Reforms to BCS exam system on the cards

The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) has taken several initiatives, such as introducing an English option and a double check of the exam papers, to reform the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination system. The BPSC has already introduced two initiatives like printing of exam papers on its own and the use of information technology for result management. The BPSC is also thinking of changing the marking system in the BCS exams for certain subjects, like health and education. A high-powered committee is working in this regard but nothing has been finalised yet.
Generally, a BCS examinee has to wait for a long time to know the result. The BPSC said it is hard to shorten the period of 18 months, but it has a roadmap from the 35th BCS, which the previous commission did not have, to hold the exams following a specific timeframe. The BPSC does not have any plan to hold a special BCS, but said that it depends on the demand of the government.
The BPSC does not think that the existing quota system for the BCS exams is an injustice to the general candidates because only the qualified and meritorious examinees get a chance in BCS. They get the quota facilities only after completing the preliminary, written and viva voce exams.
Since 1985, the merit quota has been 45 per cent. Of the rest, 30 per cent is for freedom fighters, 10 per cent for women, 10 per cent for districts, and 5 per cent for indigenous people. BPSC sources said the English option would
be opened to the BCS examinees, along with the Bangla option, from the next 38th BCS.
The sources said a large number of English-medium students take part in the BCS exams and want to answer the questions in English. But they face a problem when the questions are only in Bangla. About the double check, the sources said that earlier the papers of the written exams used to be checked by a single examiner, but the papers will be checked by two examiners from the next BCS.
The BPSC sources said they want to introduce the double check of the papers to ensure quality and to make the papers error-free. “A huge number of English medium-students are showing interest in the PSC examinations every year. These students want to answer the questions in English, but the BCS examinations are held in only Bangla now. This is a problem for them. We don’t want to deprive them of their rights,” BPSC chairman Dr Muhammed Sadique told The Independent. We hope the language option would be introduced from the next BCS,” he added. About the double check of the papers, Sadique said, “Earlier, only one examiner would check the written exam papers. But we want to have the papers double-checked from the next BCS. We think this would ensure the quality of scrutiny and error-free marking.”
“Only people in the rank of the associate professor and joint secretary levels would get to check the papers,” he added. The commission chairman said, “The high-powered committee would submit the recommendations by this month regarding reforms of the BCS examinations. Later, it would be scrutinised and placed before the stakeholders to make it final.” “I believe the reforms initiatives should be continued gradually at the micro level, which would be effective,” he added.
He also said that earlier there would be no meetings with the stakeholders before holding a BCS examination. But now, several meetings are held with the stakeholders and opinions are taken from them, he observed.
About the printing of question papers, Sadique said, “We now print upto 1,500 question papers on our own. This is reducing our dependence on the government press. At the same time, it is preventing the chances of question paper leakage. The exams are held quickly.”
Citing an example, he said, “Recently, we held a preliminary exam for midwives. We printed the question papers and published the results within 24 hours.”
About the introduction of information technology, Sadique said, “We have introduced an automation process on an experimental basis for the final results of non-cadres. We have launched search-engine software for it in our own capacity. We have got hundred percent accurate results through it.”
He also said that they have launched another piece of software named ‘Cadre Distribution Software’ (CADS). It would be used on a trial basis for the final results of the 36th BCS.
About other reforms, Sadique said they have removed the delays in giving the honorarium to examiners. “Earlier, the examiners used to get an honorarium after a year or a year-and-a-half. This problem has been removed. They will now get it within a week,” he added.
However, the BPSC chairman regretted the fact that the government gives them a budget, but directs them on how to use it. He believes this is a hurdle to bringing dynamism to the commission’s work. About the ongoing 37th BCS, Sadique said the expected date of publishing the final results would be August 3, 2017.

Reforms to BCS exam system on the cards

The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) has taken several initiatives, such as introducing an English option and a double check of the exam papers, to reform the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination system. The BPSC has already introduced two initiatives like printing of exam papers on its own and the use of information technology for result management. The BPSC is also thinking of changing the marking system in the BCS exams for certain subjects, like health and education. A high-powered committee is working in this regard but nothing has been finalised yet. Generally, a BCS examinee has to wait for a long time to know the result. The BPSC said it is hard to shorten the period of 18 months, but it has a roadmap from the 35th BCS, which the previous commission did not have, to hold the exams following a specific timeframe. The BPSC does not have any plan to hold a special BCS, but said that it depends on the demand of the government. The BPSC does not think that the existing quota system for the BCS exams is an injustice to the general candidates because only the qualified and meritorious examinees get a chance in BCS. They get the quota facilities only after completing the preliminary, written and viva voce exams. Since 1985, the merit quota has been 45 per cent. Of the rest, 30 per cent is for freedom fighters, 10 per cent for women, 10 per cent for districts, and 5 per cent for indigenous people. BPSC sources said the English option would be opened to the BCS examinees, along with the Bangla option, from the next 38th BCS. The sources said a large number of English-medium students take part in the BCS exams and want to answer the questions in English. But they face a problem when the questions are only in Bangla. About the double check, the sources said that earlier the papers of the written exams used to be checked by a single examiner, but the papers will be checked by two examiners from the next BCS. The BPSC sources said they want to introduce the double check of the papers to ensure quality and to make the papers error-free. A huge number of English medium-students are showing interest in the PSC examinations every year. These students want to answer the questions in English, but the BCS examinations are held in only Bangla now. This is a problem for them. We dont want to deprive them of their rights, BPSC chairman Dr Muhammed Sadique told The Independent. We hope the language option would be introduced from the next BCS, he added. About the double check of the papers, Sadique said, Earlier, only one examiner would check the written exam papers. But we want to have the papers double-checked from the next BCS. We think this would ensure the quality of scrutiny and error-free marking. Only people in the rank of the associate professor and joint secretary levels would get to check the papers, he added. The commission chairman said, The high-powered committee would submit the recommendations by this month regarding reforms of the BCS examinations. Later, it would be scrutinised and placed before the stakeholders to make it final. I believe the reforms initiatives should be continued gradually at the micro level, which would be effective, he added. He also said that earlier there would be no meetings with the stakeholders before holding a BCS examination. But now, several meetings are held with the stakeholders and opinions are taken from them, he observed. About the printing of question papers, Sadique said, We now print upto 1,500 question papers on our own. This is reducing our dependence on the government press. At the same time, it is preventing the chances of question paper leakage. The exams are held quickly. Citing an example, he said, Recently, we held a preliminary exam for midwives. We printed the question papers and published the results within 24 hours. About the introduction of information technology, Sadique said, We have introduced an automation process on an experimental basis for the final results of non-cadres. We have launched search-engine software for it in our own capacity. We have got hundred percent accurate results through it. He also said that they have launched another piece of software named Cadre Distribution Software (CADS). It would be used on a trial basis for the final results of the 36th BCS. About other reforms, Sadique said they have removed the delays in giving the honorarium to examiners. Earlier, the examiners used to get an honorarium after a year or a year-and-a-half. This problem has been removed. They will now get it within a week, he added. However, the BPSC chairman regretted the fact that the government gives them a budget, but directs them on how to use it. He believes this is a hurdle to bringing dynamism to the commissions work. About the ongoing 37th BCS, Sadique said the expected date of publishing the final results would be August 3, 2017.