WORLDWIDE competitive exams are based on fairness, fair-play and transparency.
These exams provide a fair opportunity for all to pursue civil service and serve the public and the state.
In developing countries, these exams are essential because of their societal impact.
Furthermore, civil service jobs provide stability in the face of widespread job insecurity in developing nations.
In Pakistan, the CSS has been a leading service career, empowering young people to excel professionally and bring honour to their families.
In CSS, exams are open to all aspirants, regardless of their background or area of expertise.
This promotes service diversity and provides equal opportunities for exam participation, securing a better future for all.
There are 12 groups in CSS and allocations are made based on merit once candidates clear the written exam conducted by FPSC in February each year.
Graduation is the sole criterion for appearing in these exams, irrespective of the field of study.
This is a common practice in India as well.
Despite changes to the Indian Civil Services selection process, a degree in any field remains a fundamental requirement for exam eligibility.
News channels and social media have recently reported that the CSS recruitment system may be replaced by a new, cluster-based system.
This cluster system prioritizes assigning specialists to relevant service groups based on their area of expertise.
Doctors and engineers, as an illustration, will only seek civil service positions related to their fields of specialization.
Likewise, a lawyer can only apply to a limited number of civil service groups due to their legal specialization and cannot apply to all groups.
The cluster system is expected to boost civil service efficiency, improving bureaucrat productivity.
Before considering a cluster-based system’s practical implementation, certain key questions require attention, despite the possibility of truth in the statement.
College graduates diligently pursue their careers, with many choosing degrees aligned with their interests to prepare for the CSS exam after graduation.
For instance, doctors and lawyers often opt for these fields out of interest and go on to take the CSS exam.
This provides a level playing field for all applicants to compete for their desired civil service group, enabling successful candidates to serve in their preferred department on merit.
The cluster system limits applicants to CSS cadres aligning with their degrees, hindering opportunities in other services.
Doesn’t this seem unjust to those who, when selecting their graduation degree program, were unaware of this alleged shift in the CSS selection process?
If informed beforehand, their degree choices would have reflected their civil service ambitions.
To successfully implement this cluster-based system, a public announcement four years in advance is essential.
This allows current college graduates to take the new CSS selection method into account when choosing their field of study for graduation.
This is essential to ensure fair and transparent exams for all.
Conversely, a cluster-based system might influence students’ university choices, potentially steering them toward fields ensuring top civil service positions.
A surge in graduates targeting top CSS groups will dramatically reshape the societal talent pool.
The concentration of talent in select fields will severely deplete others, leading to a critical human capital shortage.
The yearly output of doctors, engineers, lawyers and other professionals will change.
Moreover, the current recruitment system involves allocated candidates completing a Common Training Programme (CTP) followed by months of Specialized Training Programme to achieve professional competency in their designated service.
The new cluster-based specialist selection system casts doubt on current specialized training academies, questioning whether they are effective enough in their training or outcomes.
In that case, why haven’t these specialized training academies in Pakistan been improved since its founding?
Furthermore, these specialized training academies are capable of being reformed to better train assigned CSS officers within their respective fields of service.
As an example, a doctor could choose to become a lawyer by enrolling in law school.
In the same vein, a lawyer could become a doctor after enrolling in medical school.
Since this has been achieved professionally worldwide, specialized academies can similarly train candidates to meet system needs.
This specialized training programme covers all relevant domains for officers’ future fieldwork.
Railway allocation requires candidates to finish a Common Training Programme covering transportation and other railway-specific subjects to become specialized railway employees.
Specialized Training Academies can further modify and refine their syllabus for candidate training through professionals.
To ensure selected candidates gain graduate-level expertise, instructors from top universities can be hired and training duration can be extended if necessary.
For efficiency gains, all service groups can utilize contract specialists to support officers on exceptionally demanding cases.
To ensure inclusivity and diversity, India has used contractual professionals while still allowing degree holders from diverse fields to join all civil service groups.
Lastly, improving civil service efficiency requires minimizing political influence on bureaucrats, establishing fixed posting terms and implementing performance-based promotions instead of seniority-based ones.
Pakistan’s growth hinges on a strong commitment to CSS reforms that improve public service, curb corruption and restore public trust in civil servants.
Young aspirants’ careers hinge on the Civil Services, meaning reform’s impact on them needs careful consideration.
Lacking this key factor will leave young graduates feeling alienated, isolated and hopeless regarding career progression.
This likely will increase social resentment and dissatisfaction among young people, harming the country’s long-term interests.
CSS reforms are necessary, but they must increase inclusivity and ease the path to civil service for aspiring graduates, not hinder their entry.
—The writer is an educationist and a Commoner from 44th Common, based in Sargodha. (waqarhassancsp@gmail.com)
