Kathmandu, Sept 9: The Federal Civil Service Bill, stalled for months at various government agencies, is set to be sent to the Public Service Commission (PSC) on Wednesday for consultation.
The move follows a Cabinet decision to seek the PSC’s opinion. The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Federal Affairs and General Administration will revise the bill based on the commission’s recommendations before resubmitting it to the Cabinet. Once approved, it will be registered in Parliament.
The most contentious provision requires civil servants to retire after 30 years of service or at 55, during the transition to the new law. The proposal has drawn concern because the bill also seeks to raise the normal mandatory retirement age from 58 to 60.
The transitional provision could force a large number of experienced employees out of service at once. Some employees appointed under the Civil Service Act 2021 can currently serve until 60, while those covered by the 2049 Act generally retire at 58. The conflicting provisions have made the PSC’s opinion particularly important.
The bill also proposes lateral entry into selected executive and specialist positions, allowing outside experts to join government service for fixed periods. While intended to bring specialised skills into the bureaucracy, the proposal has raised concerns about political appointments and possible misuse. Employees have called for clear criteria and transparent selection.
It also proposes changing the maximum age for civil service entry to 32 for men and 35 for women, a move aimed at bringing younger candidates into the bureaucracy. The bill further covers political neutrality, restrictions on political activities, performance evaluation, career development and personnel management under the federal structure.
The PSC’s recommendations on retirement, lateral entry and entry age could significantly shape the bill’s final form. A federal civil service law has long been considered necessary to resolve personnel management and coordination problems among the federal, provincial and local governments. The key question now is whether the government can balance the need to bring in new talent with retaining experienced civil servants.
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