Bangladesh Gov recruits only around 1% against 5% Quota in government jobs for indigenous peoples

Government recruits only around 1% against 5% Quota in government jobs for indigenous peoples

Chairman of Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) Ahmedul Huq Chowdhury stated that the policy on quota system for the cadre service should be implemented properly for all, including those for the tribal quota to ensure transparency in cadre service recruitment.

"Quota system is certainly a positive discrimination. It will not be violated during my tenure," he told a national seminar speaking as chief guest on "Job quota policy for Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ITP) and its Implementation," organised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) at the CBCB conference room in Dhaka on 22 December 2011.

Ahmedul Huq Chowdhury admitted that the tribal candidates are being deprived of in the absence of any clear cut guideline on tribal quota. Which, he described as based on a quite tough calculation. However, he suggested the tribal candidates should be competitive and hone their qualities. Otherwise other candidates will leave them behind. PSC chairman said the quota system should be precise and clear cut, eligible only for the first generation. If it continues for generations, some family will only be benefited from it. So it should be changed, he observed.

Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Mr. A T Ahmedul Haque Chowdhury, however, claimed that the PSC is ‘committed and sympathetic’ enough to ensure the reserved seats for the indigenous peoples. ‘We try to allot the quotas accordingly. Even, we remain the posts vacant and conduct special BCS examination such as 26th BCS special exam was held only to fill up the vacant seats by them’ Ahmedul said at the seminar. Emphasizing on the educational non-eligibility of the indigenous candidates, Ahmedul also called upon the indigenous candidates for preparing themselves as ‘more eligible’.

The government has been providing 5% quota in government jobs for the indigenous candidates and admission quota in educational institutions for the indigenous students since 1985.

About the recruitment policy in cadre service on tribal quota, Prof. Shourav Sikder said, there is a big problem in the tribal quota distribution system, having no clear cut way to avoid the five percent reserve post. He urged the BPSC to maintain the post for the different quota including tribal candidates to avoid any kind of smoke net in recruitment.

Presenting his key note paper prepared based on a recent study on the tribal quota in cadre services, Associate professor of Mass Communication and Journalism Robaet Ferdous said five per cent jobs were reserved for the tribal candidates along with freedom fighters (30 per cent), women (10 per cent) and district (10 per cent) quota in 1985. But since the introduction of tribal quota system on appointment in the cadre service of BPSC due to lack of special guidelines and follow of rules by it for the candidates from the tribes people, they are mostly deprived to make their presence in the services, he noted.

Five percent quota for the tribal candidates is not clear in the policy, for this reason only for the administration and police cadres are eligible. But seldom the candidates are being recruited in other cadres due to such hazed policy," he said. He suggested the government should clear the policy and mark the post in the tribal quota while advertising. Otherwise the tribal candidates will not get chance to work in the mainstream government service, Robaet Fedous noted.

As per the data available on different Bangladesh Civil Services (BCS) cadre recruitments, the existing 5% quota for the indigenous and tribal peoples was not filled up, study said. The researchers said ‘Merely 1-2 percent tribal quotas were fulfilled since the policy was adopted and unfortunately such vacant seats till 27th BCS were filled by the non-tribal candidates,’

While pointed out the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics’ list of the indigenous peoples where only 27 ethnic groups were listed as ‘tribal’, Ahmedul told that the PSC has no power to recruit the ‘non-listed’ ethnic groups’ candidates in the ‘Tribal Quota’ and added, although the PSC can pursue to the government as it is a ‘problem’ to ensure indigenous peoples rights regarding the government services.

The former PSC chairman Sadat Hussain, however said, any indigenous candidate who got the ‘tribal certificate’ from Deputy Commissioner is eligible to apply for the ‘tribal quota’.

Even the existing 5% quota for the indigenous peoples is not filled up properly as per the data available on different BCS cadre recruitments. The recruitments in the last six BCS examinations (24th-29th) show a diminutive representation of the indigenous candidates. Out of 1118 finally selected candidates for different cadre services in the 24th BCS recruitment, a total of 56 candidates were supposed to be recruited from the indigenous and tribal communities as per the existing 5% quota provision. But only 16 candidates (1.43%) were finally selected from indigenous peoples. Like this, in the 25th BCS, only 8 indigenous people in lieu of 137 candidates were selected out of total 2662 finally selected candidates for the recruitments in different cadres. In terms of percentage it was only 0.3% of the total recruitments. In the 26th BCS, only 2 indigenous candidates (0.19%) instead of 52 wer! e selected out of a total 1047 finally selected candidates.

Recruitment of indigenous peoples to the BCS cadres

Batch of BCS	No. of male recruitment	No. of female recruitment	Total recruitment
24th	12	4	16
25th	6	2	8
26th	2	-	2
27th	13	5	18
28th	7	1	8
29th	10	1	11
Total	50	13	63

It is mentionable that out of 63 recruited indigenous cadres to the BCS, 50 persons are from CHT and 13 persons are from plain land indigenous peoples. In terms of percentage 79% indigenous cadres are from CHT while only 13% are from plain land indigenous communities.

The discussants at the seminar made several recommendations including representation from the indigenous peoples in the PSC body, forming a monitoring committee to monitor the recruitment process and clear and comprehensive guideline on quota policy, making ITP related information available to the public.

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courtesy: Kapaeeng Foundation.