The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The results of 27th Bangladesh Civil Service examinations have been published after long delays and legal wrangles.

Chairman of the Public Service Commission Dr Sa'adat Hussain told bdnews24.com yesterday: "The results have been published after 16 months of tireless efforts."

"I had said last month the results would be out within 35 working days. We have managed to publish them before that." Some 10,412 examinees have passed the 27th BCS exams, with the names of 3,239 being recommended for appointment. Of them, 822 women have been recommended under the 25 percent female quota.

The PSC said the results have been published in two categories-a merit quota and a priority quota.

Allegations of question leaks, politicisation, bribery and nepotism over past years have marred the transparency of the BCS exams.

The PSC posted an advertisement on June 28, 2005 for the 27th BCS exams, seeking applications for 1,776 vacant posts.

As many as 1,36,105 people applied and 1,18,339 took the exams. Of them, over 26,000 examinees passed written tests. The authorities recalled 16,418 for vivas.

The PSC declared 3,567 candidates successful after the oral tests, asking the authorities to appoint them.

However, the interim cabinet cancelled the viva results of the 27th BCS exams on May 30, 2007, to "restore trust of the people in the Public Service Commission" and establish transparency in the wake of several news reports over irregularities.