More than 26,000 applications for 31 posts in three federal bodies

Just two federal government jobs reserved for candidates from Balochistan attracted 651 applications, while three attached organisations

Islamabad:  Just two federal government jobs reserved for candidates from Balochistan attracted 651 applications, while three attached organisations recorded another 26,335 applications for 31 posts, according to a government reply to a Senate question moved by Senator Humayun Mohmand.

The documents provide details of the recruitment process, written test and interview marks, selection committee members and appointment orders for two posts in the Establishment Division. They also list recruitment figures for the Secretariat Training Institute, AHK NCRD and the Federal Public Service Commission.

The two posts in the Establishment Division were one Statistical Assistant in Basic Pay Scale 15 and one Data Entry Operator in Basic Pay Scale 14. Both were reserved under the six percent Balochistan quota. The vacancies were advertised in newspapers on October 2, 2022, and attracted 651 applications from candidates holding Balochistan domiciles.

Of these applicants, 370 applied for the Statistical Assistant position and 281 for the Data Entry Operator position.

For the Statistical Assistant post, Nawab Khan secured the highest total of 71.1 marks, with 44.1 marks in the written test and 27 in the interview. He was recommended as the principal candidate. Tahir Iqbal secured 61.4 marks, with 43.4 in the written test and 18 in the interview, and was placed as the alternative candidate.

The other candidates who appeared for the interview were Muhammad Yahya, who obtained 55.7 marks, and Abdul Saboor, who secured 54 marks. The selection committee records show that five candidates had been shortlisted for the post, but only four appeared for the interview.

For the Data Entry Operator position, Syed Muhammad Asif obtained the highest total of 89.6 marks, including 61.6 in the written test and 28 in the interview. He was recommended as the principal candidate.

Muhammad Raza secured 76.3 marks, with 55.3 in the written test and 21 in the interview, and was recommended as the alternative candidate. The other candidates who appeared were Muhammad Ali Shafiq, with 73.4 marks, Maria Masood, with 71.3, and Furqan Noor, with 69.3. The committee had shortlisted six candidates for interview, but only five appeared.

The selection committee used a system in which the written test carried 70 percent of the weight and the interview carried 30 percent. Its meeting was held on January 26, 2023, at the Establishment Division in Islamabad.

The committee was headed by the Joint Secretary for Administration, Basic Pay Scale 20. Its two members were the Deputy Secretary for Administration II and the Deputy Secretary for CP IV, both in Basic Pay Scale 19.

Appointment orders dated March 1, 2023, show that Nawab Khan and Syed Muhammad Asif were appointed to the two posts with effect from February 18, 2023. Both appointments were made on a temporary basis under the six percent Balochistan quota.

Nawab Khan was appointed as Statistical Assistant in Basic Pay Scale 15, with a basic pay scale ranging from Rs23,920 to Rs33,320, plus allowances allowed under the rules. Syed Muhammad Asif was appointed as Data Entry Operator in Basic Pay Scale 14, with a basic pay scale ranging from Rs22,530 to Rs29,730, plus admissible allowances.

The orders placed both employees on probation for one year, which could be extended for another year under the stated conditions.

The reply also provided figures for recruitment in three attached organisations. The Secretariat Training Institute listed nine posts that attracted 8,048 applications. These included one Assistant post in Basic Pay Scale 15, which received 2,268 applications; five Stenotypist posts in Basic Pay Scale 14, which received 1,742 applications; one Upper Division Clerk post in Basic Pay Scale 11, which received 1,629 applications; and two Lower Division Clerk posts in Basic Pay Scale 9, which received 2,409 applications.

AHK NCRD listed three posts and 168 applications. One Assistant post in Basic Pay Scale 15 received 141 applications. A Stenotypist post reserved for the Punjab women quota received 21 applications, while another Stenotypist post under the Punjab minority quota received six.

The Federal Public Service Commission listed 19 posts and 18,119 applications. Eight Assistant posts in Basic Pay Scale 15 attracted 10,506 applications. Five Upper Division Clerk posts in Basic Pay Scale 11 received 4,363 applications, while six Lower Division Clerk posts in Basic Pay Scale 9 received 3,250 applications.

These figures show strong competition for clerical positions across the three organisations, with the largest number of applications recorded by the FPSC. The attached records also include names and marks of candidates interviewed by the relevant organisations, along with details of their selection committees, interview dates and venues.

According to the schedules, interviews at the Secretariat Training Institute took place on January 25 and 26, 2023. The AHK NCRD interview record lists March 13, 2023, while FPSC records include interviews held in July 2023 and October 2024 at its headquarters in Islamabad.