Extraneous changes

The number of posts in provincial departments were filled through the Public Service Commission (PSC) – a recommendation body with good reputation which is held in high esteem for its adherence to merit and transparency. The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has withdrawn this responsibility of recruitments from the commission and handed it to the Educational Testing and Evaluation Agency (ETEA), despite the PSC’s good reputation.

One is compelled to ask: what was the reason behind this development? Was the PSC not capable of filling these cadres’ positions? It is said that the PSC would spend an inordinate amount of time on the enlistment process, and the decision to replace the PSC with the ETEA was an attempt to ensure timely recruitments. If so, why has the ETEA taken over 15 months just to conduct the typing test for the recruitment of junior clerks in the establishment department? Actual postings will take a long time. The government needs to revisit its decision and work out an effective policy to ensure timely and reliable recruitments.

Saima Gul

Swat