Govt’s reforms package ignores politicisation of bureaucracy

ISLAMABAD: During the last three years, the Ministry of Planning Development and Reforms has worked on 43 areas of civil service reforms but ignored suggesting any recipe to check the most haunting aspect of the politicisation of bureaucracy.

The ministry focused on issues like changing civil service entry exam system, introduction of new streams in civil bureaucracy, transformation of Establishment Division, improvement in compensation package, beginning of performance agreement for federal ministries, initiation of civil servants exchange program etc. but did not suggest anything to protect the bureaucracy from external influences.

Sources said that without depoliticisation of the civilian bureaucracy and in the absence of protection of tenure for government servants, no reform would work. However, to the surprise of many, the Ministry of Planning Development and Reforms did not even touch this most serious problem haunting the civilian bureaucracy.

During these years, the ministry revised Estacode for the civil servants. Dilemma of the Estacode, which is civil establishment’s (civil servants) code, has been that it has already become irrelevant and rarely followed because of political interference in the civilian bureaucracy. 

For example, the Estacode talks of appointment of a government servant against any post for a tenure and also proposes action against those using external influences. But despite such unambiguous rules and policies, the postings and transfers in the civil service are made on the whims and wishes of others.

A set of recommendations are made on overhauling of civil service exam and entry system. Besides suggesting enhancement in the minimum age limit for CSS candidates, education qualification in entry exam is also proposed to be improved.

Two-stage entry exam of CSS to screen the number of applicants for written test has also been suggested. The ministry proposed cluster-based entry exam for the civil service. Currently, there is only one exam for 13 groups including Pakistan Administrative Service, Police Service of Pakistan, Office Management Group, Foreign Service of Pakistan, Military Lands and Cantonment Group, Postal Group, Railways, Inland Revenue Service, Customs Service, Pakistan Audit and Accounts Group, Commerce and Trade Group and Information Service.

Three clusters for civil service entry exam are recommended: CLUSTER 1: General Group -- PAS, PSP, OMG, FSP, ML&CG, Postal Group, Railways (16 years of education, in any field). CLUSTER 2: Economists Group -- IRS, PCS, PA&AS, C&T (16 years of education in Business Administration, Commerce, Finance, Economics or CA or any related field). CLUSTER 3: Information Group (16 years of education in Mass Communication, English, Urdu languages or any related field in Media Studies).

The ministry also recommended transformation of Establishment Division into Human Resource Management & Organization Development Division. Those who have seen the Establishment Division working as an effective top-most personnel management entity of the country more than three-four decades back, urge that the ED does not need renaming but free hand and independence to make right appointment for the right job by strictly implementing the Estacode.

The ministry also proposed improvement in Federal Secretariat compensation packages. Under this proposal, an incentive should be provided to civil servants for service in Federal Secretariat.

The proposal suggested introduction of policymaking allowance up to 100% of basic pay for Federal Secretariat employees in BS 19-21 with approximate budget implication of Rs1 billion a year. It is said that this policymaking allowance will only be paid where officers sign performance contracts under which 50% of this allowance will be dependent on six-monthly performance appraisals.

Introduction of Policy Management (PM) Scales is also suggested for 1/3rd positions of Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries and Secretaries. A total of almost 50 positions are required to be earmarked for the PM scales for which the selection would be made through a written test conducted by private sector entities. 

Up to 25% of the PM scales positions are to be reserved for private sector with induction through the same selection process. Civil servants joining the PM scale will be able to join PM scales by taking leave from their existing jobs. 

It is said that only ministries signing performance contracts with the prime minister to be eligible for PM scales. The ministry recommends performance agreement with 11 ministries under which performance of a ministry to be regulated through a performance contract. The proposal is to sign an annual contract between ministry and the prime minister setting targets, goals based on key performance indicators. Three best performing ministries to be given handsome reward.

After consultation with 11 ministries, already selected, performance agreement of all of them has been prepared and sent to the Prime Minister's Office. The PM has not yet signed and forwarded contracts to ministries. 

Introduction of new specialised groups in the civil service are also suggested. It is said that in order to cater for emerging need for specialised areas, creation of new Service Groups including Legal Group, Engineering Group and Energy Group are suggested. 

There are many other areas concerning civil service covered by the ministry, including training and performance evaluation system in the bureaucracy.