3,956 candidates per post as 1.2m apply for 312 social worker jobs

The Union Social Worker post under the Department of Social Services is a Grade-16 position in the national pay scale, formerly classified as a third-class government job. Against 312 vacancies, the department has received 1,234,409 applications from job seekers.

This means for each post, 3,956 candidates will compete. According to the Department of Social Services, a large number of applicants hold bachelor's or master's degrees, although the minimum educational qualification was Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC).

Union social workers prepare beneficiary lists for government welfare programmes, including old-age, widow and disability allowances, stipends for students with disabilities and freedom fighter honorariums. They also assist in distributing these benefits.

Under the current pay structure, the basic monthly salary for a union social worker starts at Tk9,300, along with house rent allowances ranging from 40 to 65 per cent depending on location. Government employees also receive medical and other allowances. A proposal to increase salaries by 100 to 140 per cent in a new pay structure has also been recommended.

Analysts believe this massive surge in applications highlights the scarcity of employment opportunities, widespread unemployment among the educated and the overwhelming preference for government jobs among the youth.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics' (BBS) Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate is highest among educated youth. One in every three unemployed people is a university graduate, while graduates also account for the largest share of those who have remained unemployed for more than two years.

The survey further shows that Bangladesh currently has 2.624 million unemployed people, including 885,000 university graduates.

Many highly educated jobseekers come from general education backgrounds, where concerns have also been raised about the quality of education. As a result, they often struggle in the job market.

At the same time, business leaders say they are unable to find sufficiently skilled workers. Many observers believe securing any government job, even a lower-grade one has become the primary goal for a large number of young people.

Asked about the issue, Shah Mohammad Mahbub, Director General of the Department of Social Services, told Prothom Alo that interest in government jobs continues to grow, making competition increasingly intense.

Everyone wants a permanent job and a secure life, he said, adding that the department's recruitment process would be conducted transparently.

The Department of Social Services is not the only example of overwhelming demand for government jobs.

Recently, the appointment of 18 office assistants in the revenue branch of the Pabna Deputy Commissioner's Office drew widespread discussion and criticism. Of the 18 recruits to the Grade-20 post, 17 held qualifications such as BSc Engineering, Textile Engineering, MBA, master's or honours degrees.

The minimum educational qualification for the Grade-20 office assistant post was Secondary School Certificate (SSC). Their decision to accept such an entry-level government position despite having higher qualifications has sparked debate.

The Department of Social Services issued a revised recruitment notice on 24 May for 1,485 vacant positions across 52 categories. By the final deadline on 23 June, a total of 2,123,067 applications had been submitted. On average, 1,430 candidates are competing for each available post.

The competition is even fiercer for specific roles. For the 18 positions of ‘Head Assistant’ (Grade 13), 114,159 candidates applied, meaning 6,342 people are vying for a single spot. Similarly, 100,863 individuals applied for 76 posts as ‘Office Assistant-cum-Computer Typist,’ resulting in 1,327 candidates per position.

According to the draft report ‘Statistics of Civil Officers and Staff-2025’ from the Ministry of Public Administration, there are 1,986,000 sanctioned posts in civil government institutions, of which 1,464,000 are currently occupied. This leaves approximately 522,000 positions vacant across the country.

Analysts point out that government service offers unparalleled stability. Regular salaries, pensions and upcoming revised pay structures make it a highly attractive option compared to the volatility of the private sector.

Abdul Awal Majumder, former secretary to the government and former rector of the Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC), told Prothom Alo that government jobs remain a top priority for many because they offer strong job security and are rarely lost.

He added that government employment also enjoys significant social prestige, which is why a large number of candidates compete for a relatively small number of vacancies.

However, he warned that while not all positions require a bribe, many people still buy their way into jobs. Those who pay for their positions often fail to perform their duties, focusing instead on recovering their 'investment.'

It is vital that recruitment in the Department of Social Services remains transparent and merit-based, he added.

Every year, approximately 2 to 2.2 million young people enter the labor market in Bangladesh. While some turn to self-employment, others move abroad and a small fraction secure government roles, the vast majority join the private sector.

Experts emphasize that to ease the pressure on the government, the state must ensure appointment letters in the private sector, declare a national minimum wage and strictly implement labor laws.

Yet, these reforms have lacked momentum. Consequently, most educated youths spend years studying exclusively for government recruitment exams, often facing repeated failure.

A young job seeker, who has so far applied for 16 government jobs, told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that government employment has become highly attractive because of its job security, benefits and overall value relative to the effort required. He said he would continue pursuing a government job until he succeeds.