Applicants should be/have:

1. Nepali nationals
2. between the ages of 30 and 45 (both inclusive) as of April 1^st, 2025.(Should be born between April 2^nd, 1979 and April 1^st, 1995)
3. hold a master’s degree (including universities in Nepal).
4. at least 5 years of work experience in Civil Service at the time of application.
5. gazetted civil servants governed by Civil Service Act of Nepal, (Under Secretary and above) currently employed in the following organizations.
   • all ministries
   • all agencies under ministries
   • all constitutional bodies
   • all other institutions and authorities
   • all courts
     or civil servants (Level 9 and above) originally recruited by the federal government and deputed/adjusted to 7 provincial and 753 local governments.
6. returned and served for the country for certain years (involving actual work and/or research preparation) set by Civil Service Act after completion of master’s course.
7. in good health.
8. sufficient English language ability to pursue a doctoral degree.
9. should have published one or more peer-reviewed paper/s, in principle.

Applicants should not be/have:

1. serving in the military.
2. previously acquired a doctoral degree after studying abroad on a scholarship awarded by the Government of Nepal or any other development partners.
3. currently receiving, or planning to receive, another scholarship to acquire a master’s or doctoral degree through assistance from the Government of Nepal or any other development partners.
    
   *JDS Programme will request applicants to declare whether they would be applying to another scholarship at the time of application and the Comprehensive Interview.

Conditions:

• Applicants should have a clear understanding of the objectives of the JDS Program and desire to contribute to the development of Nepal upon return to Nepal after completing the study.
• The applicants’ research theme should be relevant to the Development Issues of Nepal referred to in the framework of Sub-Programmes and Components of the JDS.
• Applicants should receive a recommendation from the supervisor of his/her current workplace (The reference Letter should contain the evaluation of the applicant’s performance at work and the relevance of his/her research theme to his/her career).
• Applicants should have an acceptance from the expected academic adviser(s) of the applying university before applying to the JDS Program.
• Applicants must be expected to complete the course within, and not exceeding three (3) years.