Masood Hameed Baloch
Bureaucracy is often referred to as the steering- wheel of a state. Aspirants belonging to different strata of society are vastly eager for becoming civil servants. They pledge their future to serve the nation and go through a complex process of competitive examinations. Most of the candidates especially from middle class and rural areas have damn passions to seize a hectic career in civil services. They opt out other professional fields and choose to become civil servants. The reason is obvious, the candidates mostly from rural areas stumble financially. Due to lacks in enough resources their desire to acquire quality education put to rest. The field of specialization appear ill-affordable to most of the financially-hit students. Thereupon, at this age of specialization only the left overs go for civil services which is a bit cheaper to pursue.
Prior to exams the well-committed aspirants throughout their preparation burn the midnight oil. The competent candidates let slip no chance to pulling down their competitors and try to work hard to excel.
Generally, such ambition within candidate’s ranks is of course, a good step towards evolving an environment of tough competition. But alas! Some sort of certain mishaps in the system are eroding the charms of actual competition from competitive examinations. Every now and then, the rough recruiting system demotivate and discourage the talented aspirants. Our competitive examinations are more prone to unsystematic gestures that beset with nepotism, favoritism and corruption. At end of the day all desires of the deserving candidates go in utter peril. This endless irregularities and discrepancies done by the officials of different public service commission will beget inevitable ruins to the careers of hundreds of candidates, who are the hopes of their aging parents.
Few weeks ago, the Supreme Court’s order to Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) caught all in attention, this is purely a sitting example which cannot be ignored at all. All appointments from 2013-2016 made under SPSC were declared illegal by court order. This good move also precipitated many a people in Balochistan to expect a similar court procedure against illegal appointments made under Balochistan Public Service Commission (BPSC) during Ashraf Magsi era.
People also spew it from a hearsay that all the Executive Assistant Officers of Balochistan have written a letter to the Chief Secretary Balochistan for removal of all appointed officers that took place under the chairmanship of Ashraf Magsi during 2009, 2011 and 2012. But the authenticity of the said news is yet not clear. Either is it actually taking place or will they intend to do so.
The infamous Ex BPSC Chairman Ashraf Magsi was exposed as big crook who sold all the 800 key posts including ACs, SOs and Tehsildars during his tenure. This man through disgusting nepotism and corruption put the entire transparency of BPSC to sheer damages. Magsi was badly accused of illegal appointments, he terribly violated merit and took huge bribes from the non-caliber candidates. But it was awful, no one dared to stand up against him at the time. Mr Magsi is the worst example, openly misused his authority and committed irregularities of multiple kinds. Magsi’s daughters, who were working in grade 17 of the education department were also removed after their degrees appeared fake.
Finally, NAB had arrested Mr Magsi and other accused in May last year and got their judicial remand. After being caught-red handed with irrefutable evidence Mr Magsi had no other choice than to give a confessional statement that he took unfair advantages of his office.
A wide spectrum of opinions flooded in favor of the Present BPSC Chairman Kelash Nath Kohli. People rely on him to uphold a transparent recruitment system.
BPSC in spite of honest chairmanship under Kelash Nath Kohli , yet not set free from heavy criticism. Some factors are still said to be there stir up disorganized manners. The example could be drawn from the recent PCS and Tehsildari exams conducted last year cannot be said perfect. Due to mismanagement a lot of mess occurred in the examination halls. Some candidates were caught in using mobile phones during the papers, consequently they were meted out severe rustication. Apart from this, there also spread a rumor despite the strict checking a number of candidates still succeeded to carry their cell phones in the examination halls. Maybe it is just rumors, if it is, then needs to be put in rest. But people also whispered it around that sometimes even question papers were leaked exactly after in hour during the paper. It brings someone to ask a relevant question, if such mismanagements do exist then it will spoil the basics charms of the competitive examinations.
The Chairman BPSC should address such flaws and confusion. Whilst upholding fairness and transparency in the exam system the entire structure of BPSC has to be revamped and remoulded. The mechanism be improved for the induction of civil servants through a proper recruiting system.
It also needs to reform those areas of mismanagement and to dispel the perception which could mar the transparency of Balochistan Public Service Commission.
The questionnaire patterns used in BPSC are totally outdated. It be replaced with the changing demands of the modern question techniques. The obsolete question techniques give routes to cramming culture that is getting indoctrinated in the minds of all candidates.
Competitive exams through its actual sense hinges upon testing the analytical and critical ability of candidates. The questions asked in the exams must be opinion based rather than relying upon rote memorization. It is the high time all flaws and fallacies occurred under a rough system need to be erased. The system is in dire need of intellectually strong bureaucracy.
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