Women falling behind men in recent BCS exams

Though women in Bangladesh are advancing in various sectors, the number securing government jobs through the Bangladesh Civil Service or BCS exams has decreased.

State Minister for Public Administration Begum Ismat Ara Sadique presented a report on the issue in parliament on Sunday.

The proportion of successful women candidates has declined significantly in the past five BCS exams, according to the Public Service Commission or PSC report.

Women were well ahead of the male candidates in the final exam of 32nd BCS (Special). Since then the proportion has decreased.

>>In the 32nd BCS exams, women made up 55.1 percent of the successful candidates (923 persons), while men made up 44.9 percent (752)

>> In the 33rd BCS exams of successful candidates 38.26 percent (3,255 persons) were women while 61.74 percent (or 5,252 persons) were men

>> In the 34th BCS exams, women made up 35.62 percent of successful candidates (775 persons) while 64.38 percent (1,401 persons) were men

>> In the 35th BCS exams, 27.92 percent of successful candidates (609 persons) were women while 72.07 percent (1,572 persons) were men

>> In the 36th BCS exams, 26.22 percent (609 persons) of successful candidates were women while 73.78 percent (1,714 persons)

As the above statistics show, the highest number of women passed the 33rd BCS exams while the lowest number passed in the 35th and 36th BCS exams.

Analysis of the 36th BCS exam shows that 141,270 (66.86 percent) of the total 211,282 candidates, were from male, 70,006 were female (33.13 percent) and six (0.003 percent) were third gender.

Among these candidates 109,002 (79.70 percent) men and 2,777 (20.30 percent) women passed the preliminary exam. Only 1,210 (20.20 percent) women and 4,780 (79.80 percent) men passed the written exam. Finally, 1,714 (73.78 percent) men and 609 women (26.22 percent) passed the oral exam.