Feature News: The story of 18-month-old Public Service Commission of Province 1

ITAHARI, September 7: Today marks the 18th anniversary of Civil Service Day in Nepal. This celebration, started since 2003, does not have any public holiday for this year. Nepal only started to observe Civil Service Day after 65 years of the issuance of Civil Service Act by Nepal Government. 

In 2003, Nepal Government decided to observe the day commemorating the first issuance of Civil Service Act of 1956 by the then Prime Minister Tanka Prashad Acharya.
This day is special for thousands of civil servants of Nepal. In Nepal, there are more than 80,000 civil servants. 

Previously, civil servants were mainly recruited through Publish Service Commission that was established on 15 June 1951. For, almost seven decades, civil servants recruitments were made mainly from Public Service Commission as a central constitutional authority.  

However, after the Nepal's first election of 2017 following the promulgation of Nepal's constitution of 2015 by the Constituent Assembly, Nepal formally entered into provincial set-up. In addition, seven provinces started to make their legislation for forming their own Provincial Public Service Commission. 

From Provincial PSC Act to Appointment of Chair and members 
Province 1 Government led by the first Chief Minister Sherdhan Rai introduced Provincial Public Service Act in the first week of September three years ago. On 3 September 2019, the 'Provincial Public Service Ac 2019' was published on Provincial Gazette.  The Provincial Assembly passed this act after rigorous debated from across the political spectrum. ''This was the beginning of the feeling of provincial governance'', Lilam Basnet, the directly elected Provincial assembly from Sunsari's constituency number 3 (1) had remarked to the press. 

''This Provincial Public Service Commission must be more inclusive and must display the faces and facts of the Province 1'', Sarbadhoj Sanba, another directly elected Provincial Assembly member from Sunsari 's constutuency number 2 (1) had opined publicly. 

On 20 January 2020, the cabinet decision of CM Sherdhan Rai recommended three names for the Provincial Public Service Commission (PSC) officials. Cainet recommended Uttam Kumar Bhattarai, from Khotang district, as the chair of the newly constituted Provincial PSC.  Bhattarai was a retired secretary of Nepal Government.

Likewise, Tika Dutta Rai, the then secretary at the Chief Minister Officer of Biratnagar, was recommended as a member of the two-member Provincial PSC. Another member was Sajana Dahal, also known as Seema Avas in literary sector of Nepal.  

The swearing-in ceremony of Provincial PSC office-bearers was held on 23 January 2020 at the Office of the Province Chief, Somnath Adhikari 'Pyashi'. The Chief Justice at the Biratnagar High Court, Til Prashad Shrestha, administrated the oath of the office and secrecy to the Chief of the Provincial PSC Uttam Kumar Bhattarai. 

Bhattarai, later on, administered the oath of the office and secrecy to member duo Rai and Dahal. 

The stated tenure of the office bearers is six year. It has been almost 18 months of existence of the Provincial PSC headquartered at Biratnagar Metropolitan City ward number 3.  According to the Information Officer, Kedarnath Rijal, a total of 22 human resources is engaged at the Provincial PSC office of Biratnagar. 

The starting of recruitments of civil servants from Provincial PSC
The first recruitment process started since second week of April 2021. On 12 April 2021, Provincial PSC of Province 1 announced its vacancies in Gorakhapatra Daily from Kathmandu. 

It has asked for 81 technicians. The 81 posts were mainly of Assistant and Sub-Engineer within the age bracket of from 18 to 35 years. The result is due to announce. According to Kedarnath Risal, the Information Officer at the Provincial PSC, the result will be announced in the days ahead. 

The second vacancies were announced on 19 July 2021, said Information Officer Rijal.  In the second vacancies, 17 posts are asked in health, educational and agricultural sectors. 

Youth governmental job aspirants are happy at the beginning of provincial PSC recruitments. ''Public Service Commission is the most trusted government recruiter in Nepal and hundreds of thousands of youths are interested at it'', said Uttam Kumar Khadka, a youth from Dhankuta who is based in Itahari. He added, ''The Provincial Public Service Commission has increased my hope for my future government job at economic and administrative areas as academically I am fir for these areas.''  Khadka said he he is of the mission to make it to some of his deserving post within few years. 

Binita Dahal, another governmental job hopeful who is preparing for PSC exams, said she first try her best at Public Service Commission job for federal units of the government because she does not want to be limited within 14 districts of the province 1. She said, she is not negative at the newly established Provincial PSC of her province. However, she is more inclined at federal PSC for her desire to have nationwide working options and opportunities. 

''The way PSC has established itself as the most trusted constitutional institution for governmental job'', said Dahal, ''The Provincial PSC requires some time for its trustfulness in the days ahead. But, I am optimistic on it because federal PSC is there for good template for Provincial PSC.''