The House of Representatives unanimously passed the National Service Corps Bill, 2083 on Monday, restructuring the Nepal Army-run corps that trains students in patriotism and national service.
Law Minister Sobita Gautam presented the bill on behalf of PM Balendra Shah, who also holds the Defense portfolio.
Key changes: the corps will now prioritize students from remote areas, the requirement for serving military officers to conduct training was removed (the Director General will now be a retired lieutenant general instead), and most notably the Council of Ministers retains authority to extend Service Corps training to any citizen or institution based on national necessity, not just students aged 13-21.
While framed around youth patriotism and community service, the bill's broader training-extension clause drew child-rights concerns when first registered in June a tension that persists even after unanimous passage.
