Public Service Commission

With the establishment of democracy in the country in the year 2007 B.S. (1951 A.D.), the Public Service Commission was established on 1st Ashad, 2008 B.S. (corresponding to June 15, 1951 A.D.) with the aim of recruiting civil servants through a separate and independent body. Since its establishment, the commission has been working to select suitable candidates for positions in the civil service. According to the Constitution of Nepal, the Public Service Commission is responsible for conducting written examinations for filling positions in the civil service, Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal, and other federal government services. Provisions related to the Public Service Commission are outlined in Part 23 of the Constitution of Nepal.

History of PSC

Formation

According to the provisions of sub-section (1) of Article 242 of Part 23 of the Constitution of Nepal regarding the formation of the Public Service Commission (PSC), the commission consists of one chairperson and four other members. The President appoints the chairperson and members of the PSC on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council. During appointments, at least fifty percent of the members must be individuals who have served in government for twenty years or more, while the remaining members are appointed from among individuals with a distinguished reputation in fields such as science, technology, arts, literature, law, public administration, sociology, or other areas of national life through research, teaching, or other significant contributions. Before appointment, a parliamentary hearing is conducted through a 15-member joint committee of both houses of the federal parliament in accordance with federal law.

Though the Constitution stipulates a total of only five officials, including the chairperson, the seven officials who were appointed before the implementation of this Constitution have been retained under sub-section (3) of Article 301 of the Constitution of Nepal.

Duties and Powers

Article 243 of the Constitution of Nepal outlines that it is the duty of the PSC to conduct examinations to select suitable candidates for positions in the civil service. The same article clarifies that "positions in the civil service" do not include the posts of employees in the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal, or any other positions specified as non-civil services under the law. However, the PSC is responsible for conducting written examinations for recruitment into positions in the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, other federal government services, and organized institutions, apart from civil service posts.

In addition to this, the PSC must be consulted on the following matters:

1. General principles for promotion in the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and other federal government services.
2. Laws regarding the service conditions of employees of any organized institution and general principles to be followed during promotion and departmental actions.
3. Laws related to the terms of service in the federal civil service.
4. Principles to be followed for recruitment, promotion, and departmental action in the federal civil service or positions.
5. Suitability of candidates for appointments exceeding six months in federal civil service positions.
6. Suitability of candidates for transfer, promotion, or change of service between different types of federal civil service positions, from provincial to federal civil service, or between other government services and federal civil service positions.
7. Matters concerning permanent transfers or promotions to positions where PSC consultation is required from those where it is not.
8. Departmental punishments for federal civil service employees.

Candidate Selection Process

According to the Public Service Commission Act, 2066, the PSC may select suitable candidates using one or more of the following methods: a) Written examination b) Practical examination c) Interview d) Other methods as prescribed by the commission

The PSC prepares an annual calendar for the candidate selection process, which includes details of the selection phases and vacancy percentages. After receiving requests from the relevant agencies to fill vacant positions, the PSC determines the number of vacancies in accordance with the law. Once the number of vacancies is determined, advertisements are published on the PSC's website, in the weekly bulletin, and in the national daily newspaper Gorkhapatra every Wednesday. For open and internal competitive examinations, the application deadline is 21 days, with an additional 7 days allowed for double the application fee. After the advertisement is published, the online applications are collected from the PSC's regional directorates, zonal offices, and application management centers. Applications are screened, and admit cards are issued to candidates for the examination.

To maintain impartiality and accuracy in the selection process, the PSC follows a system where officials involved in preparing question papers, reviewing, interviewing, and conducting exams are unaware of each other's activities. This neutral policy helps preserve fairness.

During exam preparation, subject experts are consulted, and sealed sets of question papers are obtained. Among these, at least five sets are finalized and assigned distinct identification numbers. During the exam, the final question set is selected based on identification numbers by the honorable chairperson.

After the written exam, answer sheets are coded twice—first by the exam branch and then by another branch—to ensure confidentiality. The answer sheets are then sent to subject experts designated by the chairperson for evaluation. Once the answer sheets are evaluated, the results are tabulated, decoded, and published. For interviews, selected candidates are evaluated by subject experts, with scores assigned confidentially.

The PSC has also begun implementing a screening test process for positions with a large number of candidates, allowing only those who pass the preliminary exam to take the main exam.

Once candidates are selected through open competition, recommendations for appointment are made to the respective agencies. For gazetted positions, recommendations are sent to the relevant department, and for non-gazetted positions, recommendations are made to the respective office. This sums up the bried history of psc.

Contact Information

Public Service Commission
Central Office, Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone: 01-4771494, 01-4771498
Fax: 01-4771490
PO Box: 8979
Email: info@psc.gov.np
Website: www.psc.gov.np

Central Office, Kamalpokhari, Phone: 01-4771494, 01-477149
Application Management Office, Anamnagar, Phone: 01-4770234

1. Public Service Commission, Dhankuta Office, Phone: 026-520130
2. Public Service Commission, Jaleshwar Office, Phone: 044-520147
3. Public Service Commission, Kathmandu Office, Phone: 01-4410859
4. Public Service Commission, Pokhara Office, Phone: 061-463506
5. Public Service Commission, Butwal Office, Phone: 071-540207
6. Public Service Commission, Surkhet Office, Phone: 083-520106
7. Public Service Commission, Dipayal Office, Phone: 094-440147
8. Public Service Commission, Ilam Office, Phone: 027-520062
9. Public Service Commission, Khotang Office, Phone: 036-420177
10. Public Service Commission, Hetauda Office, Phone: 057-520302
11. Public Service Commission, Baglung Office, Phone: 068-520147
12. Public Service Commission, Dang Office, Phone: 082-520013
13. Public Service Commission, Jumla Office, Phone: 087-520008
14. Public Service Commission, Mahendranagar Office, Phone: 099-521209