ISLAMABAD (Azaad English): Senior journalist Ansar Abbasi has reported that the Civil Service Reforms Committee led by Federal Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal is expected to abolish the famous Central Superior Services (CSS) examination system in much anticipated CSS reforms.
The journalist revealed that the high-level body has sorted out major issues in their discussions over the past few months, including the replacement of the present CSS examination system in favour of cluster based exams.
Currently, the existing CSS exam system depends on a generalised curriculum framework in which a candidate belonging to any profession starts his bureaucratic service in an entirely different field. For instance, a doctor who passes the current CSS exam may be allocated to Inland Revenue department.
The committee plans to propose a major shift from existing CSS exam system to a cluster based exam system which would prioritise professionals to join the occupational groups according to their expertise.
The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) conducts the CSS exam for the following occupational groups:
- Pakistan Customs Services
- Foreign Service of Pakistan
- Pakistan Administrative Service
- Police Service of Pakistan
- Commerce & Trade Group
- Inland Revenue Service of Pakistan
- Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service
- Information Services of Pakistan
- Military Lands & Cantonment Group
- Office Management and Secretariat Group
- Postal Group
- Railways (Commercial & Transport) Group
Abbasi also revealed that the committee would also deliberate reforms in the pension schemes of bureaucracy in Pakistan.
The committee is expected to submit its recommendations to the federal cabinet soon. Under these CSS reforms, each occupational group would have its own set of critieria and examinations, ensuring recruitment of specialists.
Past Attempts at CSS Reforms
It merits a mention that previous governments have also tried to undertake CSS reforms but failed to do so. During Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) tenure, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr Ishrat Hussain, proposed a set of ambitious reforms but it failed to reach its implementation phase.
Furthermore, the Planning Commission in 2015 led by the Federal Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal planned to recommend cluster based CSS examinations to then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
