Commission recommends extensive BCS reforms to accelerate recruitment

Commission Proposes Major BCS Reforms to Streamline Recruitment and Public Administration

A high-powered commission has recommended extensive reforms to the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination process, aiming to enhance efficiency in public administration through cadre restructuring and service mergers. The goal is to establish a more transparent and effective recruitment system.

Key proposals include completing the BCS recruitment process within a strict one-year timeline and restructuring cadres based on functional similarities to optimize performance. The recommendations emphasize increased transparency in assessments and were formally submitted to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday by Abdul Muid Chowdhury, head of the Public Administration Reform Commission, along with other commission officials.

Restructuring and Merging Cadres

The commission suggests merging smaller cadres into larger, more efficient ones. Under the proposal:

• BCS (Trade) would be merged with BCS (Customs and Excise)
• BCS (Food) and BCS (Cooperative) may be integrated into the Bangladesh Administrative Service
• BCS (Forest) officers and environment officials from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change would form a new Bangladesh Forest and Environment Service
• The BCS (Postal) Service is under review for a gradual phase-out due to declining relevance in the digital era

To address disparities between cadre and non-cadre positions, the commission recommends creating three separate public service commissions, each headed by a chairman and eight members, to streamline recruitment across different sectors.

Revamping the BCS Examination Structure

A revised BCS written examination syllabus is proposed, with six compulsory subjects totaling 600 marks:

• Bangla and English Composition – 100 marks each
• English Précis and Composition – 100 marks
• Bangladesh’s Constitution, History, and Culture – 100 marks
• International Affairs and Current Affairs – 100 marks
• Science, Technology, Society, Environment, and Geography – 100 marks

Candidates must also select six optional subjects (100 marks each) but cannot choose more than two from the same discipline.

A new integrity test is proposed as an initial screening tool to evaluate candidates’ problem-solving, decision-making, and psychological attributes.

The passing threshold is set at 60%, and candidates who fail three consecutive attempts would be disqualified from future exams. To ensure transparency, final results will include a detailed breakdown of marks.

Expanding and Restructuring Services

The commission emphasizes better integration of ICT professionals by incorporating ICT officers and BCS (Information Engineering) officers into the Information and Communication Technology Service.

It also recommends prioritizing revenue and customs officials for trade counselor roles in foreign missions, given their responsibility for implementing 80% of the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Significant restructuring is proposed for BCS (Audit and Accounts), which would be split into two distinct services:

• Bangladesh Accounts Service
• Bangladesh Audit Service

To improve career progression, the commission suggests merging three sub-cadres of BCS (General Information) into a unified structure and introducing a Superior Executive Service to recruit highly skilled officials for senior Secretariat roles.

Additionally, 13 of the 45 director and assistant news controller positions would be unified under a single merit-based promotion system, eliminating inconsistencies in career advancement.

Ensuring BCS Recruitment Within a Year

To accelerate government hiring, the commission proposes a legally binding annual recruitment timeline:

• BCS exam notification – Second week of January
• Preliminary exam – First week of April
• Preliminary results – First week of May
• Written exam – Second half of June (lasting 10 days)
• Written exam results – Second week of December
• Oral and psychological assessments – January-February of the following year
• Final results – Third week of April
• Health check-ups and police verification – Third week of May
• Appointment gazette – Second week of June
• New recruits join ministries – July 1
• Foundation training at PATC – First week of August

The commission further recommends enacting a legally binding, merit-based recruitment and promotion policy to prevent arbitrary administrative changes.

These sweeping reforms aim to create a faster, more efficient, and transparent BCS recruitment system, ultimately improving public service delivery.