🏛️ Institutional Knowledge & Related Laws

4.1Introduction to Public Corporations (सार्वजनिक संस्थानको परिचय, विकास, उपलब्धि र व्यवस्थापन)

Definition

A public corporation (सार्वजनिक संस्थान) is an organization created by a special Act of Parliament or under the Companies Act, owned fully or partly by the Government of Nepal, formed to carry out commercial or service activities in the public interest.

Key characteristics

• Created by a special Act or under the Companies Act.
• Owned by the Government (fully or in majority).
• Legally a separate entity — can sue, be sued, own property in its own name.
• Has a Board of Directors and autonomous management.
• Combines public interest with commercial operation.
• Subject to audit by the Auditor General's office.

Evolution in Nepal (brief)

• 2016 BS (1959 AD) — Nepal Industrial Development Corporation (NIDC) established under the NIDC Act, 2016 — one of the earliest Nepali public corporations.
• 2019 BS (1962/63 AD) — the Gorkhapatra Sansthan Act, 2019 is passed; the Sansthan itself is formally constituted on 25 Ashar 2020 BS (9 July 1963 AD) under that Act.
• 1960s–70s — rapid expansion in banking, transport, manufacturing, agriculture.
• 1990s — era of privatization under the Privatization Act, 2050 BS; many corporations dissolved or sold.
• Today — around two dozen public corporations still operate (NEA, NTC, NOC, Gorkhapatra Sansthan, NAC, etc.).

Management structure (typical)

• Board of Directors — Chairperson + members appointed by the Government.
• General Manager / Executive Director — day-to-day head.
• Departments / Units — finance, HR, operations, marketing.
• Line ministry — supervises the corporation (Ministry of Communication for Gorkhapatra).

Common achievements

• Bridging service gaps where private sector is absent (remote areas, low-profit services).
• Job creation for thousands.
• Revenue contribution to the state.
• Preserving national priorities (language, culture, strategic sectors).

Common challenges

• Political interference in appointments.
• Operating losses in some corporations.
• Overstaffing, outdated technology.
• Competition from private-sector alternatives.

4.2Gorkhapatra Sansthan — history, objectives, structure, current state (गोरखापत्र संस्थानको इतिहास, उद्देश्य, संगठनात्मक स्वरुप, विकासक्रम, वर्तमान अवस्था तथा गतिविधिहरू)

History — the long version

• Baisakh 24, 1958 BS (6 May 1901 AD) — Gorkhapatra newspaper first published under the direction of Dev Shumsher Rana (one of the more liberal Rana PMs). It is the oldest continuously-published newspaper in Nepal.
• Started as a weekly; evolved through bi-weekly and tri-weekly before becoming a daily on 7 Falgun 2017 BS (18 Feb 1961).
• 2019 BS (1962/63 AD) — the Gorkhapatra Sansthan Act, 2019 is enacted. Under that Act, Gorkhapatra Sansthan is formally constituted as an autonomous public corporation on 25 Ashar 2020 BS (9 July 1963 AD). (Exam MCQs normally test the Act year — 2019 BS.)
• The Sansthan took over publication of the Gorkhapatra Daily and launched The Rising Nepal (English daily) on 1 Poush 2022 BS (16 Dec 1965 AD).

Objectives of the Sansthan

• Publish Gorkhapatra (Nepali) and The Rising Nepal (English) daily newspapers.
• Inform citizens on government activities, policies, and national affairs.
• Promote Nepali language, culture, and journalism.
• Publish books, magazines, and special editions.
• Operate modern printing facilities commercially as a public service.
• Contribute to social, cultural, and educational development.

Organizational structure

• Line ministry: Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT).
• Board of Directors: Chairperson + members appointed by the Government of Nepal.
• Executive Chairperson / Executive Director: day-to-day leadership.
• Departments: Editorial (Gorkhapatra + Rising Nepal), Production/Printing, Marketing & Advertising, Administration, Finance, Information Technology, HR, Distribution.
• Main office: Dharma Path, Kathmandu.

Current state & activities

• Publishes Gorkhapatra (Nepali) and The Rising Nepal (English) daily.
• Weekend/special supplements.
• Online editions — gorkhapatraonline.com and therisingnepal.org.np.
• Commercial printing services for other clients.
• Archives of every published issue — a national heritage resource.
• Recruiting designers, journalists, and technical staff for continuing modernization.

4.3Gorkhapatra Daily — archiving and its importance (गोरखापत्र दैनिक, गोरखापत्रको अभिलेखीकरण र यसको महत्व)

What archiving means here

Archiving (अभिलेखीकरण) means systematically storing every issue of Gorkhapatra (and The Rising Nepal) in physical and digital form so future researchers, historians, journalists, and citizens can access them.

Forms of archiving

• Physical archive — bound volumes of newspapers by year/month.
• Microfilm — older issues preserved on film rolls for longevity.
• Digital archive — scanned PDFs, searchable database, e-paper.
• Online archive — historical issues available on the official website.

Importance

• Historical record — a running, date-stamped log of Nepal's modern history.
• Research resource — for journalists, scholars, policy analysts.
• Cultural memory — festival coverage, literary pieces, editorials preserve Nepali identity.
• Legal & official record — government notices, gazette items, tender notices.
• Language preservation — written Nepali language evolution is traceable through the archive.
• Evidence in public interest cases — published records often serve as legal reference.

4.4Contribution to Nepal's social & cultural development (गोरखापत्र संस्थानको प्रकाशनबाट नेपालको सामाजिक र सांस्कृतिक क्षेत्रको विकासमा योगदान)

Social contributions

• Spreading public-health messages (polio, COVID, maternal health).
• Promoting education and literacy.
• Covering social issues — gender, caste discrimination, poverty, migration.
• Disseminating government policies, programs, and schemes.
• Offering a national platform for public debate.
• Publishing special editions on social movements and reforms.

Cultural contributions

• Promoting Nepali language, literature, and indigenous languages.
• Publishing festival supplements — Dashain, Tihar, Chhath, Lhosar, Eid.
• Covering folk traditions, fairs (mela), heritage sites, museums.
• Featuring Nepali writers, poets, and columnists — many great literary voices first appeared here.
• Cultural criticism — theatre, music, cinema reviews.
• Supporting indigenous communities through focused reporting.

Educational contributions

• Simplified explanations of policy and government.
• Educational supplements for students.
• Quiz columns, GK corners, exam-prep content.

National identity

• Covering Nepal's achievements — sports, science, diplomacy.
• Building shared narrative across geography (mountain, hill, terai).
• Providing voice to regional issues through district correspondents.

4.5Modern printing technology (मुद्रण कार्यमा आधुनिक प्रविधिको प्रयोग सम्बन्धी ज्ञान)

Evolution of printing

• Letterpress (traditional) — movable metal type; used well into the 20th century.
• Offset printing — image transferred from plate to rubber blanket to paper. Dominant for newspapers and books today.
• Web offset — huge rolls (webs) of paper run through high-speed presses; what newspapers use.
• Digital printing — no plates; directly from computer to printer. Fast for short runs.
• Flexography — on packaging, labels, plastic.

Modern technology in a newspaper press

• DTP (Desktop Publishing) — InDesign, QuarkXPress to lay out pages.
• CTP (Computer-to-Plate) — plates made directly from digital files; no intermediate film.
• Web offset rotary presses — multi-colour, high-speed.
• Ink management and colour calibration — Pantone, CMYK workflow.
• Automated folding, cutting, stitching, and bundling — mailroom systems.
• Digital e-paper — exact replica of print edition, delivered online.
• AI & automation — auto-layout tools, image optimization, analytics.

Quality-control concepts

• Preflight — catch errors before printing.
• Proofing — hard proof or soft proof before mass run.
• Colour consistency across thousands of copies.
• Registration — precise alignment of CMYK plates.

4.6Gorkhapatra Sansthan Act, 2019 (गोरखापत्र संस्थान ऐन, २०१९)

The Gorkhapatra Sansthan Act, 2019 BS (circa 1962/63 AD) is the parent legislation that established Gorkhapatra Sansthan as an autonomous public corporation. Passed by Parliament, it gives the Sansthan legal identity and defines its structure and functions.

What the Act typically establishes (high-level)

• Legal identity — the Sansthan as a body corporate with perpetual succession.
• Objectives — publication of newspapers and promotion of journalism.
• Board of Directors — composition, appointment, tenure.
• Functions and powers — publication, printing, property ownership.
• Capital & finance — share structure and government funding.
• Audit and reporting to the Government.

Why 2019 BS matters

• It marks the institutional independence of Gorkhapatra from direct ministerial control.
• Sets the foundation for future regulations (Rules 2021 BS, Bylaws 2082 BS).
• A common MCQ asks for the year — 2019 BS.

4.7Gorkhapatra Corporation Regulations, 2021 (गोरखापत्र कर्पोरेशन नियमावली, २०२१)

The Gorkhapatra Corporation Regulations, 2021 BS (as named in the syllabus) would be subsidiary rules made under the Gorkhapatra Sansthan Act 2019. Whereas the Act sets the framework, such regulations provide operational detail.

What regulations typically cover

• Board meetings — frequency, quorum, decision-making.
• Delegation of powers between Board, Executive, and departments.
• Accounting, budget, and financial management.
• Procurement and contracting procedures (before the Public Procurement Act, 2063 superseded much of this).
• Publishing standards and editorial independence.
• Pay scales and service terms (later refined by bylaws).

Key years to memorize

• Act: 2019 BS.
• Regulations: 2021 BS.
• Latest Employee Bylaws: 2082 BS.

4.8Gorkhapatra Sansthan Employee Service Terms Bylaws, 2082 (गोरखापत्र संस्थान कर्मचारी सेवा शर्त विनियमावली, २०८२)

The Employee Service Terms Bylaws, 2082 BS are the current (most recent) bylaws governing the employment conditions of Gorkhapatra Sansthan staff — including Senior Graphic Designer, which is the post in this syllabus. Official title on the Sansthan's own site: "गोरखापत्र कर्मचारी सेवा सर्त विनियमावली, २०८२" (note the official spelling is सर्त, not शर्त), published on Chaitra 10, 2082.

What service-terms bylaws typically regulate

• Recruitment — open competition vs internal promotion, reservations, qualifications.
• Appointment — probation, confirmation.
• Posts and levels — grading structure (Level 5 for Senior Graphic Designer).
• Pay & allowances — scale, increments, dearness allowance, festival allowance.
• Leave — sick, casual, maternity, bereavement, study, extraordinary leave.
• Conduct & discipline — code of conduct, disciplinary actions.
• Promotion — performance, seniority, examination.
• Transfer and assignment rules.
• Retirement — age, pension/gratuity.
• Grievance handling procedures.

Why this is crucial for this exam

• The post you are applying for (वरिष्ठ ग्राफिक्स डिजाइनर, Level 5) is defined under these bylaws.
• Recruitment rules, probation period, and pay scale come from here.
• As a new bylaw (2082 BS), it supersedes older internal rules.

4.9Companies Act, 2063 (कम्पनी ऐन, २०६३)

The Companies Act, 2063 BS (2006 AD) is the principal law governing the registration, operation, management, and dissolution of companies in Nepal. It replaced the earlier Companies Act, 2053.

Key features

• Registration with the Office of the Company Registrar (OCR).
• Types of companies — Private, Public, Non-profit (Section 3).
• Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Articles of Association (AOA).
• Share capital — authorized, issued, paid-up.
• Directors — duties, qualifications, disqualifications.
• General Meetings — AGM, EGM, quorum, voting.
• Accounts & audit — annual financial statements, auditor appointment.
• Dissolution and winding-up procedures.
• Penalties for fraudulent practices.

Why a Sansthan employee should know it

• The Sansthan interacts with registered businesses (advertisers, vendors, suppliers).
• Publication-related legal entities are also companies.
• Commercial partnerships require understanding of company structures.

4.10Public Procurement Act, 2063 (सार्वजनिक खरिद ऐन, २०६३)

The Public Procurement Act, 2063 BS (2007 AD) governs how the government, public corporations, and constitutional bodies procure goods, works, and services. It aims to ensure economy, efficiency, fairness, transparency, and accountability.

Core principles

• Open competition — no favouritism.
• Transparency — public tender notices.
• Value for money.
• Accountability — clear records and audit trail.
• Equal treatment of bidders.

Common procurement methods

• Open bidding — standard, for contracts above a threshold.
• Limited tender / pre-qualification.
• Request for quotations — smaller values.
• Direct procurement — emergency or single-source justification.
• E-procurement (e-GP) — electronic bidding system.

Key bodies & tools

• Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) — regulator.
• e-GP (Electronic Government Procurement) — online portal for bid submission.
• Public Procurement Regulations, 2064 BS — subsidiary rules.

Why a Gorkhapatra designer should know it

• Printing paper, ink, machines, IT equipment — all procured under this Act.
• Vendor selection for special editions follows its procedures.

4.11Electronic Transactions Act, 2063 & Regulations, 2064 (विद्युतीय कारोबार ऐन, २०६३ र विद्युतीय कारोबार नियमावली, २०६४)

The Electronic Transactions Act (ETA), 2063 BS (2006 AD) — along with its Regulations, 2064 BS (2007 AD) — gives legal recognition to electronic records and digital signatures, and defines cyber offences. It is often called Nepal's "Cyber Law." (The Act was authenticated on 22 Mangsir 2063 BS = 8 December 2006; some secondary sources cite "2008" — that's a later publication/reprint date, not the enactment.)

What the Act legalizes

• Electronic records — e-documents have the same legal weight as paper.
• Digital signatures — cryptographic signatures valid for contracts.
• Certifying Authority (CA) — licenses issuers of digital certificates.
• E-governance transactions — online filing, online payment by government.

Cyber offences defined

• Unauthorized access to a computer system (hacking).
• Damage to computer systems / data.
• Publishing illegal, defamatory, or obscene material online.
• Identity theft and fraud.
• Piracy & copyright violations of digital material.

Key bodies

• Office of the Controller of Certification (OCC) — Nepal's licensing body for Certifying Authorities under the ETA. (The Act's text uses the generic term "Controller of Certifying Authority"; the actual Nepal office is branded OCC, at occ.gov.np.)
• Cyber Bureau, Nepal Police — investigates cyber crime (cyberbureau.nepalpolice.gov.np).
• Information Technology Tribunal (Sections 60–68 of ETA).
• Information Technology Appellate Tribunal.

Dates to memorize

• ETA: 2063 BS — authenticated 8 December 2006.
• ETA Regulations: 2064 BS (2007 AD).

4.12Press and Publication Act, 2048 & Rules, 2049 (छापाखाना तथा प्रकाशन ऐन, २०४८ / नियमावली, २०४९)

The Press and Publication Act, 2048 BS (1991 AD) and the Press and Publication Rules, 2049 BS (1992 AD) govern the registration and operation of printing presses and the publication of newspapers, magazines, and books in Nepal. These remain the in-force instruments as of 2025.

What it covers (typical provisions)

• Registration of every printing press with the Chief District Officer (CDO).
• Permission / intimation before starting a newspaper or magazine.
• Declaration of the publisher, editor, place of publication.
• Printer's imprint — every printed item must carry publisher and printer name.
• Deposit of copies — a specified number of each issue deposited with designated libraries/archives.
• Restrictions — obscenity, incitement, national-security violations are prohibited.
• Penalties for non-compliance.

4.13Broadcasting Law — National Broadcasting Act, 2049 (राष्ट्रिय प्रसारण ऐन, २०४९)

The National Broadcasting Act, 2049 BS (1993 AD) regulates the broadcasting of sound and visual material in Nepal — covering radio, television, satellite, and cable broadcasters, whether public or private. The National Broadcasting Regulations, 2052 BS (1995 AD) provide the operational detail.

What the Act regulates

• Licensing of radio and television broadcasters (public and private).
• Content standards — public interest, accuracy, decency, national unity.
• Public broadcasters — Radio Nepal and Nepal Television operate under this framework.
• Advertising rules — time limits and prohibited categories (e.g. tobacco).
• Foreign content and dubbing rules.
• Renewal, suspension, and cancellation of broadcasting licences.

Key bodies

• Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT) — line ministry.
• Department of Information and Broadcasting (DoIB) — implementation.
• Radio Nepal (estd. 2007 BS / 1950 AD) and Nepal Television (estd. 2041 BS / 1985 AD) — Nepal's public broadcasters.

Status of the Public Service Broadcasting Bill

• A PSB Bill has circulated at parliamentary committee level.
• Aim: convert Radio Nepal + Nepal Television into an independent public-service broadcaster (BBC-style model).
• Not yet enacted. Editorial-freedom concerns have delayed passage.

4.14Digital Nepal Framework, 2076 (डिजिटल नेपाल फ्रेमवर्क, २०७६)

The Digital Nepal Framework, 2076 BS (2019 AD) is a national ICT strategy document published by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT). It sets a vision of using digital technology to transform Nepal's economy and services.

Eight sectors of the Framework

1. Digital Foundation — connectivity, data centres, digital identity.
2. Agriculture — e-agriculture, market information, smart farming.
3. Health — telemedicine, e-health records.
4. Education — online learning, digital classrooms.
5. Energy — smart grid, metering.
6. Tourism — digital marketing, e-visa.
7. Finance — digital payments, fintech.
8. Urban Infrastructure — smart cities, traffic management.

80 initiatives ("1-8-80" framing)

The Framework is officially framed as "1-8-80": 1 country, 8 sectors, 80 specific initiatives — projects to be delivered over short, medium, and long-term horizons. The "80" is an exact count, not an approximation.

Relation to E-Government Master Plan

• Digital Nepal Framework is the national-level, all-sector strategy.
• The E-Government Master Plan (latest 2015–2019) sits under it — focused on public administration.
• Earlier IT Policy (2000, revised 2067/2072) also feeds into this.