Home
+
He says the commission is working to roll out changes before its tenure ends
Published : 24 Apr 2025, 10:06 PM
Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairman Mobasser Monem has said they are considering additional cuts to the marks allocated for the viva voce segment of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations.
The interim government has already trimmed the viva marks to 100 from 200 starting from the 47th BCS, as part of an amendment to the Bangladesh Civil Service (Age, Qualification and Direct Recruitment Examination) Rules, 2014.
The total marks for the exam were reduced from 1,100 to 1,000 in December 2024, primarily by cutting the viva component.
Speaking at the commission’s meeting room on Thursday afternoon, Mobasser said: “We are talking about 100 marks for viva from the 47th BCS.
“But we are thinking—why 100? If needed, we may bring it down to 50.”
Explaining the rationale, he said: “We’re exploring a concept called an assessment centre which involves psychometric analysis. We already know what kind of skills are mainly required for today’s Bangladesh Civil Service.
“But we are conducting research to define the core competencies, and the assessment centre parameters will likely be set based on that.”
He added that a portion of the assessment could be carried out digitally, without human interference.
“Then the remaining 50 marks could be used for a more traditional viva process. This is part of our long-term plan,” the chairman said.
He also said the commission would try to implement these reform measures within its current term.
