There is a complementary relationship between the government and civil servants when it comes to fulfilling citizens’ aspirations. In elections, political parties and candidates make direct promises to the people. After forming the government, they are obliged to fulfill those promises. On the other hand, it is the civil servants who play the role of implementing the government’s plans and decisions. Since citizens directly question and monitor the government, it is under pressure to deliver on its promises. Conversely, civil servants are also under pressure, as they must implement government plans in accordance with laws, procedures, and traditions.

Even after political change, civil servants tend not to change themselves but rather try to continue the working style of the old system, which leads to criticism of the political leadership in a short time.Therefore, the government and civil servants have the option to achieve success through cooperation or to foster misunderstandings and blame each other for failure. As the entity in a parental role, the government should take the civil service into confidence and find ways to implement its decisions through them. Civil servants, for their part, should understand their role as fulfilling citizens’ aspirations by supporting the popularly mandated government.

There are often complaints from both the government and citizens about civil servants. Governments frequently accuse the civil service of failing to keep pace with their speed. There are complaints that civil servants do not advance work that does not serve their own interests or benefit them personally. On the other hand, citizens complain that civil servants lack a spirit of service and instead tend to cause trouble for the public. Many believe that the civil service is the main center of corruption.

Although political leadership changes repeatedly through political upheavals, the civil service remains the same. Even after change, civil servants tend not to change themselves but rather try to continue the working style of the old system, which leads to criticism of the political leadership in a short time. Therefore, it is necessary to make the civil service responsive to public aspirations. As long as the political leadership changes but the working style of the civil service remains the same, the expected achievements will not be realized. However, this must be done through legal means based on trust.

After the “Jen–Ji” movement and the subsequent election, the government led by Balendra Shah has been trying to work at a rapid pace. There is no disagreement that civil servants should cooperate in this. However, it appears that the government has adopted a strategy of achieving its goals by instilling fear in civil servants rather than winning their trust. Immediately after taking the oath on 13 Chaitra, Prime Minister Shah instructed the secretaries: “Do not try to teach us, keep up with our speed, or else make way.”

If the aim is to reform the civil service, make it efficient, and create a situation where delays or confusion are impossible, then the necessary legal structures must be prepared accordingly. Competence must be enhanced.Similarly, the dismissal of Chief Secretary Sumanraj Aryal from the position of political advisor to the Prime Minister, the proposal in the draft Civil Service Bill to retire employees who reach 55 years of age or 30 years of service, and other issues have also alarmed civil servants. Likewise, the arrest of Secretary Krishnahari Pushkar on 21 Jestha for allegedly sending an SMS to the Prime Minister, the control of Director General of the Department of Passports Tirtharaj Aryal and other staff by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority from the Prime Minister’s Office, pressure from the Prime Minister’s Office to reduce staff positions in all ministries and subordinate bodies, and intervention and directives in civil service administration by advisors or non-civil servants of the Prime Minister and ministers—all these instances have sent the message that the government wants to get work done by putting civil servants under pressure or compulsion.

It is the government that wants results from its decisions and plans. The government must create an environment where its decisions and plans can be implemented to achieve such results. For that, civil servants must be motivated to work, and their legitimate concerns must be heard. This is because running the state is also a matter of hierarchical trust.

If the aim is to reform the civil service, make it efficient, and create a situation where delays or confusion are impossible, then the necessary legal structures must be prepared accordingly. Competence must be enhanced. Career development plans must be implemented. Most importantly, civil servants must be made self-confident. They must be made determined to take risks and achieve results. But the government has adopted the opposite strategy. It seems to think that work can be done by keeping civil servants in fear, weakening their confidence, and exerting pressure through undesirable forces and groups.

As a result, a mentality may develop among civil servants to keep quiet, just collect their salary, and take no risks. If this happens, the government will not achieve the results it desires.
The civil service must comply with laws and regulations. But they should not look for loopholes in the law to obstruct the government’s pace. The government, for its part, should also strive to make laws and regulations clear and results-oriented. To encourage work and penalize obstruction, a scientific and transparent system of rewards and punishments should be adopted.

Scientific systems should be implemented for performance evaluation, transfers, promotions, and career development opportunities. The government appears to be working on keeping the number of civil servants low. At present, we have three tiers of government. It may be prudent to study and reach conclusions about what kind and how many civil servants each tier needs, what kind and how many are required if that is done, and how to distribute them. In this era of technology, fewer civil servants may be needed, but management must be scientific and transparent.