Dhaka: The cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal for abolishing the existing quota system in the recruitment process of first and second class government jobs.

The approval was given at the weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Prime Minister’s Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed reporters at the secretariat, reports the UNB.

‘Now, the recruitment to the first and second class jobs will be made directly on merit basis,’ the cabinet secretary said adding the quota system will be there only in class-3 and class-4 jobs.

The Ministry of the Public Administration will be informed about the cabinet’s decision by today or tomorrow, and it will issue a gazette notification in this regard later, said M Shafiul Alam.

On September 17, the Quota Review Committee, led by Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam, recommended abolishing the quota system from the 9th to 13th grades (1st class and 2nd class) of government jobs and submitted its report to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

On July 2, the government formed the seven-member committee to review the existing quota system in public service.

In April, students of public and private universities across the country waged a strong movement demanding reforms in the quota system in public service recruitment process.

In the face of the movement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced in parliament on April 11 the abolition of all types of quotas in government jobs.

But no gazette notification has so far been issued regarding the abolishment of the quota system as per the Prime Minister’s declaration.