Despite a higher number of humanities students participating in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination, students from science background lead in recruitment recommendations.
Analysis of the data reveals that 65% of cadres selected hail from science backgrounds, encompassing various branches such as medical and engineering.
The information was revealed in a review of the 2023 annual report of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC). The report was presented in Parliament on Thursday.
41st BCS
The 41st BCS examination saw a substantial turnout, with 404,513 candidates participating.
Of them, 152,492 candidates were from humanities background, 91,534 were from science, 87,828 were from commerce, 36,098 were from engineering, 22,715 were medical science candidates, and 13,846 were from other backgrounds.
A total of 21,056 job aspirants passed the first hurdle, which is known as the preliminary test.
Of them, 6,830 are from humanities, 6,500 from science, 2,565 from commerce, 2,954 engineers, 998 doctors, and 1,209 from other backgrounds.
A total of 13,000 candidates qualified in the written exam.
Of them, 3,746 are from humanities, 4,249 from science, 1,542 from commerce, 2,235 engineers, 428 doctors, and 800 from other backgrounds.
After facing viva voce, 2,516 government job aspirants were recommended to be part of the cadre service.
Of them, 588 are from humanities, 911 from science, 226 from commerce, 426 engineers, 297 doctors, and 68 from other backgrounds.
Among the successful candidates, those from science backgrounds maintained a significant presence at each stage of the examination. From passing the preliminary test to the final recommendation for cadre positions, science students consistently outperformed their peers from other academic disciplines.
43rd BCS
Similarly, the 43rd BCS examination witnessed a considerable number of participants, with humanities and science students leading the pack.
This time, the number of participants increased by 38,000. A total of 442,831 candidates took part in the examination. Of them, 164,058 candidates are from humanities background, 102,018 are from science, 16,823 are from commerce, 47,315 are from engineering, 15,665 are medical science candidates, and 16,952 are from other backgrounds.
A total of 15,229 job aspirants passed the first hurdle, which is known as the preliminary test.
Of them, 4,700 are from humanities, 4,749 from science, 1,862 from commerce, 2,518 engineers, 403 doctors, and 997 from other backgrounds.
From that, a total of 9,840 candidates passed the written exam.
Of them, 2,510 are from humanities, 3,269 from science, 1,157 from commerce, 1,918 engineers, 299 doctors, and 678 from other backgrounds.
After viva voce, 2,163 government job aspirants got recommendation to serve the public as government officials.
Of them, 517 are from humanities, 825 from science, 177 from commerce, 499 engineers, 100 doctors, and 45 from other backgrounds.
Unmarried more successful
Unmarried job aspirants hold an advantage over their married counterparts in achieving success in the prestigious BCS exam.
Statistical data from the last five BCS results highlights the prevalence of unmarried individuals in scoring top positions. Among these five BCS examinations, the 39th and 42nd were special BCS, whereas the 40th, 41st, and 43rd were general.
According to BPSC data, a significant proportion of candidates who secured jobs in general BCS exams, up to 85%, were unmarried.
In contrast, about 56% of successful candidates in special BCS exams were unmarried.
However, unmarried candidates tend to comprise a larger proportion among qualified BCS exam applicants overall.
Specifically, the report indicates that 43.88% and 45.65% of recommended candidates who passed the 39th and 42nd BCS exams were married, while 56.12% and 54.35% were unmarried, respectively.
In contrast, for the 40th, 41st, and 43rd BCS exams, the percentages of married candidates among those recommended were 14.57%, 16.18%, and 11.55%, respectively. Conversely, the percentages of unmarried candidates were 85.43%, 83.82%, and 83.45% for the same exams.