Fourth batch of 51 civil services officers selected for higher studies and research at US and UK universities would leave for abroad during last week of the next month, it was learnt on Sunday. Funding for these officers, from various cadres, has been approved under World Bank funded civil service reform unit (CSRU) project of the establishment division.
Selected under professional development programme (PDP), the batch includes eleven from district management group (DMG), five from police services of Pakistan (PSP), one each from foreign service and office management group (OMG); respectively, seven from income tax and eight from custom and excise, sources said.
In addition, two officers from public administration and three from secretariat group have also been selected while they all have already secured admissions in various foreign universities themselves.
In reply to a question, the sources elaborated that as per terms and conditions of the PDP, the officers would be paid financial assistance for one year of their study, however, anyone interested to continue next year of the study would have to bear the expenses himself.
World Bank had extended $55 million international development association credit for public sector capacity building project (PSCBP) of the government, sources said adding, "the project has several sub-components, out of which (CSRU) of establishment division is the largest one which will cost $25 million."
Sources said that civil service reform unit (CSRU) would also work as secretariat to the cabinet committee on civil service reforms, which will oversee comprehensive civil service reform program. It will formulate and present technical recommendations in order to support civil service reform through outsourcing technical studies.