Dr Qaisar Rashid<\/p>\n
In mid-February, the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) holds a yearly countrywide examination of Central Superior Services (CSS) for the recruitment of officers (BPS-17) for the departments run by the federal government.
\nThough reforms in the CSS system are long overdue to sift a qualitatively better human material and cull the rest, the federal government\u2019s performance \u2013 no matter which political party holds the reins \u2013 to run the country has been below par in the face of evolving challenges, as seen in its managing cities, monitoring prices of commodities, controlling law and order, and making organisations serve the country. On the one hand, the population is growing fast, whereas on the other hand, the economy is in the doldrums. The double whammy is taking a toll. The underperformance of the government sector is compounded by limiting chances of the free inflow of aid in dollars. On top of it, Pakistan\u2019s neighbour India is fast leaping across thresholds of scientific development and economic prosperity.
\nPakistan\u2019s recent interaction with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made it take stock of the underachievement of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), encompassing the departments of Inland Revenue and Customs. As new avenues of learning are not in short supply, the IMF team must be wondering what medical doctors have been doing in the FBR, and what can be learnt from these doctors to run the country\u2019s economy, personifying a patient. Similarly, in the FBR, the next office would be of a graduate (or postgraduate) in English literature, reciting William Wordsworth\u2019s romantic stanzas or uttering William Shakespeare\u2019s inspiring dialogues, but shorn of any background knowledge of mathematics and law. They are confronted with professionals such as chartered accountants and experienced lawyers, who know well the ways to safeguard the financial interests of their clients. What the FBR is left with is shortfalls in revenue collection targets, as a perennial malady. Consequently, the government has to impose indirect taxes on utilities: petrol, gas, and electricity. Spawned by the FPSC, the cost of inadequacy in the FBR is paid by the poor from their pockets.
\nBy the way, ask a doctor or an engineer working in the police department or the administrative service about the reason for leaving their professions. Hardly would they confess that privileges and powers have acted as pull factors. A furnished office, a regiment of subordinate staff, and a cavalcade of motor cars, along with a hefty salary and weighty pension, are to name a few lures. Over time, they have learnt to convince a listener with spurious arguments, overemphasising push factors such as poor job infrastructure or rampant unemployment.
\nImagine a medical graduate from King Edward Medical University trying to run Pakistan Railways in some official capacity or working in the Postal Service to ensure a prompt delivery of parcels across the country. Similarly, imagine a graduate in electrical engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology working in Audit and Accounts to write audit reports of government departments. Likewise, imagine a graduate in civil engineering working in the Office Management Group, pushing files up and down the official ladder. At the federal level, quotas are meant for the representation of minorities or marginalised groups of society. No one knows the rationale behind the 10 percent quota for officers of the armed forces (army, navy and air force) to join the civil service. They remain the most unsuitable, as they come with no background knowledge that could enable them to match their civilian counterparts. No one is in the right place. This is how the country has touched the rock bottom of inefficiency and ineptitude.
\nIf reforms are on the cards, these are meant to improve the FBR\u2019s performance. No love for Dr Ishrat Husain, who proposed a cluster system a couple of years ago: candidates with an economic background should be permitted to join financial services only; candidates with a law background should be permitted to join the police and administrative services only; and so on. To improve the FBR, the cluster system has to be introduced. This step would sweep across the whole CSS system, making it bear the collateral damage.
\nThe FPSC has failed to answer a question: what is the utility of regional (provincial) languages (such as Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtu and Baluchi) other than offering a conduit to securing 80 percent-plus marks to raise the overall merit position of a candidate? These marks project a false sense of capability and make up for a deficiency in some other subject. Otherwise, no such language contributes to the competence of a candidate joining the Civil Service. Whereas the world has gone scientific, the FPSC is mired in sponsoring regional languages. Just look up the result card of the top ten candidates of any past CSS examination and find most of them with 80 percent-plus marks in a regional language, especially Punjabi. If the FPSC is so keen on introducing a regional language in the CSS examination, it can permit candidates to opt for a regional language other than the one relating to their domicile. For example, a candidate with a domicile from Punjab can choose any given regional language other than Punjabi. Grain will be separated from chaff.
\nThe future of scientific progress lies in learning (writing, listening and speaking) the English language. Sciences are in English, so are the means of global communication. Making any attempt to conduct CSS interviews in a language other than English would spoil the whole effort of being competitive. Standards of quality should be set high and kept non-negotiable. For interviews, CSS candidates must practise speaking English beforehand, instead of forcing the FPSC to compromise on its interview-conducting practice in English\u2014an expression of typical Pakistani defeatist mentality.<\/p>\n
The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at qaisarrashid@yahoo.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dr Qaisar Rashid In mid-February, the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) holds a yearly countrywide examination of Central Superior Services (CSS) for the recruitment of officers (BPS-17) for the departments run by the federal government. Though reforms in the CSS system are long overdue to sift a qualitatively better human material and cull the rest, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[1683],"class_list":{"0":"post-464784","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-article","7":"tag-dr-qaisar-rashid"},"yoast_head":"\n