Qualification, age limit for CSS candidates issue to be again taken with PM

Islamabad

After rejection of summary by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on enhancing age limit for CSS exams, different stakeholders including Ministry of Planning, Establishment Division and Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) on Friday evolved consensus for again forwarding proposal for extending age limit of candidates from 28 to 30 years and scaling up education level from 14 to 16 years.

Instead of resubmitting the summary, Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal would now send official communication to PM Nawaz Sharif requesting him to spare time for giving him a detailed presentation in the presence of all stakeholders in renewed efforts to convince the top political leadership on important civil service reforms in the country.

“All stakeholders have also firmed up proposal to introduce three new groups into civil service including Energy Group, Law Group and Engineering Group and approval of PM will be sought to go ahead in this regard,” official sources confirmed to The News here on Friday.

Earlier, the PM Secretariat had rejected the summary of Ministry of Planning and Development on enhancing age limit and educational qualification. 

Ahsan Iqbal convened a meeting on Friday in which Secretary Establishment Division, Cabinet Division, Chairman Federal Public Service Commission and others participated to devise future strategy for pursuing much needed civil service reforms.

According to official presentation, a copy of which is available with The News, an analysis done on the basis of data given by FPSC showed that 87 percent candidates appearing in CSS exams possessed Master’s level education of 16 years so keeping in view this empirical evidence, the education level should be enhanced from 14 to 16 years. 

Earlier, the Planning Commission had proposed higher level education but later on it was agreed among the stakeholders that instead of sudden jump there should be only two years enhancement in education level.

On maximum age limit for appearing into CSS exams, it was agreed among the ministries as well as FPSC that it should be extended by two years from 28 to 30 years.

The ministries also agreed that for allowing for appearing into CSS exams, there should be some pre-requisite mechanism such as holding of two screening tests for reducing the numbers of candidates for appearing into competitive exams.

But failing the screening tests will not reduce three time limit for appearing into CSS exams, said the sources.

The Planning Commission also proposed signing of performance contract of 11 selected ministries and a separate summary was lying with the PM. The draft contracts can be used as practice for developing new ones for fiscal year 2016-17. 

If the premier granted approval, the funds of Rs1 billion was available and three selected ministries could be given awards and incentives to its employees in coming few months period.

For providing training to existing bureaucrats, the Ministry of Planning would provide training to 5000 baboos including 1000 senior government officials. Planning Commission Member Governance Tahir Hijazi said that the government was developing reform agenda to train 5000 employees of public sector in order to improve governance structure and service delivery of the country.