Raising age limit for govt jobs is no panacea

The decade-old demand of jobseekers to raise the maximum age to applying for government jobs from 30 to 35 years has again resurfaced following Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury's recent letter to the Ministry of Public Administration. In his letter, the minister proposed increasing the age ceiling for entering government service to 35 years. Following this development, a group of students from different educational institutions launched a movement from the Dhaka University campus in support.
As expected, the protesting students demanded that the maximum age for entry into government service is extended by five years considering the fact that it takes a long time for them to complete their academic life. They said that graduation in many cases is not completed until a student reaches 27 or 28 years due to 'session jam' and other reasons. And by the time they complete their graduation, it's too late to prepare for Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) exam. They also argue that skill should be the primary determinant of a job seeker's qualification, not age. Examples of the US and other countries have also been cited where the age ceiling for entry into government service is higher.
In the nineties, the age for competing civil service entry had already been extended by three years. Also at that time, the same argument was given that owing to academic backlog students could not complete their education in time to sit for the civil service exam. So an age-limit extension of three years was brought into effect.
Over the last decade or so, groups of students from different universities repeatedly organised demonstrations at frequent intervals seeking a further extension of five years, but to no avail. In response to the Education Minister's letter, the Public Administration Minister said the government has no plan at the moment to extend the age limit. He said the government's priority is to recruit fresh graduates.
Although the extension of the age ceiling is a popular demand -- especially among the youth -- many don't share the enthusiasm for another extension. They think the argument for the extension itself is weak. The very fact that session jams are causing undue prolongation of academic life is itself an anomaly. It should be ended instead of giving it permanence by adjusting it to other normal routines of administration.
Amidst rising unemployment, the economic slowdown and uncertainty in the private job market, a government job is like gold dust. Therefore, the job seekers' desire to have an extended period to prepare themselves and qualify for a government job is understandable. Statistics, however, present a disquieting scenario for the aged candidates.
A recently disclosed report of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) shows that a significant portion of the top performers in the recent BCS exams are from a younger age bracket. Approximately 40 per cent of candidates in the 41st BCS and about 38 per cent in the 43rd BCS fall within the age range of 23 to 25 years. Conversely, the older candidates have demonstrated lower success rates. In the 41st BCS, around 13 per cent and in the 43rd BCS, approximately 16 per cent of candidates are aged 27 years or older, while only 1-2 per cent of candidates are above 29 years of age.
Some analysts believe it would not be a good idea to keep a large number of youths waiting for BCS until they reach 35 years of age, as this may further diminish their chances of establishing themselves in the private sector job or launching a start-up. Thirty-five is past the age when someone, without relevant experience or training, can be considered a good candidate to hire by any private organization.
Meanwhile, it is extremely disturbing to know that while job-seekers are rallying for an age limit extension in government service and facing police batons and lawsuits, about half a million posts remain vacant in the public administration due to slow and cumbersome recruitment processes.
The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) laid out a roadmap in 2020 to complete the entire BCS examination process within a year, but the plan is still on the back burner. It took the PSC no less than four years to complete the entire process for the 41st BCS examination. The final results of the 43rd BCS were published after more than three years of initiating the recruitment process, but a gazette notification finalizing their recruitment is yet to be published. Thus, the government job aspirants continue to waste time as the examination and recruitment process consume at least four years of their careers.
Many, therefore, believe that rather than extending the age ceiling, efforts should be directed towards reducing academic backlogs at universities and streamlining the recruitment process for government jobs. If the PSC can conduct the BCS exam annually and students can complete their graduation timely, they will have the opportunity to sit for at least six BCS exams before reaching the age of 30. For those who are not fortunate enough to secure a government job even after numerous attempts, it's essential to understand that this is not the end of the world for them. They can and should be exploring alternative career options simultaneously.

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