Questions about discipline, transparency and accountability in government services are not new. Especially in agencies directly linked to service delivery, there have been debates from time to time on issues related to employee behavior, conflict of interest, personal gain and public image.

In this context, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has implemented the 'Employee Code of Conduct, 2083' from Wednesday. Which has attempted to define the conduct of government employees more clearly and strictly.

This code of conduct approved by the ministry is not just a formal document, but has been presented as a practical guideline. All types of civil servants working in the ministry and its agencies including the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Nepal Airlines Corporation, Nepal Tourism Board, and others, whether on contract or on duty, will fall under the purview of the code. Its main objective is to make service delivery effective and strengthen professionalism and moral discipline among employees.

The code of conduct has clarified both the responsibilities and boundaries of employees. Basic aspects such as abiding by the law while keeping the public interest paramount, completing assigned responsibilities on time, and adhering to office discipline have been made mandatory. However, the specialty this time is the strictness on the issue of ‘what cannot be done’. Provisions such as not accepting gifts or facilities from service recipients, not misusing government resources, and not receiving services at the expense of the service recipient during a visit seem to have the objective of preventing possible distortions in employee behavior.

This code of conduct seems to be applied more sensitively especially in agencies related to the aviation sector. The provisions that prohibit employees working at Nepal Airlines Corporation from engaging in activities that generate personal gain while in service, and not allowing videos to be made and posted on social media or personal platforms during a flight indicate strict control over professional conduct. Similarly, there is also a provision that employees are not allowed to run non-governmental organizations, lobby or engage in activities that may benefit from their position. In the digital age, the use of social media has become another sensitive aspect related to employee conduct. The code of conduct prohibits the use of social media during office hours and makes it clear that content that misinterprets government decisions cannot be made public. On the one hand, this attempts to protect institutional confidentiality and credibility, while on the other hand, it indicates that employees are also responsible for their personal expressions. According to the ministry's spokesperson, Jayanarayan Acharya, now any activity that seeks personal gain in the course of performing their duties will not be tolerated. He said that the code of conduct is the 'basis of discipline that is applied in practice' and that action will be mandatory if it is violated.

His statement indicates that the ministry is serious about the implementation of the code of conduct. "The code of conduct was ratified on Wednesday and has been implemented since Wednesday," Spokesperson Acharya told Kantipur. "It has prevented employees of all levels of ministries and subordinates working in the service of the country and the people from misusing state resources to gain personal benefits."

Another important aspect of this code of conduct is its implementation mechanism. It seems that an effort has been made not to keep it limited to paper by mandating that employees sign an affidavit, that its compliance will be linked to annual performance evaluation, and that a clear monitoring structure has been set.