The article examines the competence level in writing Nepali of different groups at the primary school level, comparing the competence of those who speak Nepali as a first language (NL1) with that of those who speak Nepali as a second language (NL2). The study focuses on testing Nepali as a second language. The test was entirely based on the Nepali textbook, Mahendra Mala, prescribed for primary schools. It was composed of 37 items, divided into four areas of the Nepali language - vocabulary, spelling, structure, and comprehension. It was designed to test the students skills in writing Nepali. On the basis of random sampling, 50 percent of the third grade students in Makwanpur and Chitwan district schools were selected. The findings are tabulated in 5 tables. The article concludes that NL2 students can accomplish skills in writing Nepali comparable to that of NL1 students by the time they complete the third grade of their schooling. (Rajeev Ranjan Singh 2007-01-17)