43rd BCS: Govt to reconsider applications of 227 excluded candidates

Highlights:

• 40 candidates excluded due to absence from mandatory health examination
• 227 disqualified based on inaccuracies in intelligence reports
• Gazette for 2,064 candidates were issued on 15 October last year faced scrutiny
• Many questioned the government's consistency and transparency
• Candidates excluded demanded fresh gazette by 5 Jan to facilitate their joining by 15th

The Ministry of Public Administration has announced that it is now accepting applications for reconsideration from candidates excluded from the 43rd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) recruitment process.

The ministry issued a notification in this regard today (2 January) and clarified the exclusion of candidates. 

According to the notification, 40 candidates were excluded due to their absence from the mandatory health examination, while 227 were disqualified based on inaccuracies in intelligence reports.

It said the PSC had recommended 2,163 candidates on 25 January 2024 for recruitment to various cadres. Under Rule-4 of the BCS Recruitment Rules, 1981, these candidates were subjected to pre-character verification by the Special Branch of the Bangladesh Police and district administrators. 

Following the verification, the notification said 40 candidates were absent from the health examination and 59 were temporarily excluded due to agency reports. Subsequently, gazette for 2,064 candidates were issued on 15 October last year. 

"The gazette faced scrutiny from multiple quarters, raising concerns about the transparency of the process. To address these issues, a decision was made to re-examine all 2,163 candidates through additional verification by NSI and DGFI. This measure aimed to ensure the selection of candidates with clean records and restore public trust in the government recruitment process," read the public administration ministry notification.

According to reports from NSI and DGFI, 227 candidates received adverse comments during the pre-character verification phase and were deemed temporarily unfit for appointment, said the ministry.

"Additionally, 40 individuals were declared unfit due to their absence from the health examination. Thus, out of the initially recommended 2,163 candidates, 267 were excluded, and final recruitment notifications were issued for 1,896 candidates on 30 December last year," clarified the notification.

It added that 227 temporarily disqualified candidates have been offered the opportunity to submit reconsideration applications for their cases.

The decision to exclude 267 candidates, including 168 who were part of the earlier recruitment notification dated 15 October drew widespread criticism on social media. Many questioned the government's consistency and transparency, with some accusing it of undermining trust in the recruitment process.

At a press briefing today (2 January), candidates excluded from the previous gazette of the 43rd BCS have demanded a fresh gazette by 5 January to facilitate their joining by 15 January.

Yesterday (1 January), the excluded BCS candidates gathered in front of the secretariat, appealing to the Ministry of Public Administration for explanations and reconsideration of their appointments.