Kathmandu, Dec. 22 -- On a rainy November morning, 19-year-old Rita Oli (name changed) was inside her hostel room in Dillibazar, refreshing ride-hailing apps with growing anxiety.

She had an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) entrance examination that day at Jaya Multiple Campus in Makalbari, Jorpati, and candidates were required to reach the centre at least two hours early for biometric attendance. Oli began searching for a ride at 8:30 am.

By 9:30 am, none had arrived.

''I was panicking,'' she recalled. ''I thought I might miss the exam."

Oli, who has asked to remain anonymous for fear of being blocked on ride-hailing platforms, had moved to the city from outside the Valley. Unfamiliar with the city, she relied heavily...