ISLAMABAD, March 4: The Federal Public Service Commission has notified new rules for promotional examination for BS-19.

To be held in April, the examinations are mandatory for the promotion of BS-18 officers of occupational groups and services to BS-19 under the new promotion policy.

Under the rules, all government officers of the constituted occupational groups and services holding posts in BS-18 on regular basis are required to appear in the promotion examination within seven years of their appointment the post, provided that officers who may have completed four years or more in BS-18 before issuance of the instruction may be required to pass the examination within three years of the first examination.

In case of persons posted outside Pakistan in embassies, in international agencies, with foreign governments or pursuing higher studies outside Pakistan with the approval of the government, the period of their foreign posting or training may be added to the prescribed period.

Failure to appear in the examination within the prescribed time shall be construed as failure to pass the examination and it shall be treated as evidence of inefficiency for the purpose of section 13(1)(i) of the Civil Servants Act, 1973, and the Removal from Service (Special Power) Ordinance, 2000.

Total number of papers will be five, each for 100 marks, including three general papers common for all groups and two professional papers, separate for each group.

Qualifying marks would be 50 per cent and the examination should be passed as a whole and not in parts. Failure to qualify in one or more papers will be treated as failure in the examination.

The candidate shall be allowed three chances for passing the examination and failure to qualify the exam in the first and second chance shall render the officer liable for deferment to promotion. The third failure will render the employee ineligible for promotion.