I have logically concluded that ours is a society where the more one knows, the more one suffers on all counts.
ISLAMABAD: The rules guiding recruitment in public sector organisations have long been regarded as a key issue for successful policy implementation, regulation and provision of services. Unfortunately, a merit-based system for recruitment does not prevail in Pakistan although one may find some exceptions to this norm. Many political analysts and commentators would agree with me that recruitment is done arbitrarily, with little or no reference made to merit. Qualifications are not taken into account in an objective way in choosing bureaucrats for specific jobs. Many commentators point to the lack of proper tests and interviews. Even if these are conducted, they are often seen as sham.
Those who have had an opportunity to work with public sector organisations, either in the federal government or in the provincial governments, always lament that the main problem is that government agencies are overstaffed, or at some places, understaffed and that employment rules in the public sector need improvement, giving priority to qualifications.
The most commonly used reference is to political interference in civil service appointments. Having the right personal connections is important to get a suitable or lucrative job or even to get a promotion in this country; otherwise, one has no option but to languish in the same grade for decades and decades even if one deserves to be promoted on merit. Nepotism is a major ill plaguing our country. Most social scientists note that there is no merit-based system for recruitment in my home province of Sindh, more or less in all departments, and especially in educational institutions. This means that family members, friends and political workers are recruited into the government.
I have logically concluded that ours is a society where the more one knows, the more one suffers on all counts and at all levels because merit is not valued in this country. Mediocre people are the power brokers here.
It is suggested that a more competitive recruitment system be introduced to choose a creative lot for this country, so people from less developed rural Pakistan are also given their due. Our rulers must keep in mind that merit is a must for good governance, and the overall development and sustainability of the country.
Hashim Abro
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2013.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
