CURRENTLY, the Employees’ Old-age Benefits Institution advertises jobs through the National Testing Service (NTS). But, it is painful that the NTS charges a very high test-fee from poor and unemployed young people.

For the first test, the NTS charged Rs900 (more than double of what any public service commission charges) for a post. On June 30, the NTS declared the results of the test, but announced another written test for qualifying candidates. Successful candidates will have to pay another Rs900 in order to appear in the next test.

This is sheer injustice. We, the unemployed youth, will have to pay twice for one post. In addition, I found an anomaly in a result: a failed candidate (Roll#39220307) has been qualified for the next phase. There might be more cases like that.

All this makes the promised credibility and meritocracy of the NTS very suspicious. Has it become another of Pakistan’s inefficient and corrupt organisations?

Aamir Shehzad
Lahore

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2014