New policy claims merit would be followed in process of filling all vacancies at the federal level
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government on Saturday issued its first ever recruitment policy for federal services, autonomous bodies and corporations, a little over a month after it lifted a ban on recruitment for federal jobs.
The new policy claims that merit would be followed in the process of filling all vacancies at the federal level.
The PML-N government, which claims it earlier banned recruitment against federal jobs because previously government jobs were being doled out on political basis, says it wanted to open employment opportunities on the basis of merit irrespective of political affiliations.
The ban was lifted through an Establishment Division notification issued on Sept 25.
According to Establishment Division, the policy will be applicable to ministries, divisions, attached departments, subordinate offices, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, corporations, companies and authorities.
According to the policy, recruitments to posts in BPS-16 and above shall continue to be made through the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC). Initial appointments to posts which are required to be made on all-Pakistan basis shall be made under rule-14 of the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion & Transfer) Rules, 1973.
The policy says that initial appointments to posts in BPS-3 to BPS-15 and equivalent in offices which are required to serve only in a particular province or Region shall be filled by appointment of persons domiciled in the province or region, according to rule-15 of the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion & Transfer) Rules, 1973.
The press release says that departments have been told to fill vacancies in BPS-1 and BPS-2 ordinarily on local basis under rule-16 of the law.
Initial appointments shall be made strictly in accordance with provisions contained in the concerned post’s recruitment rules, in the absence of which concerned ministries are first required to lay down the eligibility conditions for such appointments.
No recruitment shall be made in the absence of approved recruitment rules, says the press release.
No Objection certificates (NOC) from the Surplus Pool of the Establishment Division shall continue to be obtained for all recruitment.
The vacancies in each ministry, division, department, autonomous body, corporation, as per the provincial or regional quota, shall be advertised through widely published national, provincial and regional newspapers, it says. A minimum 15-day period shall be given to receive applications.
Applicants will be required to apply on a prescribed format without being asked for copies of educational qualifications and other documentary details. Candidates may be asked to bring original certificates and documents at the time of their interviews or written tests.
The policy also directs that special quotas for region or province, women, minorities and non-Muslims, disabled persons, or other quotas should be clearly indicated in the vacancy advertisements.
All ministries, divisions, departments, attached departments, subordinate offices, autonomous bodies, semi-autonomous bodies, corporations, and authorities are required to finalise recruitments within 60 days of the date of advertisement.
Administrative ministries and divisions shall ensure merit and transparency in the recruitment process at all levels, says the policy.
To ensure merit the policy clearly states that candidates using or attempting to use any extraneous influence at any level shall be liable to be disqualified.
Draft advertisements to be published for recruitment may be submitted to the Establishment Division, which will route it to the Ministry of Information. No direct advertisements would be placed by any organisation.