What to Study After SEE in Nepal: CTEVT or Plus Two?

Kathmandu: It’s been nearly a month since the SEE Result 2081 was published. Now, admission campaigns are in full swing across the country. In some colleges, Grade 11 classes have already begun. Students who had made up their minds earlier have already joined. But if you are still undecided between CTEVT and Plus Two, this guide will help you understand the options.

After SEE in Nepal, students can choose between two major streams: general and technical education. Grade 11 and 12 (Plus Two) are offered under the National Examination Board (NEB), while technical education, Pre-Diploma and Diploma is offered through the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT).

What Is Plus Two Education?

Plus Two is the general academic stream under the NEB. It includes Grades 11 and 12, taught at private and community schools or colleges as per the Curriculum Development Center. The same board conducts SEE, Grade 11, and Grade 12 examinations and also issues certificates.

What Is CTEVT?

Established to produce skilled and technical human resources, CTEVT offers various short-term, pre-diploma, and diploma-level programs for SEE graduates. CTEVT is ideal for those looking to gain employable skills and enter the job market quickly.

Courses Offered in Plus Two

The NEB offers three categories of courses– General, Traditional and Technical and Vocational Stream. The general stream included subjects under science, management, law, and humanities. English, Nepali, and either social studies or mathematics are compulsory. The traditional stream offers courses like Sanskrit and Buddhist education while technical and vocational streams include programs in animal science, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering, and plant science. For more detailed course options under Plus Two, you can visit the official Curriculum Development Center website.

Courses Offered by CTEVT

CTEVT runs three levels of training: short-term, pre-diploma, and diploma.

Short-Term Training: Basic skills-based training programs open even to those who are only literate. CTEVT currently offers 280 short-term training programs through its institutions and affiliated centers. (Click here for full list)

Pre-Diploma: These 18-month programs are designed for students who completed Grade 10 but did not pass SEE. They emphasize 80% practical and 20% theoretical learning. Programs include agriculture, forestry, health, engineering, and hotel management. The pre-diploma is recognized as SEE equivalent and qualifies students for public service technical jobs. (More on pre-diploma courses)

Diploma: These three-year programs cover fields like agriculture, animal science, forestry, engineering, hospitality, management, and humanities. A diploma from CTEVT is recognized as equivalent to Plus Two. (Click here to view available diploma courses)

Where Are These Programs Taught?

Plus Two programs are run by schools and colleges under NEB. Each institution determines its own class sizes and fee structure. Scholarships are available under the “Compulsory and Free Education Act, 2075,” which requires institutions to allocate 10–15% of seats as scholarships.

CTEVT operates 67 constituent campuses and also partners with non-profit organizations, local governments, community schools, and private institutions. CTEVT sets the fee ceiling. According to Information Officer Ekraj Adhikari, “CTEVT’s constituent campuses charge the lowest fees. Partnership schools are slightly more expensive, while private campuses are the most costly.” However, CTEVT itself sets the maximum fee limit. Students pay 40% of the total fee in the first year, and 30% each in the second and third years.

Number of Students

In the latest Grade 12 exam, around 511,000 students appeared of which 395,908 were regular students and 115,617 were partial examinees. According to NEB Chair Mahashram Sharma, around 400,000 regular and 100,000 re-takers enroll each year.

In contrast, CTEVT allocates a fixed number of seats each year. Last year, out of 53,759 seats available under the diploma program, 25,249 students enrolled. Similarly, under the pre-diploma program, only 7,300 students enrolled out of 24,593 available seats.

Curriculum Updates

The current Plus two curriculum was introduced in 2076 BS, but its implementation varied by subject. NEB is now planning a revision and will collect feedback from local levels, says Chairman Sharma.

CTEVT updates its curricula every five years or more frequently, depending on changing needs according to Adhikari.

3,855 Scholarships Available at CTEVT

For this academic session, CTEVT has opened applications for two types of scholarships. These include fully funded opportunities that cover not only tuition fees but also uniform, transportation costs, and a monthly stipend. Under the first type of scholarship, CTEVT has announced 3,375 seats– 2,165 for diploma programs and 1,215 for pre-diploma programs. The application deadline for this category is August 5.

The second type of scholarship covers 480 seats in total. Of these, 120 seats are reserved for students permanently residing in 78 local governments where access to technical education is limited, as per the government’s latest budget and program. This includes 14 seats in pre-diploma programs and 106 seats across various diploma/certificate-level programs. Similarly, 360 seats have been allocated for students from Dalit, Muslim, underprivileged, and marginalized communities, 324 for diploma and 36 for pre-diploma programs.

For these special scholarships, online applications must be submitted through CTEVT’s website from July 27 to August 14. No fee is required to apply. Selected students will receive a monthly stipend of Rs 3,500, Rs 1,500 annually for transportation, and Rs 2,500 per year for uniforms. They will also receive free hostel accommodation for the duration of the training.

Starting this year, CTEVT will select scholarship recipients based on SEE grades, without conducting a separate entrance exam.

CTEVT or Plus Two: Which Should You Choose?

NEB Chair Mahashram Sharma advises students to choose based on interest, not just GPA. “This is not the time to chase science and engineering for the sake of GPA. IT and law also offer promising careers,” he says. 

He suggests discussing with elders but ultimately choosing what aligns with your passion. Students aiming for higher education (bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD) may prefer Plus two. However, technical subjects can help those who need to work quickly after SEE. “If you want to work or start a business after acquiring technical skills, CTEVT’s diploma is better,” Sharma says. One can always pursue higher education later.

If students' priority is earning first and studies later, they can complete a diploma in their chosen field through CTEVT and go on to pursue a bachelor's degree, says Information Officer Ekaraj Adhikari. “Many students mistakenly enroll in both the CTEVT diploma and Plus two programs,” he said. “But a diploma is equivalent to Plus two. With a diploma certificate, you can directly enter a bachelor's program in the same field.” He also emphasized that technical skills are in high demand in the international job market, so students should focus on acquiring them.

What to choose for IT and Engineering subjects: CTEVT vs Plus Two?

Courses like animal science, civil engineering, computer engineering, and electrical engineering are offered by both NEB and CTEVT. However, CTEVT places greater focus on practical training.

When choosing where to study technical subjects, students should decide based on their interests, says National Examination Board Chairperson Sharma. If a student is certain about working in the technical field long-term, completing a three-year diploma with practical training and then pursuing a bachelor’s degree is a good option, he said.

However, if students are unsure about their future career paths, Plus two might be more suitable for studying these subjects, he added. “These subjects are taught starting from Grade 9, so in Plus two, students only need to study them for two more years,” he said. Since Plus two can be completed in just two years, it gives students flexibility to pursue a bachelor’s degree in other fields later, he explained.

Why You Should Combine Education and Skills

Educationist Dr. Bidya Nath Koirala says it’s time for students to choose subjects they are genuinely interested in, rather than simply being told what to study. He notes that while technical education is often seen as a pathway to employment, there’s no guarantee of immediate jobs. “There’s no 100 percent certainty that studying technical education will land you a job right away,” he said. “Some students even drop out because they struggle to keep up.”

Dr. Koirala emphasizes that studying and skill-building should not be seen as separate. Regardless of the subject, students should develop practical skills to become self-reliant. “There are many ways to acquire skills, you can take short-term training or even learn through platforms like YouTube and Facebook on your phone,” he said.

He encourages students to gain skills through internships alongside their studies. He also suggests schools invite skilled individuals to teach students directly, creating opportunities to learn from real practitioners.

Citing the example of making a tapari (leaf plate), Koirala explains how education can be integrated with skill. “When you calculate the diameter of a circle around a tower, its height, or the angle of its tilt, you’re doing math. When you ask how many inches the base has sunk or why it cracked, you’re applying science,” he said.

Koirala believes students should be taught how to approach the same concept from multiple angles, combining academic study with practical skill development.

Plus Two VS CTEVT

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Category	Plus Two (Grade 11–12)	CTEVT
Governing Body	National Examination Board	Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT)
Course Type	Grade 11 and 12	Short-term training, Pre-diploma, and Diploma
Subjects Offered	Science, Management, Humanities, Law, IT, Sanskrit, etc.	Agriculture, Engineering, Health, Hotel Management, etc.
Curriculum Structure	More theoretical, less practical	More practical, less theoretical
Course Duration	2 years	Diploma: 3 years  Pre-diploma: 18 months  Short-term: 3 to 12 months
Job Prospects	Usually requires completing a Bachelor’s degree for employment	Higher chances of immediate employment with technical skills
Academic Continuity	Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, etc.	Direct entry into Bachelor's in the same subject after Diploma
Scholarship Availability	10–15% of students depending on the college	At least 10% of students
Institutions	Government, community, and private schools and colleges	67 constituent campuses, partnership institutions, and private providers
Fee Structure	Varies by institution	As determined by CTEVT
Annual Student Intake	Around 400,000	More than 30,000
Curriculum Revision	Current curriculum introduced in 2076 BS	Revised every 5 years or as needed
Best Suited For	Students aiming for higher education, research, or academic careers	Students wanting quick employment, skill development, or interested in tech

 

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