<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The Office of the Controller of Examinations is to run this year’s Secondary School Examinations from March 22, 2018.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>According to examinations controller, Ambika Prasad Regmi, a meeting of the Examination Operation Committee held today took the decision in this regard.</p><p>The exam will be run from 8:00 am to 11:00 am.&nbsp;</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">The National Planning Commission has kept Nepal's multidimensional poverty index (MPI) at 28.5 per cent.</span><br></p><p>According to a report about the Nepal's first national multidimensional poverty index (MPI) unveiled by the National Planning Commission today, &nbsp;Nepal's poverty has been reduced by 50 per cent in a period from 2006 to 2014 AD.&nbsp;</p><p>The report is based on three topics including malnutrition, minimum education, electricity facility, drinking water and sufficient sanitation conditions measured through three dimensions – health, education and livelihood.&nbsp;</p><p>The report shows that the multidimensional poverty index rate is higher in the Province 6 and Province 2 where 50 per cent people are living in poverty. They have no access to basic facilities like cooking fuel, sanitation, electricity, education and health. This figure is 30 per cent in the Province 5 and 15 per cent in the Province 3, 1 and 4.&nbsp;</p><p>According to the report, 41.6 per cent children are in multidimensional poverty.&nbsp;</p><p>Following the unveiling of the report, NPC vice chair Dr Swarnim Wagle said the multidimensional poverty index is the first ever method applied in the country to study about poverty from its roots and it will be helpful in mobilisation of sources for development.&nbsp;</p><p>Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative Director Dr Sabina Alikare applauded Nepal's significant and encouraging achievement in the area of poverty reduction.</p>

<p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Nepali Congress leader Prakashman Singh has said the party si eagerly waiting the moment to hand over the government leadership through a due process.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>In his address to a program &nbsp;organized this morning in Baneshwor, Singh said the President should not withhold the ordinance related to the National Assembly election. &nbsp;He said that Nepali Congress is not greedy for the power, but wants to leave the government through proper procedure.&nbsp;</p><p><span style="line-height: 1.42857;">Meanwhile, Sister organizations of Nepali Congress (NC) have advised the party to hold a strategic meet in all seven provinces to review the results the party achieved in the recent elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies.&nbsp;</span><br></p><p>A meeting of the party's sister organisations held at Baneshwor today called on the party leadership to take up the matter seriously and hold in-depth discussions about it within the party.&nbsp;</p><p>Talking to journalist, Nepal Students' Union president, Nainsingh Mahar, underlined the need of holding discussions about the issue of party defeat through the ward committee level. Leaders from the wards unit committee to central level should self criticize regarding the poll results came in faour of the party.&nbsp;</p><p>The meeting also expressed gratitude to the incumbent government headed by the party for being able to complete the twin elections successfully.&nbsp;</p><p>Nepal Women Association chair Uma Regmi &nbsp;said the party should summon the Mahasamiti meeting to review the poll results.&nbsp;</p><p>Nepal Press Union President Badri Sigdel insisted on the need of working thorough a new vision and plan to strengthen the party from the village to central level.&nbsp;</p><p>The meeting also called on the President to authenticate the ordinate related to the National Assembly election presented by the government as soon as possible.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>