Why do all job-seekers want to be BCS cadres?

Being BCS cadres, highly prestigious job positions offered by the Government, requires passing a nationwide competitive examination conducted by Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC). Almost everyone who has educational qualifications to meet the eligibility wants to be a BCS cadre in our country.

Though, the entry-level pay-scale of BCS cadres is very lucrative (slightly higher than the pay-scale of private-sector jobs), the higher level pay-scale and legal facilities of BCS cadres are comparatively low.

Overall pay-scale is very low considering merit, academic result and competitiveness of BCS examination. Nevertheless, for securing social status, recognition, power, security and satisfaction, a meritorious student may have the dream to be a BCS cadre. It is totally normal. When almost everyone in a country – irrespective of academic discipline – wants to be a government job holder, we have to understand that there is something wrong in the process.

From my personal point of view, more than 80% of undergraduate students (except medical colleges and engineering faculties) begin taking preparation for the BCS examination from their 1^st year. They give first priority to BCS preparation and second priority to academic education. They are aware of the fact that to become BCS cadres, they have to learn very well about many things and subjects considering the BCS question pattern.

Recently, the 38^th BCS gazette has been published. According to the gazette, a large number of doctors and engineers have been gazetted as admin, foreign and other cadres. This is surprising too! A bitter truth is that comparatively meritorious students dream about becoming doctors or engineers while they study at the secondary level.

It has a specific reason as well. Due to the high unemployment rate in our country, parents and guardians always feel anxious about the future of their children. That is why they encourage their children to be doctors or engineers. After passing the higher secondary, students with science backgrounds try to get admitted to medical colleges or engineering universities.

As university students, they understand how to enjoy life easily and securely. That is why a significant number of medical and engineering students change their dream and want to be BCS cadres instead of being doctors or engineers. They provide top priority for competing in the BCS examination instead of studying their special subjects. This scenario should not be taken as normal.

We used to believe that the faculty post of a public university was very much respective and prestigious. In the past, we used to hear that a meritorious student who secured the top position in a department/institute, became a faculty member.

Nowadays, we observe the opposite scenario. Students try to be BCS cadres even if they secure a merit place in the department/institute. If they fail to succeed in the BCS examination, only then they ponder other options. Moreover, many faculties leave their posts after becoming BCS cadres. What is the meaning of such a scenario? Yes, there are examples of cadres leaving their posts to become faculties but these possibilities are rare.

To put it positively, most of the students, irrespective of discipline, want to be BCS cadres for securing social status and offsetting job security in the private sectors. Contrariwise, the reasons for this are to build mountainous wealth through corruption and misuse of power.

Obviously, the BCS cadres have a tremendous role in the welfare of the country. Mostly, they work as authoritative figures for implementing the prevailing laws of the country. On the other hand, the private sectors' employees' work contributes to the national economy. Both sectors are equally important for developing the nation. So, talented human resources are needed in both sectors. If all the talented human resources want to be BCS cadres only, then who will turn the wheel of the economy of the country?

The development of a country will be out of imagination other than the talented human resources in both the private and Government sectors. So, the Government should investigate why all job-seekers want to be BCS cadres and take the necessary steps to make corrective action according to the findings. As the proverb goes: prevention is better than cure. The Government should be aware of the BCS craze and save the nation before a national disaster ensues. Otherwise, our nation has to pay severely.

The writer is a Finance, Accounts and SCM specialist. He can be reached at shahjalal2001@gmail.com

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.