HC asks why 38th BCS results shouldn’t be re-evaluated quota free, based on merit

The High Court has issued a rule asking the government to explain why the final results of the 38th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination should not be re-evaluated on a merit-based, quota-free system.

The bench of Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury and Justice KM Rasheduzzaman Raja issued the order in response to a writ petition filed by 120 candidates who claim to have been deprived by the quota system. 

The petitioners sought a re-evaluation of both cadre and non-cadre positions.

The court has directed the Public Service Commission chairman and the education secretary to respond to the rule within four weeks. 

"The recruitment circular for the 38th was issued on 20 June 2017 while circular for 40th BCS examinations was published in 2018. However, the quota system was abolished in 2018 due to the quota reform movement," Writ petitioners' lawyer Barrister Salahuddin Dolon told reporters after the court hearing.

He stated that the final results of the 38th and 40th BCS were published after the quota cancellation notification.

"While the 40th BCS was conducted on a merit-based system, the 38th BCS was implemented with the quota system, leading to grievances among the petitioners who filed the writ," he added.

The lawyer mentioned that Public Service Commission (PSC) has historically followed the existing quota system during the final result phase. This practice is evident in previous BCS examinations, such as the 31st BCS where a quota was implemented for disabled people.

Following the anti-quota movement in July this year, a notification was issued specifying a 7% quota for all government jobs. The PSC is currently adhering to this notification, even for ongoing recruitments like the junior instructor, sub-assistant engineer, and draftsman positions.