Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) has published the 47th BCS circular. The candidates who are appearing for the first time, might not have a clear idea about the BCS recruitment process. So, here is a basic step by step from the circular being published to joining office as a public servant.
Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) recruitment process for 26 Cadres (Sector wise Skilled Officers are called Cadre) and non – Cadres under it is conducted by PSC.
In short, the process is as follow – Recruitment Circular> Application> Preliminary Exam> Written Exam> Viva-voce> Final Result & Recommendation> Health Test & Police Verification> Gazettee Notification> Joining.
26 Cadre of BCS:
The 26 cadre services of Bangladesh Civil Service are divided into two types- General and Technical/Professional. General Cadres are- (1) BCS (Foreign Affairs) (2) BCS (Administration) (3) BCS (Police) (4) BCS (Audit & Accounts) (5) BCS (Taxation) (6) BCS (Customs & Excise) (7) BCS (Trade) (8) BCS (Ansar) (9) BCS (Food) (10) BCS (Information) (11) BCS (Cooperative) (12) BCS (Railway Transport & Commercial) (13) ) BCS (Postal) and (14) BCS (Family Planning)
And the Technical/Professional cadres are- (1) BCS (General Education) (2) BCS (Technical Education) (3) BCS (Health) (4) BCS (Public Works) (5) BCS (Roads and Highway) (6) BCS (Railway Engineering) (7) BCS (Public Health Engineering) (8) BCS (Agriculture) (9) BCS (Fisheries) (10) BCS (Livestock) (11) BCS (Forest) and (12) BCS (Statistics).
Candidates who have completed graduation in any discipline can apply to the first 14 cadres and the candidates who have completed graduation in the relevant subject can apply to the next 12 cadres. Note – Food, Information and Cooperative cadres have both general and professional posts.
Recruitment circular: Usually at the end of every year PSC releases recruitment circulars mentioning the number of vacanciies in BCS cadre and non-cadre posts attaching other instructions. It also mentions the application deadline and probable date of preliminary examination.
Application: Candidates apply to BCS by providing personal information, educational qualification, cadre and non-cadre choice preference, photograph, signature and paying the prescribed fee as per the recruitment circular.
Preliminary Examination: The preliminary examination of 200 marks is held within 3/4 months of finishing the application deadline. Usually 4-5% of the total candidates pass this exam.
Preliminary examination subject and mark distribution are-
1. Bengali Language and Literature- 35 marks.
2. English Language and Literature- 35.
3. Bangladesh Affairs – 30.
4. International Affairs – 20.
5. Geography (Bangladesh and International), Environment and Disaster Management- 10.
6. General Science- 15.
7. Computer and Information Technology- 15.
8. Mathematical reasoning – 15.
9. Mental Ability – 15.
10. Ethics, values and good governance- 10.
Total: 200 Marks
Written test: General and Technical/Professional Candidates who passed the preliminary examination have to attend the written test of 900 marks. Those who apply for both cadres have to attend the written test of total 1100 marks (with additional 200 marks). The pass marks in the written examination is 50% of the total marks i.e. 450 marks out of 900. There are differences in the subject and mark distribution of the written test for ‘General Cadre’ and ‘Technical/Professional Cadre’.
A. Subject-wise Mark Distribution of Written Test for General Cadre Candidates:
1. Bengali-200.
2. English – 200.
3. Bangladesh Affairs – 200.
4. International Affairs – 100.
5. Mathematical Reasoning and Mental Ability – 100.
6. General Science and Technology – 100.
Total : 900 Marks
B. Technical/Professional Cadre Written Test Mark Distribution:
1. Bengali-100.
2. English – 200.
3. Bangladesh Affairs – 200.
4. International Affairs – 100.
5. Mathematical Reasoning and Mental Ability – 100.
6. Subjects related to the post – 200.
Total : 900 Marks
Detailed Syllabus of Preliminary and Written Examination is available on the website of Public Service Commission (PSC) http://www.bpsc.gov.bd.
Viva voce: Candidates who have passed the written examination have to attend the viva voce of 200 marks. 50% marks are considered to be pass marks in the oral examination. Those who are in PSC Viva Board-
– Chairman/Member of the Commission (Board Chairman).
– Officers of the rank of Joint Secretary or above (Board Member) nominated by the Government.
– Subject experts (board members) nominated by the commission.
Final results and recommendations: Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC), the highest authority of BCS exam management, recommends the candidates along with the merit list to the Ministry of Public Administration, after the health test and police verification of the candidates. Then Ministry of Public Administration appoints the recommended candidates by publishing the gazette.
Health test and verification: As per the notification of the Ministry of Health, the recommended cadre officers are required to appear in groups to the Medical Board held at mentioned hospitals on scheduled dates. Chest x-ray and eye test report should be collected before appearing in medical board. Sometimes a dope test report may also be required. All information, address and personal details of a recommended candidate are verified as per the information in the police verification form of the candidate given during the viva voce. The verification process is done with government designated agencies (eg Police, NSI, DC Office etc.).
Appointment gazette: Official announcements signed by the president or with the approval of the president (such as notification of appointments/promotions/transfers, creation of new districts/divisions, declaration of a day as a public holiday etc.) published in the official newspapers on weekends or special occasions are called gazettes. When the government announcements are sent to the Department of Printing and Publications, Bangladesh Government Press (BG Press) arranges for them to be printed in gazette form. After the health test and police verification, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Home Affairs send all the information to the Ministry of Public Administration, and the new recruitment wing of the Ministry publishes it in the form of a gazette with the signature of the Prime Minister and the President. This gazette mentions the date of joining, documents required at the time of joining and salary allowances of appointed cadre officers (posting orders are circulated by respective ministries between gazette and joining date).
Joining the service: Every officer has to complete the joining by submitting necessary documents at the office designated by the concerned cadre controlling ministry/department on the date mentioned in the gazette. For example, foreign cadres join in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, health cadres and education cadres join the directorate or designated workplaces. If an officer does not join on the due date, it is deemed that he refuses to join and his appointment is cancelled.
The writer, Rabiul Alam Luipa, is an officer of 35th BCS General Education Cadre.