43rd BCS: Discrepancies in 10,000 exam papers hold back result publication

The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) has discovered discrepancies in the written examination papers of the 43rd civil service (BCS) examination, causing a delay in the result publication process.

The BPSC had previously encountered a similar problem during the 41st BCS examination. It is now taking prompt action to address the issues, according to a BPSC source.

According to the BPSC examination controller, the final results of the 43rd BCS written examination were scheduled to be published in March before the authorities sensed the major discrepancies in the answer sheets.

In the 41st BCS, approximately 15,000 papers were found to have discrepancies due to examiners’ negligence.

About the authorities' response to such cases, the source said the examiners visit the BPSC office to rectify the errors individually. Later, third examiners verify the examination papers.

Finding specific papers from a large stockpile is a challenging and time-consuming task, the source added.

Asked about the expected timeline for result publication, BPSC examination controller Anand Kumar Biswas said they are diligently working to address the issues, but did not mention a specific time frame.

Meanwhile, the applicants have expressed their disappointment over the delay. Two candidates said they have been waiting for the results for over a year. Every month, they come to know that the results will be published soon, but it does not happen.

"When someone asks about the result, I find no answer. I no longer want to be in this situation," said one of the candidates.

The BPSC initiated the written exam process for the 43rd BCS last July. The results of the preliminary examination were published on 20 January 2021, with 15,229 candidates successfully passing it.