Lok Sewa Aayog’s 76th Anniversary: Focus on Technology-Friendly Reforms in Examination System and Inclusive Recruitment
Kathmandu
Nepal’s oldest constitutional body, the Public Service Commission (Lok Sewa Aayog), is celebrating its 76th anniversary on Monday, Asar 1, with a strategy to further strengthen recruitment and increase access. The Commission, which has set a standard of fairness and impartiality in recruitment for public administration, has prioritized syllabus revision, technology adaptation, and access enhancement to preserve its credibility.
Commission Chairperson Madhav Prasad Regmi, in an interview with Gorkhapatra, said the selection process has become impartial by using double coding in answer sheet evaluation to remove the candidate’s identity. According to him, answer sheets for all services under non-gazetted first and second class are being evaluated by two experts. If there is a large difference in the marks awarded, a system has been developed for evaluation by a third expert, which has helped further strengthen the Commission’s long-standing impartiality and credibility.
Youth-Focused Programs and Integrated Examination System
The Commission has conducted an access enhancement program in the current fiscal year to address youth, ensuring symbolic representation of youth from all districts of all six provinces. According to Commission Member Bir Bahadur Rai, access enhancement programs with youth and students have been completed in the capitals of four provinces except Bagmati, as well as in Dhangadhi of Sudurpashchim and Butwal of Lumbini. Around 600 youths participated in the program. The Commission believes this will help increase young people’s attraction toward the public administration service.
Member Rai said that 90,000 applications were submitted for the integrated preliminary qualification examination, 66,000 candidates appeared in the examination, and around 30 percent passed. The Commission has implemented the integrated preliminary qualification examination for the fourth level from this year. Only those who pass the preliminary qualification examination will be allowed to participate in the main examination of the concerned organized institution.
Joint Secretary Purushottam Sharma, who is also the Commission’s spokesperson, said the examinations of organized institutions have been systematized by ending the compulsion of candidates to sit for repeated examinations for each institution. He informed that preparations are underway to introduce the integrated preliminary qualification examination for other levels, including the fifth and sixth levels.
Inclusive Recruitment and Data
The Constitution of Nepal has adopted a policy of making the recruitment process in civil administration and organized institutions inclusive. In the past 10 years, around 26,000 positions have been filled through inclusive competition from various inclusive groups. According to the Commission’s data, the details of recommended candidates are as follows:
Women: 8,965 persons
Indigenous Nationalities: 7,030 persons
Madhesi: 5,729 persons
Dalit: 2,386 persons
Persons with Disabilities: 1,207 persons
Backward Area: 957 persons
As constitutional provisions have gradually made public administration inclusive, inequality has also been seen within the groups themselves. Spokesperson Sharma said there is inequality even within women, Madhesi, Indigenous Nationalities, and Dalit groups. Clarifying that the Commission has been carrying out recruitment as specified by the Act, he said provisions of that nature should be included in the Act to reduce the gap of inequality within groups.
Status of Applications and Recruitment
The number of applicants applying for the Commission’s recruitment advertisements has been increasing. In the last fiscal year, 459,034 people applied for 3,181 advertised positions, while 2,592 candidates were recommended. Similarly, in fiscal year 2080/81, 473,490 applications were received for 3,660 advertised positions, and 2,688 candidates were recommended. The Commission stated that applications also decreased in the last fiscal year because the number of advertised positions was lower than in 2080/81.
On the occasion of its anniversary, the Commission is holding a souvenir publication and tree plantation program with President Ramchandra Paudel as the chief guest. The program will be held at the Commission’s central office premises in Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu.
Lok Sewa Aayog