Rising Number of Women Earning Advocate Licenses in Nepal
From 2072 to 2082, a total of 3,121 women received advocate licenses in Nepal. During the same period, 4,154 men were granted the same license.
At institutions such as Nepal Law Campus, National Law Campus, and PN Campus in Pokhara, nearly half of the law students are women. In some campuses, the number of female students even surpasses that of males. After studying law, women are increasingly entering fields such as:
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Judicial service
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Human rights
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Teaching
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INGOs and NGOs
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Banking
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Administrative services
Historical Data on Women in Advocate Examinations
According to data from the Nepal Bar Council:
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In 2051, only 28 women applied for the advocate exam, and 15 passed.
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That year, 339 men applied and 164 passed.
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The pass rate was 53.57% for women and 48.38% for men.
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For six years after 2051, the number of female examinees remained in double digits.
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In 2057, the number rose to three digits: 189 women appeared, and 109 passed.
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That year, 1,563 men took the exam and 890 passed.
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Women’s pass rate: 57.67%; Men’s: 56.94%
Decline and Rebound in Female Participation
Between 2060 and 2067, the number of women taking the exam returned to double digits:
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In 2060, 99 women appeared; 73 passed.
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In 2066, 67 women appeared; 51 passed.
After 2074, the number began rising again:
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In 2074, 444 women appeared; 178 passed.
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In comparison, 1,072 men appeared, and 382 passed.
Significant Growth in Recent Exams
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In the 28th advocate examination in 2077, 747 women and 1,317 men appeared.
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Women: 294 passed (39%)
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Men: 379 passed (28%)
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In the 32nd advocate exam last year, 1,210 women appeared; 479 passed.
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Among 1,619 male candidates, 545 passed.
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Gender Gap in Legal Practice
Despite strong performance, women's participation in legal practice remains relatively low compared to men. However, their results continue to be commendable.
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In the 32nd exam, Rozina Acharya Kshetri secured the top position.
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Among the top ten performers, seven were women.
