Kathmandu, March 20

The new order of precedence proposed by the government to degrade captain and lieutenant of Nepali Army to lower level compared to the previous provision has irked many in the security agency.

A high-level NA source objected to the proposed protocol list of functionaries and officials, saying it only aims to undermine the morale of the security force. As per the new hierarchy order, NA captain ranks lower than a section officer of Government of Nepal. Earlier, NA captain was placed above section officer of civil service in protocol.

The new provision has proposed that NA lieutenant be placed below the rank of Nepal Police inspector, Armed Police Force inspector and National Investigation Department’’s investigation officer contrary to the previous order of precedence.

“It has not only dishonoured and insulted the NA officials but treated the security agency institutions with disrespect,” the NA source said, urging the government to rework on it. Though the education qualification for a lieutenant to join NA is proficiency certificate level, the officer cadet obtains bachelor's degree after being convocated by Strategic Studies Faculty under Tribhuvan University during the 24 months of training. He/she is entitled to the post of a commissioner after completion of the training.

However, bachelor’s degree is the eligibility criteria of Nepal Police inspector and APF inspector who is accorded the post of commissioner after completion of around 12 months of training. In the case of a section officer of civil service, he/she is decorated with the post of commissioner after a short duration of training after passing the exams conducted by the Public Service Commission.

“Therefore, there is no ground to place the NA officials below the rank of NP and APF inspectors, NID investigation officer and section officer of civil service,” he said. Even in India, a lieutenant is equivalent to assistant superintendent of police (B-17) and above an inspector.

“The proposed change in order of precedence will devalue the tradition of taking these posts with pride in sensitive security body like NA where strict discipline is observed,” the source maintained. Meanwhile, replying to the queries raised by the members of State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the Federal Parliament over the order of precedence yesterday, Minister of Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa said the government was working on it to make the protocol list justifiable.