Resumption of Internship Programme for Nepali Agricultural Students in Israel

Ambassador Shmulik Ari Bash of Israel met with Minister of Education, Science and Technology Raghuji Pant in Kathmandu to discuss the reinstatement of the internship programme for Nepali agricultural students in Israel. This programme, which has been operational since 2001, has enabled over 4,000 Nepali students to gain valuable agricultural experience in Israel, with many making significant contributions to Nepal's agricultural sector upon their return. However, due to the 2023 Hamas terrorist attack, the programme was halted, leaving around 1,000 students at risk of missing out on the opportunity. The Israeli Ambassador expressed concern and urged the Ministry of Education to expedite the registration process for students to travel to Israel.

Key Takeaways:

The internship programme for Nepali agricultural students in Israel has been operational since 2001, with over 4,000 students benefiting from the programme and making significant contributions to Nepal's agricultural sector.
The programme was halted after the 2023 Hamas terrorist attack, with around 1,000 students at risk of missing out on the opportunity.
Ambassador Shmulik Ari Bash expressed concern over the delay and urged the Ministry of Education to ensure timely registration of students in universities and provide guidance for their travel to Israel.
The Ministry of Education confirmed that there are no obstacles to students returning for internships in Israel and suggested increasing the quota for the upcoming year to address potential shortages.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a notice to resume the process of sending students to Israel as usual, following positive reports on the security situation from the Nepali Ambassador to Israel and responses from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Statistics:

The internship programme for Nepali agricultural students in Israel has been operational since 2001.
Over 4,000 Nepali students have gained valuable agricultural experience in Israel through the programme.
Around 1,000 students are at risk of missing out on the opportunity due to the delay in the programme's resumption.
The programme has the potential to contribute significantly to Nepal's agricultural sector.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a notice to resume the process of sending students to Israel as usual.

Sources:

Himalayan News Service, Kathmandu, July 19, 2025