Social Studies and Life Skills · Chapter 8
Study notes aligned to the official NEB syllabus.
A constitution is the fundamental law of a country. It decides the form of government. It divides state power. It lists the rights of citizens. It also sets out the duties of state organs. Civic awareness means a citizen understands this framework. The citizen knows how decisions are made and how leaders are chosen. The citizen also knows their own rights and responsibilities. This unit follows the constitutional history of Nepal. It studies the main features of the present Constitution of Nepal 2015. It explains the election system. It also clarifies three linked ideas: nation, nationality, and national security.
Nepal has had several constitutions. They show how its political system has changed. The Government of Nepal Act of 1948 (2004 BS) came near the end of the Rana period. It is often seen as the first written constitutional document. But it was limited in practice. After the Ranas fell, the Interim Government of Nepal Act 1951 (2007 BS) was introduced. Then came the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1959 (2015 BS). It set up a parliamentary system. It also allowed the first general elections. In 1962 (2019 BS), King Mahendra introduced the Panchayat Constitution. It abolished political parties. It put power in the hands of the monarchy. The People's Movement of 1990 changed this. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 (2047 BS) brought back multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy. Later came the Maoist conflict and the People's Movement of 2006. After these, the Interim Constitution of Nepal 2007 (2063 BS) was promulgated. It opened the way to elect a Constituent Assembly. It also led to the end of the monarchy.
The present constitution is the Constitution of Nepal 2015 (2072 BS). The Constituent Assembly promulgated it on 20 September 2015 (3 Ashoj 2072). Its great importance is that it is the first constitution of Nepal written and adopted by an elected Constituent Assembly. It was not granted by a ruler. It made Nepal a federal democratic republic. It replaced the centralised unitary monarchy with a three-tier federal system. The central story of Nepal's constitutional development is this journey. Constitutions were once granted by kings. Now the constitution is made by the people's representatives.
We can understand the Constitution of Nepal 2015 through several groups of features.
Politically, it declares Nepal a federal democratic republic. There are three tiers of government. These are federal, provincial, and local. The country has 7 provinces, 77 districts, and 753 local units. The local units are metropolitan cities, sub-metropolitan cities, municipalities, and rural municipalities (gaunpalika). The federal parliament has two houses. They are the House of Representatives and the National Assembly. The President is the head of state. The President's role is mostly ceremonial. The Prime Minister is the head of government and holds executive power. The monarchy was abolished in 2008 (2065 BS) by the first Constituent Assembly. It is not part of this system.
Legally, the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Any law that goes against it is void to that extent. The constitution guarantees a long list of fundamental rights. These include the right to equality and the right against untouchability. They include the right to freedom and the right to education and health. It also protects the rights of specific groups, such as women, Dalits, and minorities. It provides for an independent judiciary led by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court protects these rights and interprets the constitution. The rule of law is a core principle. So is the separation of powers among the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary.
Economically and socially, the Constitution sets goals for the state. These are socialism-oriented development, social justice, and fair distribution of wealth. It recognises public, private, and cooperative sectors in the national economy. Its directive principles aim to end economic inequality. They also aim to ensure the welfare of citizens.
Culturally, the Constitution declares Nepal a secular state. This means people are free to practise any religion. It describes the country as multiethnic, multilingual, multireligious, and multicultural. It recognises all mother tongues spoken in Nepal as national languages. It also promotes the inclusion of marginalised communities. Together, these features make the constitution democratic, inclusive, and rights-based.
An election is the way citizens choose their representatives. Elections are the foundation of democracy. In Nepal, the Election Commission is an independent constitutional body. Its job is to hold free and fair elections. Adult citizens who are at least 18 years old have the right to vote.
The Constitution of Nepal 2015 uses a mixed electoral system. It combines two methods. The first is First-Past-The-Post (FPTP). The country is divided into constituencies. In each constituency, the candidate with the most votes wins. The second is Proportional Representation (PR). Here, voters vote for a political party. Seats are shared among parties in proportion to the total votes they get. The party lists are closed and are designed to include women, Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis, and other groups. The House of Representatives, the provincial assemblies, and the local governments are filled through elections. The National Assembly is chosen indirectly by an electoral college. The mixed system is important for a reason. FPTP gives clear local representatives and helps stable government. PR makes sure smaller parties and marginalised groups get a fair share of seats. For example, in a general election a voter gets two separate ballots. One is for the FPTP candidate. The other is for the party under PR. This shows how the two methods work side by side.
A nation is a community of people who share a territory, a history, and a culture. They also feel that they belong together. They are usually organised under one state. Nepal is a nation made up of many castes, ethnic groups, languages, and religions. They are bound together by shared history, geography, and a common identity as Nepalis.
Nationality (rastriyata) is the bond of belonging between a person and their nation or state. It is often shown through citizenship. A Nepali citizen holds Nepali nationality. This brings rights, such as voting and protection by the state. It also brings duties, such as loyalty to the country and respect for its laws. In a diverse country, nationality is the shared identity that unites people across their many group identities.
National security means protecting the country from internal and external threats. It protects the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. It also protects the safety and welfare of its people. Traditionally, it means two things. The national army defends the borders. The police keep order inside the country. But it also has wider parts. These include economic security, food security, environmental security, and social harmony. Nepal is a landlocked country between two large neighbours. So its security also depends on balanced foreign relations and self-reliant development. A concrete example shows the wide meaning. Protecting border areas is part of national security. So is managing natural disasters. So is keeping communal harmony. National security is not only a military matter. It is a broad responsibility shared by the state and its citizens.