Opportunity to reform PSC cannot be wasted

BPSC was in disarray while you took charge of it. It was almost stagnant for four months prior to your joining. You are to take fresh decisions regarding some issues. How do you see PSC now?

The first task was to identify the problems and challenges of PSC and make right decisions based on fairness. The issues that came to fore include backlog of BCS examination, restoring the image of PSC, allegation of question paper leaks and involvement of a gang.  I have, with cooperation from other members of PSC, already taken steps regarding these issues and this will remain a continuous process.

I want to make it clear that any gang involved with question paper leak and any other scam related to any kind of examination would not be spared. The commission traded on the wrong path for many years. The commission failed to win the confidence of the job seekers. We want an end to the past failures and want to free the PSC from blemish.

After you took charge, the commission’s investigation revealed that the question papers were not leaked. What do you think?

I learned about the allegations of PSC question paper leaks through reports in various media outlets. A four-member committee has already been formed regarding the question paper leaks. This committee will identify the possible sources of question paper leaks and make necessary recommendations to prevent them. The committee has been given a month’s time.

What do you want to do to prevent question paper leaks?

All sources of question paper leaks will be identified and all necessary measures will be taken. I am determined in this regard. The committee is working on it.

How do you want to overhaul the PSC?

This is a constitutional institution. There is no scope to neglect any of its operations. We want to make PSC an institution to be proud of. The administrative activities of the PSC will be properly evaluated. Then, through ‘Service Process Simplification’, the administrative process will be made more efficient and examinee-friendly. We have a clear vision about this.

I think that the more stakeholders and civil society we can engage in, the more fruitful it will be. We will also sit with the examinees soon, and we will have to listen to their expectations with due importance. I think that PSC needs to have more open discussions with the examinees on many issues, such as the examination method, syllabus, updating the quality of the question paper and so on. The examinees are our biggest stakeholders.

Do you have any plan to enhance the competence of PSC officials and employees?

Yes we have. You will be surprised to know that training facilities for PSC officials and employees were very inadequate. As per my assessment, only 0.15 per cent of PSC’s total budget is spent on training. We will arrange proper training after assessment based on who needs what sort of training. Holding training just by gathering people and lecturing them on predetermined topics is not the right way. I am against such practice.

Already JICA has agreed to assist us in conducting a need assessment of our officials and employees. This can be dubbed as a success of our commission. The newly formed commission has already started some training activities. The commission is also focusing to ensure that employees and officials receive promotion and other facilities and don’t become victims of any kind of discrimination.

Students have varying assessment on system and numbers in viva-voce. What is your take on this issue?

There will be a viva voce. However, there are plans to change the way the exam is conducted now. The issue of assessing various skills of job seekers through the viva voce in the future is being seriously considered. We are working on how to further improve the entire PSC recruitment process. Experts will be consulted on this.

When you joined, you said that the time for BCS recruitment would be reduced as much as possible.

It now takes four years to complete all the tests and processes and make a final recommendation for recruitment in a BCS since publication of circular. We are trying to reduce this as much as possible. If necessary, the issue of changing the exam method is also being considered. However, it would not be right to make a hasty decision in case of any change. Therefore, a separate committee has been formed. The committee will identify the areas and reasons for the delay and submit a report within four weeks.

I am continuing regular discussions with the members of the commission to reduce the length of the BCS examination process. A separate “timeline” has already been made for each examination. One member has been assigned responsibility for each examination. Necessary measures have been taken to complete the exams that face a backlog. Keeping in mind the 47th BCS (circular was published recently), work is underway to reduce the protracted process.

Let me inform you of a future plan. Now, two examiners evaluate an answer sheet. If we can select a qualified examiner who is able to evaluate the answer sheet impartially, then a lot of time will be saved. There are some challenges here. However, this examination system is in operation in different countries of the world. In the future, the issue of specifying a space for the examinees to answer the questions of written exams can be considered. From my past experience, I have seen that an examinee’s skill can be evaluated if a specific space to answer a question is set. On the other hand, the time for evaluation of the answer sheets will also be reduced.

Will there be any new system in the 47th BCS?

We are working on providing every examinee a ‘unique ID’ after application. Using that ID, an applicant will be able to sit for BCS exams without having to apply repeatedly. We have some plans regarding this unique ID. However, the government’s guidelines will be required to implement these plans. If an examinee clears preliminary examination once after availing the unique ID, he/she will not require sitting for the preliminary exam ever again. We will work on implementing this.

What is your plan for the overall change of the PSC?

As a person, I am interested in institutional innovation and transformation. We will do whatever is necessary to take PSC to an expected height facing all the existing challenges. The members of the commission support this vision and they are cooperating in this end.

You will be happy to know that a four-member Change and Transformation Management Team (CTMT) has already been formed to achieve this goal. This team has started the process of preparing a five-year strategic plan. The strategic plan will be the roadmap of the PSC for the next five years. The implementation progress of this roadmap will be reviewed every year and necessary measures will be taken.

We will continuously use technology to modernise the operation of PSC to make it reliable. There is also a plan to build a modern press (printing press) in the PSC office premises. If this can be implemented, I firmly believe that incidents like question paper leaks from the press will not happen.

Immediately after I joined, I noticed that all the information and data from the 21st BCS exam to the 46th BCS are being stored only in the PSC. This seemed very dangerous to me. A decision has already been taken to keep this information in multiple places for security reasons. We will change the PSC, god willing.

Many people do not get jobs despite the PSC's recommendations. This time too, 227 people have been excluded from the 43rd BCS. Will the PSC take any initiative to stop this?

One thing needs to be clarified first here. The PSC is involved with the process of verifying personal identity of the candidates after it makes the recommendation for appointment. The government makes this verification through relevant agencies. The PSC has nothing to do here. PSC will definitely do if it has anything to do in this regard. However, excluding candidates if they are not involved in anti-state activities is not acceptable.

Generally in BCS, more recruitment is made in administration and police cares although there is a crisis of posts in mid rank in these two cadres. Why are there more appointments in these two cadres?

It is difficult to say for sure whether the manpower in the administration and police cadres is more than the requirement. However, the public administration ministry determines how much manpower is required in a cadre.

The public administration sends the number of vacant posts to the PSC. The PSC only recommends qualified and suitable candidates against the vacant posts. But we can see the previous fascist government was mostly dependent on officials of these two cadres. This situation needs to be changed.

There are allegations of inter-cadre discrimination. Do you have any recommendations to eliminate the discrimination?

Yes, promotions in the administration and police cadres are usually faster than in other cadres. The previous government had created a 'patron-client' relationship with these two cadres, where these two cadres received various benefits. In the interest of the discipline of the state and public service, it is important to end cadre discrimination. Necessary steps need to be taken to provide an equal opportunity to all cadres.

After many years, an academician has been appointed as the PSC chairman instead of a bureaucrat. What’s your opinion on it?

I’ve come here from the teaching profession. That is why students or examinees have many expectations from me. I and the members of the commission are working hand in hand to meet those expectations. The student-led revolution of July-August has ushered a new opportunity for us to rebuild the PSC. This opportunity cannot be wasted.

Thank you

Thank you too.