Bangladesh's Public ServiceCommission (PSC) is a constitutionally mandated custodian ofmerit-based recruitment to the civil service. In practice,however, it is perceived to be a weak organization that hasnot always well-managed the recruitment process. Since the1990s the media has reported politicized appointment of itsmembers. Recently there have been allegations of examinationirregularities, including leakage of question papers of thecivil service examinations. The management of the PSC andits role in civil service recruitment has departed fromcomparative administrative practice. This note argues thatthe PSC's independence from micromanagement by theexecutive, and its improved management of the civil serviceexamination are critical for its credibility to uphold themerit principle. It lists short- and medium-term actionsthat could help in restoring the PSC's intended roleand functions. PSCs are common in administrative traditionswhere the appointed executive is meant to be permanent,politically neutral and unaligned to any particularpolitical party or group of elected officials. A PSC forms acritical piece of the public sector's good governanceframework by providing a check and balance between thegovernment's interest and its employee'sinterests. In recruitment, which is an important element ofcivil service management, the PSC protects thegovernment's interest by selecting the best amongavailable candidates for a particular position.
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