Excessive holidays trouble service seekers

Government employees entitled to 140 days of leave per year

KATHMANDU, March 3: The government published the list of public holidays for the year 2082 BS in the official gazette. In addition, the law grants government employees separate leave. If we include public holidays, festival holidays, Saturday holidays, birthday holidays, special holidays decided by the Council of Ministers, and separate holidays provided by provincial and local governments, government employees do not have to report to their respective offices for at least 140 days in a year.

The notice published in the official gazette last Thursday states that from Baishakh 1 (mid-April 2025) to the end of Chaitra (mid-April, 2026), the year will have 28 public holidays, excluding Saturdays, with holidays provided to all castes, religions, and communities. The government has also declared extra holidays based on factors such as caste, community, religion, and geography. Moreover, the law allows the Council of Ministers to declare additional holidays, and provincial and local governments can also announce holidays.

The gazette notice also informs that the government will grant a public holiday on Pirthvi Jayanti on Poush 27 (January 11, 2026). In previous years, the government sometimes declared a public holiday on Pirthvi Jayanti and sometimes did not.

Experts say that Nepal has more public holidays than other countries, and they have been suggesting the government reduce them. In addition to public holidays, federal, provincial, and local governments occasionally declare various types of holidays, which administrative experts believe often create difficulties for service seekers. They argue that service seekers, who have already planned their work, face challenges when holidays are declared unexpectedly.

The provincial government can grant six days of leave per year according to its operational procedures, and the local government can grant three days of leave per year. However, both the provincial and local governments have declared public holidays outside of these procedures. In 2082 BS, the government has granted six days of leave during Bada Dashain and five days of leave during Tihar. Additionally, it has declared public holidays for the following events: New Year's Day on Baisakh 1, Baisakh Purnima, Buddha Jayanti, Rai/Kirat community's Ubhauli festival on Baisakh 29, Rakshabandhan on Shrawan 24, Shree Krishna Janmashtami on Shrawan 31, and other festivals.

In 2066 BS, the then government formed a five-member task force led by the then Home Secretary Govinda Kusum to study public holidays. The task force included the secretaries of the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Culture. The task force recommended that the government reduce public holidays. It also suggested granting two holidays per week and setting office hours from 9 am to 5 pm. However, the government did not implement the task force's recommendations.

Separate leave entitlement for employees

In Nepal, government employees do not need to report to the office for 140 days in a year due to various holidays. Employees are entitled to 12 days of sick leave, 30 days of home leave, and 12 days of casual leave annually.

Additionally, employees receive study leave for three years during their service period and an additional three years of exceptional leave. Female employees are entitled to 98 days of maternity leave, and male employees receive 15 days of paternity leave when their wives give birth. Moreover, employees enjoy 52 Saturdays off and about 15 public holidays annually. A staff member from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration mentioned that about half of civil servants accumulate their leave and take 180 days of leave upon retirement.

These offices remain open on public holidays

Many people may not know that some government offices remain open on public holidays. The Ministry of Home Affairs published a notice in the official gazette on March 16, 2023, deciding to keep certain government offices open on 18 types of public holidays to provide essential services. This decision continues to be in effect.

In 2082 BS, these offices will remain open in response to the same decision. Offices related to citizenship, passports, national identity cards, survey, and land revenue will remain open even on public holidays. The notice published in the gazette requires these offices to provide regular services during various festivals and public holidays.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that government offices designated to provide essential services will remain open on public holidays such as Ubhauli Festival, Chandi Purnima, Buddha Jayanti, Republic Day, Gaijatra, Rakshabandhan, Shree Krishna Janmashtami, Indra Jatra, Ghatasthapana, Christmas Day, Udhauli Festival, Yomari Punhi-Jyapu Day, Tamulhosar, and Maghi Festival.

Similarly, these offices will also remain open on Democracy Day, Mahashivaratri, International Women's Day, Ghodejatra, Eid ul Fitr, Eid ul Adha, and the Matsyendranath Jatra. Despite being open on public holidays, many service seekers remain unaware of these essential service offices. As a result, these offices often remain empty on such occasions.