KATHMANDU, JULY 2

Nayab Subbas (non-gazetted first class officers) have threatened to continue nationwide protest until their demands are met.

They have demanded revision in a few provisions proposed in the Federal Civil Service Bill, passed recently by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives. Issuing a press release today, Save Nayab Subba Campaign said the bill had done injustice to non-gazetted first class officers and urged the government and lawmakers to revise it without further delay. “We will continue the nationwide protest until our six-point demands are met. We have observed that the provisions stipulated in the bill were deliberately designed to obstruct the career development of more than 35,000 non-gazetted first class officers,” read the release.

According to the campaign, it was a conspiracy of the government to lower the morale of non-gazetted first class officers by devaluing their contribution to civil service, according to the release. The bill, which replaces the Civil Service Act-1993, once passed by both the houses of the Federal Parliament, stipulates a provision that vacancy of section officers (gazetted third class officers) shall be fulfilled through open competition (80 per cent) and promotion (20 per cent). The campaign alleged that the provision would place a barrier to their promotion to section officer. The bill has also determined the age bar of 40 years for Nayab Subbas competing for the post of section officer through open competition. The campaign demanded the government to make provision for fulfilment of vacancy of section officer through open competition (50 per cent), promotion (30 per cent) and internal competition (20 per cent). “The provision of the age bar for Nayab Subbas to compete for the post of section officer should be scrapped. There should also be a provision in the bill that if a Nayab Subba is not promoted for 12 years in a row, s/he should be deemed eligible for promotion automatically,” read the release.

Trade Union of Civil Servants has expressed solidarity with agitating Nayab Subbas and submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota yesterday for revision in the bill.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on July 3, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.