The government has introduced a new governance reform at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), aiming to improve research effectiveness and ensure a more balanced distribution of employees across the country.

Minister for Agriculture, Forests and Environment Gita Chaudhary has announced the implementation of the Employee Transfer and Posting Management Standards, 2083, which will end the practice of employees remaining in Kathmandu throughout their careers due to political influence or personal connections.

Under the new policy, NARC employees will be assigned based on institutional needs and geographical priorities, ensuring that remote research stations also receive adequate staffing. The reform seeks to address the long-standing imbalance where many employees remained in Kathmandu while remote offices struggled with severe staff shortages.

The standards also introduce fixed transfer periods, prohibit transfers between offices of the same geographical category, and require leadership appointments to be based on seniority, performance, leadership capability, audit clearance, and institutional achievements.

Employees facing disciplinary proceedings will no longer be eligible to serve as office heads, while all newly recruited staff will be posted to vacant positions outside Kathmandu.

According to Minister Chaudhary, the policy is expected to strengthen governance, eliminate institutional irregularities, and improve agricultural research tailored to the diverse geographical needs of Nepal. The ministry believes the reform will ultimately help deliver research outcomes more effectively to farmers across the country.