Number of female secretaries reaches eight after two new promotions

KATHMANDU, July 29: Following the recommendation by the Judicial Service Commission to promote two senior joint secretaries from the law group—Nirmala Adhikari Bhattarai and Indira Dahal Bhattarai—to the post of secretary, the number of women serving in Nepal’s special class civil service (secretary level) has now reached eight.

Nirmala Adhikari Bhattarai, currently the acting secretary at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, has been recommended for promotion. Similarly, Indira Dahal Bhattarai, who is presently working at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, has been recommended for the Law Commission.

Two secretary posts in the judicial service had become vacant following the mandatory retirement of Udaya Sapkota and Alok Shrestha upon reaching the age of 58. To fill those vacancies, the Judicial Service Commission recommended the promotion of Nirmala Adhikari Bhattarai and Indira Dahal Bhattarai.

Currently, six women are serving as secretaries in the civil service. They are Radhika Aryal (Ministry of Communication and Information Technology), Laxmi Kumari Basnet (Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens), Sarita Duwadi (Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation), and Pramila Devi Bajracharya (Ministry of Water Supply). Likewise, Bindu Shrestha serves as Deputy Auditor General at the Office of the Auditor General, and Chandrakala Paudel is the Chief Secretary of Koshi Province.

Earlier, toward the end of 2023, a record nine women had served as secretaries simultaneously. They included Lila Devi Gadtaula, Pramila Devi Bajracharya, Dev Kumari Guragain, Laxmi Kumari Basnet, Radhika Aryal, Nirmala Poudel, Bindu Bista, Sarita Duwadi, and Sewa Lamsal.

According to the Department of National Personnel Records, the current proportion of women in the civil service has reached 29.2 percent—the highest so far. The total number of government employees stands at 85,529, of which 41,563 work under the federal government.

Additionally, 32,808 employees are stationed at the local level, while 11,138 are working at the provincial level. According to the department, the highest number of women is in the administrative service, while the lowest is in the federal parliamentary service. Women account for 42.19 percent in administrative services but only 0.62 percent in the parliamentary service.

In other services, women account for 0.70 percent in economic planning and statistics, 15.86 percent in engineering, 2.93 percent in agriculture, and 11.45 percent in the judiciary. Foreign service has one of the lowest female representations at just 0.71 percent.

Similarly, women account for 1.19 percent in auditing, 4.83 percent in forestry, 5.43 percent in miscellaneous services, 2.05 percent in education, and 12.03 percent in health services.