In the wake of repeated delays, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has renewed its recommendation to ease the quota system in government jobs, as it is not possible to overcome the problem relating to applying the system.

The PSC had made the proposal in March 2009. But it has not been implemented even after six years.

‘The commission thinks that it is very complex, difficult as well as time-consuming to apply the present quota-related regulations. It is almost impossible to select suitable candidates hundred percent flawlessly due to the complexity of the existing quota system,’ said the annual report-2014 of the PSC.

A delegation headed by PSC chairman Ekram Ahmed handed over the report to President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban on Thursday.

Currently, 45 percent of government jobs are open for merit-based selection and the remaining 55 percent is reserved for various quotas.

Of the quotas, 30 percent is for freedom fighters’ children and grandchildren, 10 percent for women, 10 percent for district quotas and 5 percent for indigenous communities.

The report said that it is humanly impossible to flawlessly solve the multidimensional equations regarding the cadre choices of candidates, as well as the numerical quota limits imposed to districts/divisions within the fixed time.

‘In this context the commission thinks it is indispensable to ease the existing quota application system to select suitable candidates through BCS examination. It is a must to ease the quota application system with a view to recruit through BCS examination and first and second class non-cadre posts,’ the report added.

The report mentioned that it proposed the government in 2009 to ease quota system by reviewing and analyzing in details the application of the quota system.

‘Freedom fighter, women and indigenous community quotas can be allocated at the national level, so that quotas can’t be divided on the basis of district/division or on the basis of the ratio of population of those districts/divisions. This type of quota can be distributed among the candidates on merit basis,’ the proposal said.

When contacted, PSC chairman Ekram Ahmed told UNB it is taking time to ease the quota system as the matter will be settled nationally. ‘I hope it will be finalized within a short time.’

A member of the PSC requesting anonymity told UNB that it is a sensitive decision as it might squeeze the expectations of candidates. PSC proposed the change taking opinions from different quarters.

Quota system was introduced in the country in 1972 through an executive order with a view to bringing disadvantaged citizens into the path of advancement.

Since then till 1976 only 20 percent of appointments were made on merit basis. But this was elevated to 40 percent in 1976. In 1985 the proportion was elevated to 45 percent.

In a special meeting of the PSC in 2012, it was decided that one percent quota will be fulfilled from the physically-challenged persons if suitable candidates are not available in other quotas.