KATHMANDU, July 25: The government is preparing to reduce around 10 secretary-level positions as part of a broader plan to cut more than 600 positions across various levels in the federal civil service, officials said.
The move comes as ministries conduct Organization and Management (O&M) surveys to restructure government agencies and adjust employee requirements. According to the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration, nine ministries have completed their surveys, while others are expected to finalize the process within the next few days.
The ministries that have completed the O&M studies include the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Ministry of Women, Children and Gender and Sexual Minorities and Social Security, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Youth, Labor and Employment, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Ministry of Defense, and Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
Currently, the federal government has 71 secretary-level positions. Secretary at the Federal Affairs and General Administration Madan Bhujel said around 10 positions are likely to be removed under the restructuring plan.
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“Discussions are ongoing on whether to retain secretary-level positions at the Office of the Auditor General, Public Procurement Monitoring Office, and Nepal Trust or assign these responsibilities to joint secretaries,” Bhujel said. “At the current stage, it appears that around 10 secretary positions will be reduced.”
If the government decides not to retain secretary positions at those three offices, the number of cuts could increase further.
The government has adopted a policy of appointing only one secretary in each ministry. Following the reduction in the number of ministries, five secretary positions have already been automatically eliminated—five from the administrative service and five from technical services.
The government has not recommended any promotions to secretary-level positions since last March, leaving several senior joint secretaries waiting for promotion. The secretary position that became vacant after the retirement of Ram Prasad Ghimire in the second week of March has also remained unfilled.
The restructuring will also affect lower-ranking positions. According to ministry sources, the reduction of 10 secretary positions could lead to cuts of around 40 to 50 joint secretary positions.
“Overall, more than 600 positions, including secretaries, joint secretaries, under secretaries, and section officers, are expected to be reduced at the federal level,” a senior ministry official said, adding that the final decision is yet to be made.
The reduction in government posts is also expected to impact recruitment through the Public Service Commission (PSC). As surplus employees will need to be adjusted into vacant positions, the number of new openings available through PSC examinations could decline.
The PSC normally recommends around 3,500 candidates for civil service positions every year. However, officials estimate that the number could fall to around 2,000 this year. Hundreds of thousands of young people prepare annually for civil service examinations in Nepal.
