We talk about democracy and all that, but politics in Nepal is actually a closed, and driven-by-the-top game. The barriers to entry are too high for ANY educated Nepali -- whether that Nepali is educated at Harvard or Harampur. As far as I can see, it's going to remain that way for long. A typical career path in Nepali politics goes like this: Assuming that you do not have politician parents or relatives who can give you a leg up, you have to have joined politics in your teens or in your 20s, either at a community level or as an activist of some sort. Usually, for educated people, college-level politics gives you your street credentials to later graduate on to mainstream national politics on. By and large, the 'educated' crop of today's netas came from campus politics, while others rose up through community activism (including anti-Panchayat work in the grassroots.) Once you are in Nepali politics, you need to have champions who can push you along and introduce you to all the right people whose blessings you will need to climb up the ladder. But you cannot be too smart, too independent, too much of a maverick and have a mind of you own. Nor too you should be a 'media star' on your own. Unless you are prepared to spend more than a decade lying low, swallowing your pride and basically kissing the shoes of senior politicians and willing to work in near destitution (and thereby ruin your family life), it's virtually impossible to have your big political day later on. That said, the point is: Whatever you do, you should not come across like a potential threat to the old guards. [Think of Gagan Thapa or Man Mohan Bhattarai - where are they now? Pretty much marginalized!] As an aspiring politician,the biggest deal is to to get 'an election ticket' from your party. To get that, you will have to badmouth your colleagues, backstab your friends and basically be a selfish/ruthless bastard who is out to get his 'ticket' at the expense of former friends. So, you see, you need to have a certain mindset here . . [In fact, the seeds of most political rivalries in Nepal are sown at this stage, and these rivalries play out in various ways throughout the lives of most of our politicians.] Once you get your 'ticket', and get elected from a constituency (you need not have to have lived in that place or even care for the people there!), you can aspire to be a mantri as well as to be on the Cenrtral Working Committees (CWCs) of your party. Once you become a mantri ( which is a temporary poistion) or a CWC member (pretty much permamnent), it's pretty much gravy after that. You can do pretty much anything you want. In summation then, let's say, if you are a smart 18-year-old now, and want to be a politician in Nepal someday -- forget that free ride to Oberlin or Oxford at this point. Those degrees will simply make you just another jagiray in today's world. Instead, look ahead, and be prepared to spend your next 20 years paying the dues in Nepal so that in your 40s, you may be in charge of the Ministry of Forest! With the price so high, no wonder that most 'smart' Nepalis (smart, narrowly defined as an ability to do well on three-hour exams!) simply do NOT get into politics in Nepal. oohi "merely a politician watcher" ashu