Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has triggered serious disruption in economic, social and cultural dynamics around the globe. Higher education has also suffered undeniable challenges as a result of the pandemic, with thousands of university students all over the world experiencing displacement, disconnect and disengagement from formal learning. In the Global South, online and distance education programmes tend to be concentrated in urban centres. In Nepal, students from rural areas, low socio-economic and gendered spaces, and those with low proficiencies in English and technological skills are experiencing inequalities in access to and participation in online and distance education. This article outlines how universities' shift to online teaching and learning modes due to the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced social inequalities in Nepal. For the study presented here, the author collected data through netnographic research methods. These included online interviews with university executives, online focus group discussions (FGDs) with university teachers and students, observation of and participation in online classes and policy conferences and reviews of online documents. The article analyses three overriding mechanisms which are reinforcing social inequalities in higher education: (1) universities’ policy trajectories in shifting teaching/learning from face-to-face to online mode; (2) infrastructural limitations challenging effective implementation of online teaching/learning; and (3) a lack of strong pedagogic support for students from disadvantaged and marginalised spaces, including those with low proficiencies in English and technological skills. The author presents a number of tangible strategies for universities to implement in order to mitigate social inequalities. He recommends the adoption of policies and practices that optimise the inclusive use of online and distance education programmes for best effect, both now and in the post-pandemic era.

冠状病毒病 (COVID-19) 已引发全球经济、社会和文化动态的严重破坏。由于大流行，高等教育也遭受了不可否认的挑战，世界各地成千上万的大学生正经历着流离失所、脱节和脱离正规学习。在全球南方，在线和远程教育项目往往集中在城市中心。在尼泊尔，来自农村地区、低社会经济和性别空间的学生以及英语和技术技能水平较低的学生在获得和参与在线和远程教育方面正经历着不平等。本文概述了大学因 COVID-19 大流行而转向在线教学和学习模式如何加剧了尼泊尔的社会不平等。网络志研究方法。其中包括与大学高管的在线访谈、与大学教师和学生的在线焦点小组讨论 (FGD)、在线课程和政策会议的观察和参与以及在线文件的审查。本文分析了加剧高等教育中社会不平等的三个首要机制：（1）大学将教学/学习从面对面模式转变为在线模式的政策轨迹；(2) 基础设施限制挑战在线教学/学习的有效实施；(3) 对来自弱势和边缘化空间的学生，包括英语和技术技能水平较低的学生，缺乏强有力的教学支持。作者提出了一些切实可行的策略供大学实施，以减轻社会不平等。他建议采取政策和做法，优化在线和远程教育项目的包容性使用，以在现在和大流行后时代取得最佳效果。