Sasmit Pokharel, a young lawmaker who was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives from Kathmandu Constituency No. 5 under the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has been appointed as Nepal’s new Minister of Education, Science and Technology, and Youth and Sports.
President Ramchandra Paudel administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed minister amid a special ceremony on March 27, 2026. New Prime Minister Balendra Shah announced Pokharel’s appointment as part of the new 15-member cabinet on the first day of his premiership following the RSP’s victory in the March 5, 2026, general elections.
Minister Pokharel stated that his team is extremely sensitive to the votes received from the people and announced that they will work with the goal of fulfilling the commitments made by the party within the next five years. He emphasized that he has taken the trust of the voters as a serious responsibility.
“We have understood the votes we received not merely as support, but as a responsibility,” he said.
Regarding reforms in the education sector, Minister Pokharel mentioned plans to expand the successful programs implemented in Kathmandu Metropolitan City to the national level. He highlighted that priority will be given to enhancing teachers’ capacity, improving school infrastructure, running result-oriented programs, and making scholarships transparent and systematic.
Minister Pokharel informed that a policy will be introduced to integrate Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), health, and sports with education from an early age.
Speaking about the sports sector, he unveiled plans to provide proper training and nutrition to athletes from a young age for long-term improvement. He made it clear that the current trend of producing athletes primarily through security agencies will be changed, and sports development will begin from the school level itself.
Expressing concern over the increasing politicization in the sports and education sectors, Minister Pokharel pledged to control it. He said, “Where politics is necessary, it is not happening; where it is not necessary, it is happening. Now, a policy will be adopted to give responsibilities to experts and experienced individuals in the relevant fields.”
Minister Pokharel also expressed his commitment to making Nepal’s education and sports sectors competitive, well-managed, and result-oriented by taking into account modern technology and global changes.
Biography of Minister Pokharel:
Born on 1st Falgun 2052 BS in Kathmandu, Pokharel completed his schooling in Kathmandu and completed his Grade 12 in the United States. He pursued higher education, Bachelor of Business Management and Bachelor of Law (BBM-LL.B) from Kathmandu University School of Law. He also studied elements of public administration alongside his legal education, with a strong interest in policymaking, legislation, and governance rather than courtroom practice.
He gained significant attention by defeating prominent leaders from established parties, including Nepali Congress General Secretary Pradeep Paudel, CPN (UML) former Senior Vice-Chairperson Ishwar Pokharel, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) former Chairman Kamal Thapa.
Pokharel has been advancing alternative politics. He began his political journey with the Bibeksheel Sajha Party and was actively involved in Ujwal Thapa’s election campaign in 2074 BS.
In 2079 BS, he contested as an independent candidate for the Provincial Assembly member from Kathmandu–5(A) but was defeated. After that, he worked as an Assistant Expert in Education and Urban Planning at Kathmandu Metropolitan City. He has also gained practical experience in legislative processes through an internship at the House of Representatives Secretariat. He contributed to various initiatives aimed at improving the quality of education in the capital.
A passionate political activist with a mission to bring transparency, digital governance, and youth-centric reforms to Nepal, Pokharel is widely recognized as a close aide of Prime Minister Balen Shah. His work in local government and deep understanding of Kathmandu’s challenges have shaped his vision for equitable, technology-friendly education and accountable public service.
Prior to this, Mahabir Pun, Chairman of the National Innovation Center, was serving as Nepal's Minister of Education, Science and Technology under the former interim cabinet of Prime Minister (PM) Sushila Karki.
