THIS is apropos the news item ‘Three eminent lawyers to scrutinise quota system for CSS induction’ (Oct 9). A fixed quota for smaller provinces and women (formally called ‘affirmative action’), although practised internationally to mitigate economic differences among communities, should not be a hurdle for meritorious candidates in joining the civil service.

For the last many years, CSS seats in Sindh and Balochistan are left unfilled because not enough candidates are able to pass CSS examinations.

At the same time, a large number of candidates from Punjab, even after passing written examinations and interviews, do not get allocations.

Although rights of provinces have to be protected, at the very least, the seats left vacant in any province should be given to the candidates from other provinces who have passed all examinations.

Why let the vacancies go unfilled to the detriment of bureaucracy and governance in the name of fixed quota?

Also, provincial governments should make arrangements to enhance the quality of education, as affirmative action (quota system) is merely a temporary arrangement until education quality is enhanced.

Talha Basharat

Islamabad

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2019