After introducing it nearly five years ago in the Kathmandu valley on an experimental basis, the government has decided to cut the two-day weekend effective from the first of this Nepali calendar year. While the change will not affect the total weekly working hours, that stands at 40 hours compared with the ILO’s maximum limit of 48 hours, the public are likely to gain because the government offices will remain open even on Sunday. The reasons given for the two off days included various savings and benefits, including a beneficial effect on the environment. But the scheme did not result in any improvement in the performance of civil servants. Oddly enough, the provision has gone on trial for too long in the valley, while the rest of the country has been under the traditional six-day week.

So the new decision should be taken in a positive light. In addition, the festival leave has been cut from six days a year to three but the casual leave remains unchanged at six days. It is generally agreed the government has too many leaves and holidays, one of the longest in the world. There are also nearly three weeks of public holidays a year, apart from the weekly off days. Besides, an employee gets nearly two months of leave a year. Some other provisions such as paid study leave are extra benefits. Employees can accumulate their sick and home leaves for which they are paid, measured by their salary scales.

But this system has its disadvantages. Though the bureaucracy is overstaffed, the cash-strapped government has to pay for such leaves. This has also worked as a disincentive to leave-taking, though going on a holiday occasionally is generally considered good for employee health and performance. Payment for leaves has also increased the tendency among employees to go on official tours even when their private business is concerned, wasting office hours and money. Therefore, if the government, by scrapping cashable leaves, encourages its employees to go on leave, it will not affect government business but it will help refresh employees. The public have enough reason to resent facilities and perks for government employees when they, instead of performing their duty well, harass the public and seek bribes. The recent increase in their salaries has cost the people pretty much — a three percent hike in VAT. But the six-day workweek should be applied to the judiciary too, which was the first to introduce the two days of weekly off, and goes on a two-week Dashain holiday. The whole system of holidays and leaves therefore calls for a review, and this process should include all public institutions such as Tribhuvan University, where teachers and employees have more holidays and leaves than work.