Nepal authorities preparing a new directive allowing 57 external secretary-level advisors

The Nepal government is working on a new directive that envisages radical changes in public administration. According to this new directive, ministers will be able to appoint a total of 57 external advisors to the public bureaucracy. These appointments will be directly at the secretary level, and these individuals will serve in senior positions within public administration. The government's move is stated to aim to strengthen public administration through external expert opinions. However, the number of permanent secretary positions, currently 71, is also planned to be reduced in the near future. According to information obtained from authorized sources, it is on the agenda to reduce the current number of positions by 10 units to 61.

Reducing the current secretary positions in the bureaucracy means reaching almost the same level as the number of external advisors to be appointed. Once the government's plan is implemented, the number of permanent secretaries in the bureaucracy will drop to 61. Meanwhile, the 57 senior external advisors to be appointed will carry significant weight in this new structure. The fact that the two numbers are so close creates an important topic of debate in terms of balance and employment policies in public administration. Experts evaluate that this situation will directly affect both the functioning of the bureaucracy and the role of political appointments in the system. Whether the mentioned change will increase practicality and expertise in state administration will become clear in the upcoming period.

The main rationale for the said regulation is to enable the employment of expert personnel in needed areas so that ministries can work more effectively and result-oriented. It is envisaged that these external advisors will be selected from individuals with deep knowledge and experience in specific subjects. Government officials argue that this restructuring will add speed and agility to state operations. In addition, it is aimed to optimize the permanent secretary positions to be reduced by considering cost and efficiency analyses. On the other hand, there are various evaluations within the public administration community regarding the potential effects of this decision on current civil servant motivation and bureaucratic hierarchy. Such reforms are expected to reshape the country's administrative infrastructure.

This broad appointment authority granted to ministers with the new directive can also lead to differing reactions in the public. Critics argue that such an intense level of senior external appointments could disrupt the balance between merit and political concessions. The fact that the total number of secretary-level advisors will reach 57 indicates a significant expansion in bureaucratic cadres. The possibility of political powers actively using these advisors to support their own visions is also among the topics of discussion. The government wing, however, emphasizes that this practice is entirely performance and expertise-oriented and does not harbor any political concerns. Future practices will clearly demonstrate to what extent this directive will serve the public interest.

In conclusion, this new directive and position optimization represent a major milestone for the Nepal public administration. The reduction of the permanent secretary count from 71 to 61, and the parallel integration of 57 external advisors into the system, redefines the institutional balances within the state structure. The process of the country's administrative structures adapting to this new normal will both take time and require careful management. The goal of making the bureaucratic process more agile and expertise-oriented plays a highly critical role in terms of national development and governance. All these developments will inevitably reflect directly on the country's future political and economic stability. Officials and the public will continue to closely monitor the outcomes of this reform.