BRIEF FOR NCS

The merit principle involves two methods of recruitment & Promotion : Merit systems can be
broadly divided into "career systems" and "position-based systems."
In career systems, the objective is to ensure that initial entry to the civil service is based on the
knowledge of the candidates, generally as indicated by a relevant university degree or academic
credentials. Subsequent mobility and promotion allow movement within the civil service.

 Closed career systems make appointments through promotion from within the civil
service.
 Merit-based selection can be through a system of university-style competitive
examination (as in Pakistan and Korea), or by scrutinizing educational qualifications (as
in Singapore). Such methods are fair and command public confidence, but they define
the best person for any given job as the one that does well in examinations.
 Closed career systems (Belgium, France, and Japan are the clearest examples in the
OECD) make appointments through promotion from within the civil service.
In position-based systems the emphasis is placed on selecting the best-suited candidate for each
position to be filled, whether by external recruitment or via internal promotion or mobility.

 Position-based systems allow more open access, with lateral entry relatively common.
Merit criteria in both systems can include academic qualifications. In Belgium there are
five categories of required educational attainment, down to primary level for bluecollar
staff. An annex to the civil service law stipulates eligible degrees for specific occupations.
o To apply for a "general qualification" post, applicants can have any type of
university degree,
o while "specific qualification" posts require a particular degree (in economics,
engineering, law, etc.). Career systems can accompany this with criteria that
specify seniority or length of time in other posts.
 Position-based systems (e.g. Nordic countries, Commonwealth OECD countries, USA)
allow more open access to positions. But although position-based systems allow lateral
entry this rarely implies openness towards recruitment to mid- and top-level managerial
positions from outside government.
There is some convergence between career and position-based systems. For example in Spain, civil
servants are recruited through the classical entry examination (oposición), or by application
followed by an interview with an ad hoc commission (concurso). A combination (concurso-
oposición) provides for an entry examination, with successful candidates then being scrutinized
in relation to the needs of a particular job.

1|Page
  Personnel rules are also distinguished according to the degree to which they are
centralized. The UK, France, and more recently Sweden are centralized in that common
arrangements apply across all agencies even if an increasing proportion of the
recruitment takes place locally.
 This is in contrast to decentralized recruitment systems such as those found in the USA,
Germany, Denmark, and Norway. Again, increasing delegation is leading to some
convergence.

LATERAL ENTRY INTO CIVIL SERVICE

There has been much sound about the need for induction of talent from outside into senior
positions in the Government of Pakistan.
Arguments in favour of this lateral entry:

 The 21st century economy needs specialized skills and knowledge for policy-making and
administration.
 Outside talent from the private sector is more likely to be target - oriented, which will
improve the performance of the government.
 Lateral entry has been adopted by Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, the UK, the
Netherlands and the US.
 When civil servants are made to compete with outside talent, the lethargic attitude will
diminish and induce competition within the system. More competition will encourage
career civil servants to develop expertise.
 It is good option for a paradigm shift from a career-based to a post-based approach to
senior government jobs.
 Performance appraisals may be adopted from the armed forces, which could aid in weeding
out non-performers.
Arguments against Lateral Entry

 The width and depth of field experience which the civil services provide is not available
with outside talent.
 External talent cannot bridge the gap between policymaking and ground level
implementation than the career civil servants.e.g Private sector who ran Air India, Indian
Airlines and Vayudoot proved to be failures.
 Performance is vitally influenced by the enabling environment and the best managerial
capability cannot deliver results in an adverse operating environment.
 Interests and motivation vary from person to person. Therefore, short term entry of
officers through lateral entry might lead to corrupt practices.
 Large-scale lateral induction would amount to a vote of no-confidence in the government
personnel management system.

2|Page
 Challenges

 It is difficult to assess the performance of a secretary to the government due to

complex nature of the job. So it would be difficult to measure the performance of
lateral entrants.
 Discretion on lateral entry may pave the way to charges of being “politically
motivated”, which may degrade the system.

Way Forward

 A good managerial system encourages and nurtures talent from within instead of
seeking to induct leadership from outside.
 The remedy lies not through lateral induction but through more rigorous performance
appraisal and improved personnel management.
 Pakistan’s civil services need reform like insulation from political pressure and career
paths linked to specialization.
 The government can consider lateral entry to head certain pre-identified mission-
mode projects and public-sector entities where private-sector expertise actually
matters. It should be a mix up of both private sector and civil servants
 Liberalized norms that allow civil servants to work outside government with
multilateral agencies, nonprofits and corporations for short periods so that they get
exposure to market practices and fresh ideas.

3|Page