Complete BCS exams within 1 year: Public admin reform commission

The public administration reform commission has proposed setting a specific timeline for completing the recruitment process in government jobs, especially BCS, as the current process is too long and needs to be simplified.

It also proposed an annual calendar.

It said the notice of the Public Service Commission (PSC) examination should be given in the second week of January.

The results of the preliminary exam should be published in May.

The main exams should be held in June and the results published in the second week of December.

The declaration of the final results can be done in the third week of April.

Offices will be appointed to respective ministries by the first of July.

Proposed revisions to BCS written exam

The syllabus for the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) main written examination may undergo modifications, including the introduction of six compulsory subjects and an integrity test to assess candidates' problem-solving abilities and psychological attributes. 

These subjects include Bengali Essay (100 marks), English Essay (100 marks), English Composition and Precis (100 marks), Bangladesh Constitution, History, Heritage, and Culture (100 marks), International and Current Affairs (100 marks), and General Science & Technology, Society & Environment, and Geography (100 marks).

Additionally, a three-attempt limit is being proposed for candidates failing the exam consecutively.

Besides the compulsory subjects, the BCS main written examination may also include six optional subjects (each carrying 100 marks) from Arts, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Commerce, and Law. 

However, candidates will not be allowed to select more than two subjects from the same group.

An integrity test may be introduced as a preliminary screening for candidates who pass the written exam. 

Furthermore, a minimum passing score of 60% is being recommended for both the written and viva examinations.

Police verification only after written, viva exam results

The reform commission has recommended that police verification of candidates should only be conducted after the results of written and oral examinations are announced.

Additionally, it has proposed abolishing the practice of involving the police or intelligence agencies in determining a candidate's political affiliation for promotion purposes. 

The report states that politicisation in public administration begins at this stage. 

It recommends that once a candidate passes the BCS exam, the Ministry of Public Administration will only request a report from the police department to check for any criminal cases before making the final appointment. 

If necessary, the commission suggests the ministry may also seek a report from the Anti-Corruption Commission. 

Additionally, it said the police verification process should be conducted by the ministry where the candidate is appointed, rather than the Public Service Commission.

The report further recommends abolishing police verification for civil services related to passports, dual citizenship, and the formation of boards for social service organisations or NGOs.