Nepal introduces federal civil service bill in parliament — Kathmandu Post
In Nepal, the government has registered the long-awaited Federal Civil Service Bill in the House of Representatives. The document is intended to consolidate civil service provisions and create a legal basis for administrative federalism, Kathmandu Post reports.
The bill was registered on Thursday, one day before the scheduled end of the current session of the federal parliament. Under House of Representatives rules, a document can be presented for consideration at least seven days after registration, so debates may begin no earlier than the winter session.
Transitional pension rules
The provisions on retirement age sparked the most controversy. The bill proposes raising the mandatory retirement age for civil servants from 58 to 60. At the same time, a one-time transitional rule provides for the retirement of employees who will be 55 when the law comes into force or who will have 30 years of service.
The final version of the bill includes protection of pension payments for civil servants affected by early retirement. According to officials, employees who leave service before turning 58 will not lose benefits to which they would have been entitled under the current system. Those with 30 years of service who have not yet reached age 58 may have up to seven additional years counted toward their pension calculation, depending on their age.
According to the Department of National Personnel Records, if the 55-30 provision is adopted, 39 of the 53 incumbent secretaries — more than 73% — will have to retire. Former chief secretary Leelamani Paudyal warned that the simultaneous departure of a large number of experienced officials could create problems for preserving institutional memory, decision-making and leadership.
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Appointments and service in provinces
The document also reduces the terms in office for top officials: from three to two years for the chief secretary and from five to three years for secretaries. A separate provision allows the government to appoint outside specialists for a fixed term to specialized executive or expert positions if the civil service system lacks the necessary personnel. Before such an appointment, the government must consult the Public Service Commission.
The bill provides for provincial civil services up to the 12th level. Provincial chief secretaries will remain employees of the federal civil service, seconded by the federal government from among 13th-level officials. Secretaries of provincial ministries will belong to the 12th level of the provincial service, and their working conditions will be determined by provincial legislation.
Quotas and post-service restrictions
The share of positions reserved for inclusive groups in open competition is proposed to increase from 45% to 49%. Half of this quota is planned to be allocated to women. The quota system is to be reviewed every 10 years, and reservation benefits may be used only once for non-gazetted category posts and once for gazetted category posts.
In addition, the bill retains a two-year restriction period for senior officials after dismissal or retirement. Former special-class and first-class officials will not be able to hold constitutional, diplomatic or other state positions for two years. The document also contains provisions on interprovincial transfers, leadership assessments, the absence of trade unions in the civil service, and menstrual leave.
