Dominance of Non-Dalit Groups in Military and Police: The Unequal Representation of the Mehtar Community

Nepalese society and history have long confined the Mehtar community to the stigmatized and compulsory occupation of sanitation work, which has defined their identity across generations. However, when the government, particularly security agencies like the Nepal Police and Nepali Army, allocated quotas for sanitation roles, the traditional Mehtar community was excluded from these quotas and thus remains unrepresented.

Today, the Mehtar community faces a profound dual challenge. First, their presence in state civil service is negligible; second, their expertise in sanitation is being usurped by other communities even within those quota positions. This not only undermines the principle of inclusion but also socially marginalizes the Mehtar further by depriving them of their traditional labor roles.

Against this backdrop, the Federal Civil Service Bill, 2083, currently registered in parliament and open for suggestions, demands a serious analysis from the perspective of the traditionally deprived Mehtar community within the Dalit group.

This debate goes beyond securing seats in secretariats; it represents a significant test of whether the state will deliver justice to a community historically exploited in labor.

Although the Constitution of 2072 guarantees respect and equality, caste-based prejudice, humiliation, and labor exploitation remain rampant. The marginalized Mehtar community in the Terai-Madhesh region exemplifies this vividly, as their labor keeps offices clean, yet their lives are marked by humiliation and insecurity.

In 2082, the Dalit Concern Forum Nepal and Nepal Raut Mehtar Upliftment Center conducted studies across various districts in Madhesh Province, revealing the dire conditions of this community.

The report illuminates systematic structural and legal injustices faced by the indigenous sanitation worker community within Madhesi Dalits due to provisions of the Federal Civil Service Bill and prevailing ground realities.

First Case

Ajay Kumar Raut Mehtar, 35, from Malangwa-4, Sarlahi, highlights the caste-based prejudice in state bodies. He has worked as a sanitation worker in the education office for seventeen years since 2008. His monthly wage started at NPR 4,500 and now stands at NPR 10,000.

Despite the permanent vacancy for the office assistant position, Ajay was asked for bribes by the office chief, branch officer, and information officer when he applied after seventeen years of service.

Analysis of nine years of Public Service Commission data and civil service records indicates very low recommendation numbers for Madhesi Dalits, and almost no applications or admissions in permanent positions from the Mehtar community.

When Ajay cited financial hardship, the office cited caste discrimination as a reason for rejection. Despite submitting petitions to the Ministry of Education, he has yet to receive constitutional rights due to his caste.

Ajay’s experience reflects the collective suffering of cleaning workers who have endured humiliation across generations.

Second Case

In Kanchanrup Municipality, Saptari, two generations of a family have worked in sanitation at the Agricultural Development Bank. However, 60-year-old Marani Mestar from Malangwa suffers from low wages and insecure working conditions. She plans to retire soon, but the office is reluctant to employ her unemployed grandson.

Third Case

Mehtar employees working in municipalities face widespread abuse. One victim, who requested anonymity, reported being threatened even when ill and punished for failing to perform tasks, living in dire conditions.

Socio-Economic Inequalities

According to the report, 919 Mehtar families reside in three districts of Madhesh and Koshi provinces, with a population of 6,011. However, the 2078 national census records only 2,929 Mehtars, indicating a discrepancy in official data.

Employment Instability

The study finds that 59.25% of families depend on daily wage labor, 25.25% are on contractual employment, and only 15.05% hold permanent jobs, indicating roughly 85% are engaged in unstable employment.

Illegal Employment Without Appointment Letters

61.56% of sanitation workers operate without appointment letters, and 79% do not receive wages on schedule. More than 75% lack access to protective equipment.

Caste Bias in Open Competition

Analysis of Nepal Police recruitment results for sanitation helpers between 2079 and 2082 shows that 60% of 53 selected candidates come from open quotas, predominantly non-Dalit youths facing unemployment who enter the sector. The Mehtar youth, with limited educational and administrative access, cannot compete effectively, allowing higher castes to legally usurp their traditional skills.

Intra-Dalit Inequality and Token Representation

Among Dalit candidates selected through open quota, half are hill Dalits, while Madhesi Dalits remain underrepresented. Only one Mehtar candidate was recommended in three years, signifying minimal success.

Easy Access Through Women’s Quotas

Madhesi Dalit women gain entry not through open competition but solely via women-specific quotas. Without designated ‘special clusters’ in quotas, the Mehtar community is unlikely to secure permanent employment.

Near Absence in Military Service

Mehtar and related communities have almost zero representation in permanent sanitation posts within the Nepal Army and Police. Advertisements for lower-level positions reveal dominance of non-Dalit groups.

Conflict Between Labor and Identity

The state excludes the traditional Mehtar community from permanent protective employment, relegating them to temporary roles with minimal social security.

Federal Civil Service Bill and Contractual Appointments

The bill proposes converting lower-level sanitation posts to contractual status. Without ensuring inclusion in contractual appointments, the Mehtar community will remain perpetually marginalized.

Even if women are incorporated, without caste-specific quotas for Mehtars, their social security and employment prospects remain uncertain.

Negligible Mehtar Presence in Civil Service

Data from the Public Service Commission and civil services show minimal recommendations and entries from the Mehtar community.

International Context and Recommendations

Though Nepal has declared minorities, it has not implemented effective reservation policies. Neighboring India has enacted laws, health insurance, and compensation measures benefiting sanitation workers. Nepal must learn from these initiatives.

The Road Ahead

Unless the Federal Civil Service Bill guarantees permanent reservations with sub-categories for traditionally oppressed Dalit groups like the Mehtar, Nepal will only claim proportional and inclusive democracy without achieving genuine public acceptance.