Face-lock in vault and printing in own press to stop BCS question leaks

The Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) has taken strict measures to keep recruitment examinations for government jobs, including the BCS, free from question leaks, financial corruption and digital fraud, in order to protect the dreams of lakhs of educated and unemployed young people. From question setting to printing and storage, the entire process has been overhauled. Face-lock technology is being used, and the question papers are now printed in the PSC's own press.

The information was given during the question-and-answer session of the second sitting of the fourth session of the National Parliament on Tuesday (10 November). Speaker Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Bir Bikram, presided over the session.

Md. Abdul Bari, the representative in charge of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission Secretariat, gave the information in reply to a written question from Md. Abdullah, Member of Parliament for Munshiganj-1.

In his question, the MP had asked what strict and visible steps the commission had taken to keep the BCS and other government recruitment examinations completely free from question leaks, financial corruption and digital fraud, in order to protect the dreams earned through the blood and sweat of lakhs of educated, unemployed and aspiring young people.

In reply, Md. Abdul Bari outlined several modern and strict measures taken by the PSC in Parliament. Earlier, BCS question papers were printed at the BG Press or the Army Printing Press. Now they are printed at the PSC's own digital printing press.

The members and officials involved in printing the question papers stay inside the press from the start of printing until the examination is over. During this time they have no mobile phone or electronic device for communicating with the outside. The entire process is monitored by the PSC chairman himself.

The vault room used for BCS examinations has been modernised. Now only the concerned member and nominated officials can enter the vault room through 'face-lock'. Entry of the general public into the vault room area is completely prohibited. In addition, four police personnel are on duty round the clock for the security of the vault room where the question papers are stored.

Earlier, question setters prepared questions at home and submitted them to the commission. That method has now been changed. At present they come to the PSC, complete the question-setting work sitting in a confidential room, and submit it in a sealed condition directly to the concerned member. It is stored in the vault on the same day.

In addition, CCTV cameras have been installed in the question-setting and moderation rooms to ensure overall security.

A circular method has been introduced to bring transparency to the evaluation of written examination answer scripts. Under this method, examiners cannot take answer scripts home. They must come to the commission and evaluate the scripts in teams. Moreover, the process from receiving applications to publishing the final result has been automated.

It was stated in Parliament that since the preliminary examination results are prepared through OMR machines, there is no scope for corruption in it.

New rules have also been introduced for the oral or viva examination. Only 30 minutes before the examination begins is it decided which candidate will appear before which board and which expert will serve on which board. Since there is no opportunity to know this in advance, it was stated in Parliament that the transparency of the oral examination can be ensured one hundred percent.