SPSC approves reforms to boost 'impartiality and merit'

The Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) — one of the country's oldest constitutional bodies established under Article 242 — has rolled out a series of reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, merit and impartiality in the provincial civil service recruitment process.

As part of this renewed drive, recruitment procedures have been modernised, security enhanced, and systems aligned with international best practices.

According to an official handout, the commission held several meetings in which key decisions were made. These included the establishment of a strong room and the introduction of stricter security protocols in the wake of the 2024 Secondary School Teacher (BPS-16) paper leak incident.

To facilitate applicants, an online document submission system has also been launched. In compliance with Supreme Court directives, the SPSC has approved the maintenance of a waiting list for the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE). This was formalised through an amendment to Regulation 148 of the SPSC Recruitment Management Regulations 2023, after approval from the Sindh cabinet and law department.

To curb irregularities, the commission amended Regulation 45(A), under which candidates found guilty of exam misconduct will face a five-year ban.

A longstanding issue of quota allocations for candidates from Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur Municipal Corporations has also been settled. After consultation with the law department and Sindh cabinet, it was decided that the existing arrangement would continue on the basis of municipal boundaries as they stood before 2021.