The competitive examinations should be made cluster-based exams with specific exams for different service groups, problem analysis techniques and restricted choices. This was the crux of a meeting of Senate Special Committee which met here on Wednesday to examine the annual report of Federal Public Service Commission 2015. The committee heard special invitees Managing Director Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Musharaf Rasool Cyan and MNA Asad Umar regarding reforms for the Commission in its recruitment procedures, composition of members, civil service reforms and changes in the competitive examination.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Senator Muzaffar Hussain Shah and was attended among others by senators including Nauman Wazir, Mohsin Leghari and Taj Haider and officials from Establishment Division, FPSC, and Higher Education Commission (HEC). Both the special invitees gave their suggestions emanating from their knowledge about civil service as well as their expertise in the private sector management. It was suggested that competitive examinations should be made cluster-based exams with specific exams for different service groups, problem analysis techniques, and restricted choices. It was suggested regarding composition of board of the commission to have specified criteria for selecting members and not defining quota and having representation from academia as well as HR professionals. The HEC representative present in the meeting said that brighter students are not opting for civil service and this might be possible reason for low pass percentage in the competitive exams.
The PIA managing director said that the FPSC should be restructured and the Commission may be divided into two parts. In one part, professional retired officers and in the second part, professionals from education/academia should be added. There is an urgent need for improving training during service as the current training is of very low standard. The managing director said that exams should be divided into four sections to get experts people. Asad Umar said that the civil service lacks human resource. No career management service is in place, he added. The selection of boards' members should be based on what he/she did during his life. People having know-how about civil service should be added in the board, said Umar, adding that accountability system should also be made stronger. The committee directed the Cabinet Division to draft recommendations and submit them to the committee soon.