General Knowledge, Governance, and Public Administration
What this domain tests
This domain tests the working knowledge of Nepal's state structure and public administration that a judicial officer is expected to hold: federalism, local government, civil service, fiscal transfer, accountability institutions and good governance.
Core rules
- Structure: seven provinces, seventy-seven districts and 753 local units (6 metropolitan cities, 11 sub-metropolitan cities, 276 municipalities, 460 rural municipalities).
- Local government acts under the Local Government Operation Act 2074: it may make laws and levy taxes only within its constitutional and statutory list.
- Civil service: recruitment and promotion through the Public Service Commission under the Civil Service Act 2049; transparency, merit and due process govern personnel decisions.
- Fiscal transfer: the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission recommends the distribution of revenue and equalisation grants.
- Accountability: the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the National Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Auditor General.
- Good governance: rule of law, transparency, right to information, citizen charters, accessible service delivery and reasoned administrative decisions.
Worked example
A rural municipality imposes a fee not listed in its taxing power. Reasoning: the levy must fall within the local list, be authorised by a municipal law, and not conflict with a federal statute; the fiscal commission's recommendation is relevant to grants, not to creating a new tax head. Without that chain the levy is unlawful.
Traps that cost marks
Counting 76 or 75 districts; misstating the number of local units; assuming a local body can legislate on any subject; confusing the roles of constitutional bodies.