The government plans to introduce a skill- or competency-based evaluation system in BCS and other public service recruitment, replacing the conventional memorisation-based approach, State Minister for Public Administration Md Abdul Bari has said.
He said the initiative aims to align recruitment with a rapidly changing job market and the vision of a technology-driven “Smart Bangladesh.” A committee has already been formed to revise the BCS examination syllabus.
The minister made the remarks in parliament in response to a written question tabled by Rajbari-2 MP Md Harun-ur-Rashid on Thursday. The session, on the 15th day of the first session of the 13th National Parliament, was presided over by Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal.
He said one of the key objectives of the current commission is to move away from rote-based assessment and introduce a competency-based evaluation system for government recruitment.
To this end, a committee has been tasked with reviewing the existing BCS syllabus and recommending necessary revisions. It will also examine civil service exam systems in other countries before submitting its recommendations.
The state minister said changes are also being planned for the viva voce, with a competency-based interview system to be introduced to assess candidates’ knowledge, skills and attitudes.
He added that steps have been taken to shorten the recruitment process, with a goal of completing a BCS cycle within one year.
In the case of the 50th BCS, a detailed exam schedule was published with the initial notification, and the preliminary and written examinations have proceeded accordingly, he said.
He also noted that since the formation of the current commission in October 2024, recruitment processes for the 44th, 45th and 46th BCS, as well as the 48th and 49th (special) BCS, have already been completed.
