Although Sunday's cabinet swearing-in ceremony was greeted as a much-needed boost for a fragile peace process, there were also reminders of the tough work ahead for the country to turn the page on a decade of civil war.

"Nepal's people and mainstream political parties will now be watching the Maoists behaviour very closely," said Lokraj Baral, a political science professor from Nepal's Tribhuvan University.

"The Maoists still need to improve their behaviour," he said, referring to ongoing complaints of kidnappings, beatings, intimidation and extortion by Maoist members.

After fighting for ten years to impose a communist republic on the Hindu-majority kingdom in a war that left at least 13,000 people dead, the rebels signed up for peace in November last year.

Their entry into government came after they registered their weapons and fighters under United Nations supervision. They also vowed that fighting was over and have pledged to roll back their parallel government structures.

"The nation has issued a sigh of relief, but it remains to be seen how the new government will function," said Kapil Shrestha, another prominent political analyst and academic.

"With their entry into government, the Maoists now have no excuse for indulging in violence and intimidation," he said.

According to Ian Martin, the United Nation's chief representative to Nepal's peace process, "the challenges ahead cannot be overemphasised" as the cabinet attempts to steer the country to elections that will decide on the future of the monarchy.

"Effective law enforcement that respects international standards, accountability for violations of citizens' rights, and ending breaches of the commitments under the comprehensive peace agreement will be critical elements for success in the coming months," Martin said in a statement.

The Maoists still feature on Washington's list of foreign "terrorist" organisations, and the US ambassador to Kathmandu warned mainstream political leaders last week that it was too early to allow them into government.