Panel suggests BCS preliminary test without MCQs

A parliamentary watchdog has recommended dropping multiple choice questions (MCQs) from the preliminary test of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations.

Currently, job seekers have to sit a one-hour-long 100 mark MCQ exam in the preliminary test administered by Public Service Commission (PSC).

After that, they face a written exam and a viva.

During a meeting on Tuesday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Public Administration also suggested finding an alternative merit-based test system, the Parliament Secretariat says.

However, committee chief HN Ashikur Rahman told reporters they were “still experimenting” with the issue.

The panel will have another meeting on the issue later, he said.

One of its members, Mustafa Lutfullah, told reporters, "Most of the committee members think the MCQ system in the BCS tests should be dropped."

Another official, who attended the meeting, told bdnews24.com that the Prime Minister's Political Adviser HT Imam also agreed with the committee members at the meeting.

The PSC is changing the preliminary test system and plans to put the new one in effect from the 35th BCS examinations.

The commission in May sent a proposal to the public administration ministry to raise the preliminary exam marks to 300 from 100 and time to three hours from one hour.

PSC officials say the move aims to cut down the huge number of job seekers who qualify in the preliminary test.

Many have also questioned the 200-mark viva saying this provides the scope for nepotism.