Civil services structure: '16 years of education for CSS exams to be mandatory from 2017'

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said here on Thursday that 16 years of education would be made mandatory from 2017 for appearing in competitive civil service examination to induct professionals and improve the civil services structure. The age limit for the candidates of civil service examination would also be increased by two years, said the minister while talking to media after the conclusion of 2nd Pakistan Governance Forum organised by Planning Commission in collaboration with United Nation Development Programme (UNDP).
Ahsan Iqbal said an exchange programme is going to be launched for the capacity-building of the civil servants, while governance structure of the country would be rectified. The minister claimed that due to good governance of the government, law and order, energy and economic indicators have improved in 2015 as compared to 2013.
Earlier, several panels submitted their recommendation to the forum. According to the Tax Reform panel, low tax-GDP ratio, narrow tax base, low compliance level/lack of enforcement, weak audit, lack of automation, complicated business processes and tax exemptions are key challenges in the country. Ease of doing panel, chaired by Secretary Board of Investment, made several recommendations for "Ease of Doing Business" in the country, including simplification of rules, regulations & procedures to enhance encouraging one-window mechanism in every business area, particularly in getting construction permits, registering property and paying taxes, introduction of investor-friendly taxation regime with focus on reducing corporate tax, effective monitoring and accountability, in the context of CPEC, a scientific study/strategy may be developed for the local production capacity enhancement, including raw material requirements and ensuring transparency and awareness of public sector policies to promote prospects for more investment.
Aliya Rashid, Director General (Awareness & Prevention of Corruption), representing the panel on Accountability & Transparency said that whistle blower act is on the card to ensure accountability, transparency and open government.
She said that Prevention Committee on Tax evasion has finalised its recommendations and forwarded the same to the government for implementation. These recommendations, she added, include use of automation, separation of regulatory and implementation function from FBR, foreign remittance/foreign assets and withdrawal of Section 111(4), measures to maximise documentation of economy and broadening of tax base and introduction of foolproof system to collect tax from professionals and others.
Civil Service Reform group recommended that promotion has to be earned based on integrity, competence, performance, public service, vision, leadership and team-building. They further recommended that compensation should commensurate with the level of responsibility, while selection on able posts through competitive process for a fixed tenure.