Nepal Army Ranks List: Hierarchy, Nepali Names & Insignia

The Nepali Army (नेपाली सेना) has 13 officer ranks, from Officer Cadet up to the Chief of Army Staff (General, प्रधानसेनापति). Below them are 3 warrant officer (JCO) ranks (Subedar Major, Subedar and Jamadar) and 5 other ranks: Sergeant (Hudda), Corporal (Amaldar), Lance Corporal (Pyuth), Private (Sipahi) and Followers. Officer insignia combine the moon, sun and crossed khukuris on the shoulder. Sergeant to Lance Corporal wear one to three chevrons.

For the 2083/84 salary of each rank, see our Nepal Army salary 2083/84 rank-wise list.

Nepal Army ranks list at a glance (highest to lowest)

*The pay column shows the Ministry of Finance scale effective Shrawan 1, 2083. Each figure is the starting basic plus all grade steps for the rank, and allowances are extra. The order of the honorary ranks follows the Nepali Army's own rank page. See the full breakdown in the salary article.

Nepal Army hierarchy: three tiers

The Nepali Army's rank structure has three tiers:

1. Commissioned officers (अधिकृत): Officer Cadet through General. Senior posts are the "Senani" ranks (Major to Colonel) and the "Rathi" ranks (Brigadier General and above). The Chief of Army Staff heads the army.
2. Junior commissioned officers / warrant officers (JCOs): Subedar Major, Subedar and Jamadar. The Nepali Army's website now gives Subedar and Jamadar the English titles Warrant Officer First Class and Warrant Officer Second Class. It lists these three ranks together with the other ranks, not with the officers.
3. Other ranks (soldiers): Sergeant (Hudda), Corporal (Amaldar), Lance Corporal (Pyuth) and Private (Sipahi), plus non-combatant Followers. Recruits in training are paid as "Recruit" (रिक्रुट) until they join as Sipahi.

Officer ranks in Nepal Army (with insignia)

Officer insignia are gold emblems on a dark-green shoulder board. They use four symbols: the moon (चन्द्र), the sun (सूर्य), crossed khukuris, and a sword over crossed khukuris. General officers' emblems are set inside a wreath.

Pattern to remember: Within each group of three ranks, the lowest wears just the base emblem, the middle adds the moon, and the highest adds the moon and sun. The base emblem is crossed khukuris for the junior officers, sword over khukuris for the senior officers, and wreathed khukuris for the generals. The pattern is the same in all three groups.

Major post in Nepal Army

A Major (सेनानी, Senani) is the first of the senior "Senani" ranks. It sits above Captain and below Lieutenant Colonel. Insignia: a sword over crossed khukuris. In the 2083/84 scale a Major starts at Rs 53,611 basic, rising to Rs 67,907 with grades.

Colonel and general ranks

Colonel (महासेनानी, Maha-Senani) is the highest Senani rank. Above it are the four "Rathi" general ranks: Brigadier General (सहायक रथी), Major General (उपरथी), Lieutenant General (रथी) and the Chief of Army Staff, General (प्रधानसेनापति).

Looking for a "Nepal Army colonel list" (names of serving colonels)? Khatapana doesn't publish personnel lists. Promotions and appointments are announced by the Nepali Army and the Ministry of Defence. Check the Nepali Army website for official notices.

JCO ranks: Subedar Major, Subedar and Jamadar

JCOs are senior soldiers who have come up through the ranks. They wear plain moon/sun badges, without khukuris.

Other ranks (soldier ranks) in Nepal Army

The chevrons are gold with a red border.

How do you join the Nepal Army as an officer or soldier?

There are two entry routes:

• As an officer: You enter as an Officer Cadet and are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant after training.
• As a soldier: You enter as a Recruit and join as a Sipahi after training. From there you can be promoted to Lance Corporal, Corporal, Sergeant and then the JCO ranks.

Vacancy notices, eligibility and selection details are published on the Nepali Army's recruitment pages.

Older English rank names you may see

Older references, such as the 1993 Library of Congress country study, use Indian-style English names for some ranks, like Subedar Major, Naik, Lance Naik and Sepahi. Today the Nepali Army's own site uses Sergeant, Corporal, Lance Corporal and Private for the soldier ranks, and Warrant Officer First/Second Class for Subedar and Jamadar.

FAQ

What are the ranks of Nepal Army in order? From highest to lowest: General (COAS), Lieutenant General, Major General, Brigadier General, Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel, Major, Captain, Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant and Officer Cadet. Next come the JCOs: Subedar Major, Subedar and Jamadar. Then the other ranks: Sergeant (Hudda), Corporal (Amaldar), Lance Corporal (Pyuth), Private (Sipahi) and Followers.

What is the highest rank in Nepal Army? The highest rank is General, held by the Chief of Army Staff (प्रधानसेनापति). The Nepali name of the rank is महारथी.

What is "Senani" in Nepal Army rank? Senani (सेनानी) means Major. The related titles are Saha-Senani (Captain), Upa-Senani (Lieutenant), Sahayak Senani (Second Lieutenant), Pramukh Senani (Lieutenant Colonel) and Maha-Senani (Colonel).

What is a Rathi in Nepal Army? "Rathi" (रथी) ranks are the general ranks. Sahayak Rathi is Brigadier General, Upa-Rathi is Major General and Rathi is Lieutenant General.

Is Subedar an officer in Nepal Army? Subedar is a junior commissioned officer / warrant officer rank (Warrant Officer First Class). It sits below the commissioned officers and above Sergeant (Hudda).

How much salary does each Nepal Army rank get? Under the FY 2083/84 scale, basic pay ranges from Rs 28,690 (Sipahi, starting) to Rs 90,594 (COAS). See the full Nepal Army salary list.