvan University enrolled 77.61% of students nationally. Supplementary evidence from independent studies indicated that Dalit communities, comprising over 13% of the population, have historically experienced participation and completion rates substantially below national averages. The findings indicate that women’s numerical predominance nationally coexists with vertical and horizontal gender segregation and substantial geographic concentration. They provide an empirical basis for targeted resource allocation, expanded quota and scholarship mechanisms, and more disaggregated data systems to inform equity-oriented policy within Nepal’s federal higher education system.