Failed six times in the Public Service exam, preparing to ban further attempts.

The Parliament is preparing to enact a law that would allow individuals to take the Public Service Commission (PSC) examination only up to six times. The bill, currently under discussion in the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives, aims to set a limit on the number of attempts an individual can make at the PSC examination.

A subcommittee under the main committee has assigned the responsibility of drafting the provision—limiting the number of attempts to six—to Secretary Udayaraj Sapkota of the Ministry of Law and Secretary Rabilal Panth of the Ministry of General Administration.

Previously, during a committee meeting on Poush 19, PSC Chairperson Madhav Prasad Regmi stated that allowing individuals to take the exam more than five times was unnecessary. He suggested that the government should encourage people to engage in agriculture if they fail multiple times.

Committee Chairperson Ramhari Khatiwada mentioned that, following Regmi’s proposal, two secretaries were asked to conduct further research. "The PSC informed us that in India, candidates can take the exam only four to five times. We have discussed allowing open candidates to attempt the exam six times, while reserved category candidates may be allowed one additional attempt, making it seven in total," he said.

Regmi further justified his stance by citing studies on South Asian countries' civil service systems. "If someone cannot pass even after 5-6 attempts, they should seek alternatives. If no alternative is found, they should return home and engage in farming," he said. "Based on my study, individuals in the age group of 25 to 30 years generally pass the PSC exam. A capable candidate usually clears the exam within three to four attempts. My opinion is that people should not waste their lives stuck in endless attempts."

Regmi also argued that individuals who pass after multiple attempts are unlikely to contribute effectively to the civil service. He suggested that the age limit for entry into the civil service should be 32 years for men and 37 years for women. "If someone cannot secure a position by the age of 32, they are unlikely to contribute meaningfully to the civil service. By that age, they have family responsibilities and are already integrated into society. Our objective is to recruit young, unpolluted individuals into the service," he said.

Currently, the age limit for taking the PSC exam is 35 years for men and 40 years for women. The minimum age requirement for Kharidar and Nayab Subba positions is 18 years, while for Section Officer, it is 21 years.

However, administrative experts have raised concerns that the PSC and the parliamentary committee are focusing on reducing exam attempts instead of addressing necessary civil service reforms. Former Secretary Khemraj Regmi argued that imposing a limit on the number of attempts violates candidates' constitutional right to compete. "Why should candidates be restricted to a specific number of attempts? As long as they meet the age limit and believe they can pass, they should be allowed to take the exam. Those who realize they cannot pass will eventually stop on their own," he said. "The PSC Chairperson should not be discouraging candidates by suggesting they go into farming or work in Malaysia or Qatar."

Congress MP Dileendra Badu, coordinator of the subcommittee, stated that the discussion on limiting the number of attempts to six was prompted by concerns that frequent exam-taking by employees was affecting public service delivery. "We discussed whether to set a six-attempt limit, but no final decision has been made yet. There was also a suggestion to prohibit government employees from taking open exams, but we decided to allow them to participate," he said.

Badu also mentioned that discussions included extending the six-attempt limit to external candidates as well. "If we impose a limit, it ensures that qualified individuals enter the service within a reasonable time frame. Those who fail repeatedly should seek other opportunities rather than continuously attempting the exam," he said.

UML MP Raghuji Pant stated that the committee studied civil service systems in India and other countries before considering the six-attempt limit.

Former Secretary Regmi rejected the argument that repeated exam attempts by employees disrupt service delivery. "If an employee neglects their duties to take exams, departmental action should be taken," he said. "If we want creative individuals in the civil service, we need to revise the PSC syllabus. How can we expect high-quality personnel when we are still using outdated curricula from previous generations?" He added that failing to perform well after passing the exam is the responsibility of the respective office and its leadership, not the candidate. "Claiming that late passers won’t perform well is a weakness of the PSC itself. Our mentality has become restrictive on every issue."

Former PSC member and ex-Secretary Bindra Hada emphasized that Parliament should focus on solving real problems within the civil service instead of limiting exam attempts. "The Civil Service Act should define mechanisms to distinguish between efficient and inefficient employees. There should be clear laws on how to recruit, assign responsibilities, and determine the length of service. Whether someone takes the exam six or ten times is their personal right," she said.

Hada also suggested that instead of limiting exams, the PSC and parliamentary committee should address administrative flaws, such as unjustified transfers of revenue officers to sports ministries and appointing administration officers as finance secretaries. "If the government decides to restrict civil service exams, it should also explore alternative employment opportunities. Creating new opportunities is the responsibility of the state," she said.

The Civil Service Bill is currently under confidential discussion within the subcommittee. Meetings are being kept private at the request of senior government officials, including Prime Minister’s Office Secretary Phanindra Gautam, Law Ministry Secretary Sapkota, Administration Ministry Secretary Panth, PSC officials, and other government representatives. A subcommittee member revealed that officials pressured them to hold closed-door meetings to prevent public disclosure of their statements during clause-by-clause discussions. So far, 12 confidential meetings have been held, initially focusing on controversial provisions of the bill. On Sunday, the committee began clause-wise discussions on the bill.

 

Lok Sewa Aayog

Summary of News

• Proposed Law: Parliament is considering limiting PSC exam attempts to six.
• Subcommittee Task: Law Ministry Secretary Udayaraj Sapkota and General Administration Ministry Secretary Rabilal Panth are drafting the provision.
• PSC Chair’s View: Madhav Prasad Regmi believes more than five attempts are unnecessary and suggests alternative careers like farming for those who fail repeatedly.
• Comparison with India: India allows four to five attempts; Nepal’s proposal includes six attempts for open candidates and seven for reserved category candidates.
• Age Limit Suggestion: Regmi suggests 32 years for men and 37 years for women to ensure young recruits. Current limits are 35 years (men) and 40 years (women).
• Concerns of Experts: Critics argue limiting attempts violates constitutional rights and doesn’t address real civil service reforms.
• MP Dileendra Badu’s Justification: Frequent exam attempts by employees affect service delivery; discussions are ongoing, with no final decision yet.
• Alternative Perspective: Former Secretary Khemraj Regmi believes imposing a limit is unnecessary and that revising the outdated PSC syllabus is more important.
• Former PSC Member Bindra Hada’s Concern: Parliament should focus on broader administrative reforms instead of restricting exam attempts.
• Confidential Discussions: The Civil Service Bill is being discussed privately, with officials pressuring for closed-door meetings.