In a historic shift from traditional political patronage, nearly 3,000 individuals have applied for ambassadorial positions after the government opened the appointment process to public competition for the first time. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) called for applications between May 28 and June 5, receiving a massive volume of submissions via online portals, email, and physical drop-offs.

The openings arose after the previous administration under Sushila Karki recalled ambassadors from 10 countries, and the subsequent government led by Balendra Shah officially dismissed remaining political appointees. Nepal maintains 34 embassies worldwide—split equally between career diplomats and political appointees—and 17 of these posts are currently vacant. The government explicitly specified 13 of these countries for the competitive process while allowing applicants to list other preferences.

According to Ministry sources, the initial count appears high due to duplicate submissions and third-party recommendations, meaning the official number of unique candidates will be finalized after thorough data verification. Moving forward, MoFA will screen applicants based on strict criteria set by the 'Guidelines Related to the Appointment of Ambassadors, 2018'. To qualify, candidates must be Nepali citizens aged 35 or older, hold at least a bachelor's degree, and possess a clean criminal record with no foreign residency status like a PR or Green Card. They must also demonstrate expertise in foreign policy or international relations and maintain an excellent command of English.

Qualified shortlists will be forwarded to the Cabinet, and selected individuals will undergo a mandatory parliamentary hearing. Upon receiving the formal presidential appointment, the new ambassadors must sign a strict performance agreement with MoFA before departing for their overseas missions.