Inclusiveness in the Nepali Army

Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multilingual, multi-religious and multicultural country with a common aspiration and commitment to a united bond of allegiance to national independence, integrity, national interests and prosperity. By its diversity, the government seeks to provide more inclusive state institutions. But despite of its efforts, the issue of inclusion (Samabesikaran) of different castes, ethnic groups, genders and regions has been frequently raised in the country. In the Gurkha Regiments of foreign armies, recruiting from specific ethnic groups is still prevalent. But in the case of the Nepali Army, it has always endeavoured to maintain a national character principally regarding the inclusion of all castes, ethnic communities, genders, regions and religions.

Maintaining its tradition and reflecting the institution's spirit, the Nepali Army incorporates a reservation system. This practice was prevalent in the Nepali Army decades before the Government of Nepal implemented the policy on inclusion in the state legislature. The Nepali Army has ethnic-based battalions from Magar, Gurung, Kiranti/Limbu and Madhesi communities. In the rest of the formations, units and subunits all castes / ethnic communities, religions and regions are given an equal opportunity based on open competition.

In compliance with the Nepalese Law, which states that 45% of all vacant government positions be reserved for excluded groups, the Army in 2006, amended its Army Act. After which, out of the 45% reserved position within the Nepal Army 20% is reserved for women, 32% for Janajati, 28% for Madheshi, 15% for Dalit and 5% for remote regions.

Recruitment is voluntary and competitive. Hence forcing citizens to sign up in the proportion of the demographic breakup of the nation would violate the rights of the people who may not want to join the Army and at the same time be unfair to those qualified and wishing to join.

Indeed, the racial and cultural character of the Nepali Army is not a mirror image of the national picture but it depicts a picture which is far closer than most of the other organs of the state. The recruitment in the Nepali Army is entirely voluntary in composition. The Army has been making a conscious effort to include as many of the minority groups as possible. It has aimed for inclusiveness since ages in the past. In recent times, the Army has also made important strides towards gender inclusiveness.