Business

Dismal results: Most bureaucrats screened out by LUMS test

Officials were seeking postings in trade missions abroad

Peer Muhammad October 17, 2015

PHOTO: LUMS

ISLAMABAD: Most bureaucrats have failed the screening process of the examination conducted by the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) for postings at trade missions abroad.

The results’ announcement revealed that only 62 candidates, out of a total of 264, cleared the screening test that is held as a precursor to narrow down the prospective applications ahead of the written and interview part of the process. The candidates included officials at the Commerce Ministry who were seeking postings of trade officers in various Pakistani missions in foreign countries.

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LUMS announced the results after the Islamabad High Court (IHC)-issued stay order, obtained by trade officers posted abroad to seek an extension to their three-year term, expired. The screening test was conducted in May before the IHC intervened to stop the university from announcing the results.

Results revealed that the 264 candidates - from the public and private sectors - competed for 41 positions of trade officers, the break-up of which included nine positions in basic pay scale (BPS)-18, 26 slots in BPS-19 and six in BPS-20.

A senior official at the Ministry of Commerce confirmed that most senior bureaucrats, seeking the position, had failed to qualify.

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Some of the notable candidates who failed to clear the screening process included Ministry of Commerce Joint Secretary Import and Export Muhammad Ashraff, deputy secretary Shafiq Shahzad and deputy secretary Fasiullah.

It is worth mentioning that the government had set the bar higher for the screening process, increasing the percentage marks required to clear the test from 40% to 60%. The official said the higher threshold was the reason behind the failure of most bureaucrats.

Additionally, under the new criteria, the government has also specified 80% passing marks for the written test, which would be held later, and 20% for the interview process instead of the earlier 40% and 60%, respectively.

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The Ministry of Commerce will conduct the interviews through the Special Selection Board (SSB) in the coming week.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2015.

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COMMENTS (13)

Mudathir Shah | 9 years ago | Reply The idea of outsourcing the test to LUMS was a bad one from the outset. Those sitting outside the bureaucracy (sometimes who could not even make it to that place) cannot judge it. The LUMS cannot be a judge of what it does not know. It may make good MBA who become employees of big shot Non-MBAs but it cannot make or select good trade officers working in the Government of Pakistan. No Sir, neither LUMS nor those supporting LUMS test have any idea of what the trade officers go through while serving abroad. This whole exercise is wastage of public funds (and that too in the name of saving public funds) by giving this ludicrous theka (contract) to LUMS. How much money is being made by LUMS and that person who introduced this non-starter method? The better alternative is to empower and modernize FPSC and the National School of Public Policy.

RMQ | 9 years ago | Reply Should verify their Degrees first, if they are even genuine.

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Parvez | 9 years ago | Reply If a test were given to judge the IQ's of our parliamentarians ..... the results would be hilarious.

Brar | 9 years ago | Reply Strange the service commission selects the cream from the bulk of the applicants and what is the logic behind this test it implies that you have no faith in your service selection commission here any IAS,IPS, IRS officers cannot be charge sheeted without prior approval of the Union Public service commission as claim that we choose best out of the best.

Farhan Mustafa | 9 years ago | Reply Wish there should be some test for the legislator amongst most have no leadership skills.

Ussama Yaqub | 9 years ago | Reply Why is this a surprise? Our civil services system is outdated still following the colonial system that was in place at the time of the British. One only needs to visit any government department to meet any such 'civil servant' and gauge his\her caliber! They still live in another era. I doubt they would be able to pass any modern aptitude test!

Rollin & Trollin | 9 years ago | Reply Pakistan doesn't have anything to trade in the first place, what difference does it make if those taking the test pass or fail ? However what knowledge they lack in WTO rules and regulations, they more than make up for in giving the bureaucratic runaround and 'chumcha' protocols. Now let's see if LUMs students can pass that test of tests ?

ashar | 9 years ago | Reply completely ridiculous exercise. Asking a 20 grader to solve quick math means he has to fail. Lums has not experience of teaching beyond curriculum, instead this job should have been assigned to NIM

zain | 9 years ago | Reply if bureaucrats have failed this test just imagine how would our retired Generals would perform in these test who are directly posted as Ambassadors in many countries

Bizenjo | 9 years ago | Reply Now I'm curious see the test paper, does anyone know whether we can access it from somewhere?

ishrat salim | 9 years ago | Reply Such results not surprising. Our lawmakers & members of Parliament will also fail in good number.

Reality Check | 9 years ago | Reply the finest minds indeed

IBN E ASHFAQUE | 9 years ago | Reply Bureaucrats will find a way around this hurdle very soon. When has merit and competence become a requirement for success in Pakistan? Even most of legislature are incompetent and corrupt but look they can manage the country by hook or crook. Why merit is required for the executive?........

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