CTEVT Pre-Diploma (TSLC) Programs Guide: CMA, ANM, JTA & More

The Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), established in 1989 AD (2045 BS), is Nepal's apex body for technical and vocational education. Its Pre-Diploma level, historically and still commonly called the Technical School Leaving Certificate (TSLC), is the entry rung of CTEVT's technical ladder. It sits above secondary school (the SEE / Grade 10) and below the three-year Diploma / Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL). The whole point of the level is to move a school leaver into a paid, hands-on technical job within about a year and a half.

CTEVT publishes the official syllabi for these short courses on its Curriculum of Pre-Diploma portal. Programs are grouped by sector: agriculture, engineering, hospitality and tourism, business and office management, and, historically, health. They are delivered through CTEVT's own constituent schools, affiliated private colleges and community technical schools spread across all seven provinces, which makes the level especially accessible to rural students.

A Pre-Diploma course is deliberately skill-heavy. Curricula are typically weighted around 80 percent practical work and 20 percent theory, and almost every program ends with a block of supervised on-the-job training (OJT). The aim is an employable basic-level technician rather than an academic graduate, which is exactly why the courses appeal to SEE leavers who want fast, work-ready qualifications.

CTEVT has standardised the Pre-Diploma to 18 months to bring uniformity across trades. Earlier, different courses ran for 15, 24 or even 29 months; these were converted to a common 18-month structure. In practice the 18 months combine institutional training with the compulsory OJT, for example roughly 15 months of classes plus a 3-month placement, or 12 months of classes plus 6 months of OJT, depending on the trade.

The core entry requirement is having appeared in (that is, completed) the Secondary Education Examination, SEE, formerly the SLC. A student does not need to have topped the SEE, which is what makes the level a genuine second chance for average or rural candidates. A few specialised trades, such as Textile and Sericulture, still admit students from Grade 8. Admission is generally through a CTEVT entrance test and merit, and seats are limited.

On completing a Pre-Diploma, a graduate is recognised for government service at the Non-gazetted Second Class / Level 4 (technical) grade, as prescribed by the Public Service Commission (Lok Sewa Aayog). Beyond government jobs, graduates commonly move into private-sector technician roles or self-employment, and they retain the option of laddering up into a three-year Diploma later.

This is the single most important thing a health-minded SEE leaver needs to know before searching for a 'CMA course' or an 'ANM course'. CTEVT no longer enrolls new students in below-diploma health programs. The Auxiliary Nurse Midwife (ANM), Community Medicine Assistant (CMA), Lab Assistant (Pre-Diploma in Medical Lab Technology), Assistant Ayurveda Health Worker and similar short health courses were phased out from around 2076 BS (2019/2020 AD).

The change came from national health-education policy, not from CTEVT alone. The high-level commission led by Kedar Bhakta Mathema recommended ending sub-standard, below-diploma health training, and the National Medical Education Act, 2075 BS (2018 AD) restricts the running of health programs below the diploma / certificate level. The stated reasons were weak monitoring of training institutes, uneven quality of graduates and difficulty finding jobs in a saturated market.

Historically these were genuine 18-month Pre-Diploma courses: the CMA (about 15 months of classes plus 3 months OJT) trained community-level medical assistants, the ANM trained basic nurse-midwives, and the Lab Assistant course trained basic laboratory workers. Because they are discontinued, any college still advertising a fresh CMA, ANM or Lab Assistant intake should be treated with caution, and prospective students should verify current status directly with CTEVT.

The replacement pathway for health aspirants is to skip the Pre-Diploma and enter a three-year Diploma / PCL health program directly after the SEE. Common options include PCL Nursing (Staff Nurse), Diploma in General Medicine (which produces the Health Assistant, HA), Certificate / Diploma in Medical Lab Technology (CMLT), Diploma in Pharmacy and Diploma in Ayurveda. These typically require the SEE with a minimum GPA and relevant subject grades.

Engineering is the largest cluster of Pre-Diploma courses still running, and it remains fully open to SEE leavers. Trades include Electrical Engineering (the Electrical Sub-Overseer / junior technician track), Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Automobile Engineering, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning, Survey Engineering, and Water Supply and Sanitary Engineering. Each runs for the standard 18 months including OJT.

The Electrical program is a good example of the model. It focuses on practical competencies such as electrical installation, motor installation and control, power transmission and distribution, basic electronics, and repair and maintenance, taught with the usual heavy practical weighting. A graduate qualifies for the Non-gazetted Second Class / Level 4 (technical) grade as an Electrical Sub-Overseer or junior technician under the Public Service Commission, and is well placed for contractor, utility and workshop jobs.

Engineering Pre-Diplomas double as a foundation for further study. A graduate who wants to become a Sub-Engineer can progress into the three-year Diploma in Engineering in the same trade, so the short course works both as an immediate route to employment and as a stepping stone.

The JTA course is one of CTEVT's most-searched rural programs, and 'jta course ctevt' is a common query from village SEE leavers. JTA stands for Junior Technical Assistant. It is delivered through three Pre-Diploma streams: Agriculture (Plant Science), which produces the Plant JTA or PJTA; Livestock Production / Animal Health, which produces the Animal Science JTA; and Veterinary Science, which produces the Vet JTA. Each runs for the standard 18 months.

These courses train basic agricultural technicians who can deliver extension services, advise farmers on crops or livestock, run nurseries, and support animal health. A graduate is eligible for the Non-gazetted Second Class / Level 4 (technical) position as a Junior Technical Assistant under the Public Service Commission. In practice JTAs are hired by local governments and municipalities, agriculture and livestock offices, cooperatives and agrovets, and many run their own agrovet or farming enterprises.

As with engineering, the JTA is a ladder as well as a job. Graduates can progress into a three-year Diploma in Agriculture, Animal Science or Veterinary Science, which opens higher technical posts. This makes the JTA an efficient first qualification for students who want to earn quickly in the farm economy and upgrade later.

Outside the technical trades, CTEVT runs service-sector Pre-Diplomas that suit students aiming at Nepal's tourism economy and the office job market. Hotel Management is the flagship hospitality course, an 18-month program covering food and beverage service, front office, housekeeping and basic culinary skills. It feeds directly into hotels, restaurants and the wider tourism industry, and is a practical option for students in trekking and tourist regions.

For office-oriented students, the Pre-Diploma in Computer Application and Secretarial Management is the main choice. Over 18 months it covers office systems and management, record keeping, basic accounting and financial management, and computer applications, with a strong practical, skills-first focus. Graduates take up clerical, front-desk, data-entry and secretarial roles in businesses, NGOs and government offices.

CTEVT also offers social-development and enterprise trades at this level, such as Social Mobilization and Entrepreneurship Development, aimed at community facilitators and small-business starters. As with every Pre-Diploma, students should confirm that the specific school holds current CTEVT affiliation for the program before paying any fees.

The difference between the two CTEVT levels is a frequent search, and it matters for planning a career. A Pre-Diploma / TSLC is an 18-month course entered after the SEE that produces a basic technician recognised at Non-gazetted Second Class / Level 4. A Diploma / PCL is a three-year course, also entered after the SEE but usually with a minimum GPA and specific subject grades, that produces a mid-level technician, such as a Sub-Engineer, Staff Nurse or Health Assistant, recognised at a higher government grade.

The two levels are connected. A Pre-Diploma graduate can move up into the related three-year Diploma, generally through the CTEVT entrance process, which lets students earn first and upgrade later. This makes the Pre-Diploma an attractive low-risk starting point for those who cannot commit to three years immediately or who want to test a field before investing further.

A final word of caution for prospective students: always verify a program's current status and the college's CTEVT affiliation before enrolling. This is critical in health, where the ANM, CMA and Lab Assistant courses have been discontinued and any fresh advertisement for them is a warning sign. The safest route is to check the official CTEVT curriculum and program pages, then confirm intake details with the specific institution.