Public Administration, Governance and Development (Nepal context)
Public Administration, Governance and Development (Nepal context) tests the constitutional structure, civil service, good governance and development management. Expect questions that connect federalism to forestry administration.
Core rules and concepts
- The Constitution of Nepal, 2072 (2015) establishes a federal democratic republic with three levels: federal, provincial and local. There are 7 provinces, 77 districts and 753 local units.
- Powers are divided into exclusive, concurrent and residual lists. Forestry is largely a provincial subject, with federal policy and local government roles in community forestry and local development.
- The Civil Service Act, 2049 (1993) governs recruitment, promotion, transfer and discipline; the Public Service Commission conducts recruitment.
- Good governance includes transparency, accountability, participation, rule of law, responsiveness, equity and effectiveness.
- Development administration uses the project cycle, logical framework, monitoring and evaluation, and results-based management.
- The Local Government Operation Act, 2074 (2017) gives local governments planning, fiscal and administrative responsibilities.
Worked example
A local government must choose among three projects using weighted criteria: impact 50%, feasibility 30%, equity 20%. Project A scores 80, 60 and 70: weighted score = 0.5 x 80 + 0.3 x 60 + 0.2 x 70 = 40 + 18 + 14 = 72. Project B scores 60, 90 and 50: 30 + 27 + 10 = 67. Project A is selected. The reasoning: convert weights to decimals, multiply each score and sum; the highest weighted score wins.
Traps
Do not assign forestry entirely to the federal government. Do not confuse governance with government. Do not treat decentralisation as only fiscal transfer; it also involves authority and accountability. Do not ignore civil service neutrality and merit.