Age-limit to Apply for Government Service

Rising unemployment is one of the sectors that have been hit hard by the global pandemic. Bangladesh ranks at a noticeable position among the eight countries in South Asia in terms of unemployment rate. According to the newspapers, there are more than 26 lakh unemployed people in the country. Millions of students are passing out from the higher education institutions of the country every year. We can also estimate the rate of educated unemployed in the country from the point of view of the ratio of the number of job applicants to the number of vacancies in a government job.

Most of the recruitment exams have been suspended or postponed since March last year due to Covid-19 situation. As a result, millions of educated unemployed candidates eager to get government jobs are looking forward to facing recruitment tests. Among them are a large number of candidates who are already over 30 years of age. Since the age limit for applying for government jobs in Bangladesh is 30, millions of candidates who have crossed the age of 29 or 30 are in extreme despair and uncertainty.

For a long time, students have been agitating for rising the age in government services. Their demands are now intensifying as the recruitment tests have not been arranged for a long time due to the pandemic and we are witnessing the scene of demonstration of job seekers in social communication media every day.

The rationale for raising the age limit for applying for government jobs has increased considerably at the moment and I think it is time to refix the age limit for applying for government jobs from 30 to at least 32 years. To understand why the age should be 32 or more, it would be helpful to know the past history of the age-limit for applying for a job.

The past records say that the average life expectancy of the people during the War of Liberation and immediately after it was 46 years and then the age limit for entry into government service in this country was 27 years. When the average life expectancy later increased to 50 years, the age limit for entry into employment was increased from 27 to 30 years. And now in 2021, the average life expectancy has increased to 73 years, but the age limit for applying for a government job has not been increased, which is definitely irrational and illogical. 

In comply with the average life expectancy, age limit for government services should be 35 years or at least 32 years. Our Planning Minister recently argued in favor of extending the deadline in both cases by rearranging the deadline for entry into government service and retirement. He is in favor of this as our life expectancy, ability, performance and knowledge have increased.

In different countries of the world, the age limit for entry into government service is not the same. In neighboring India, for example, the age limit for entry into employment in various categories is 36 to 40 years. In Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan it is 35 to 45 years. Moreover, even in developed countries like the United States or France, the age limit for entry into employment is not less than 40 years. Compared to other countries, it is reasonable to alter the age-limit to apply in government services in our country.

I do not think it is appropriate to exclude skilled, talented and efficient people, regardless of their age. The highest age of application for government service in our country is one of the obstacles in the way of transforming our huge population into manpower. In our country, a student completes 23 or 24 years to get a master's degree with honors. Sometimes it takes 25 or 26 years to get university degrees if he or she is trapped in session jam. Again, the syllabus of the recruitment tests for any government or private job does not have much conformity with the academic examinations.

As a result, even after a student has completed his Honors or Masters degree, it takes another 2 or 3 years to understand the recruitment system and  preparation contents of any government or private job including BCS. In this way, many candidates turn 26 or 27 years old to make themselves qualify for the recruitment tests. And due to the fact that the much-desired BCS exams are not held frequently and due to procrastination in the examination process, many candidates cross their required age-limit.

It is to be noted that when the highest entry period for employment in Bangladesh was 27 years, the retirement age was also increased to 57 years. Now that our average life expectancy has increased to 73 years and the age of retirement from government service has been 59 years in the past due to increased life expectancy, the time limit for entry into that service now needs to be increased to at least 32 years. It is also important to have a balance between the age of entry and retirement.

At this critical moment of the Corona pandemic, it is known that more than one and a half lakh candidates have reached at the end of age-limit for government jobs. No major appointments have been made for more than a year. Last year, the rate of online employment circulars was decreased by 83 percent during the pandemic. Although there are thousands of vacancies, the employment circular is not being published.

Corona has also affected the private sector. Companies owned by many small and large individuals are closing down and in some cases, even if they do not close down, there are layoffs. Many institutions, including privately run kindergarten schools, are under threat today. Many educated youth are losing their jobs and returning to their village homes. Thus, unemployment is increasing at an alarming rate during the pandemic.

Many of them are over thirty years of age and are living in extreme depression and mental anguish. Considering their grief, the age limit for applying for government service can be raised to 32 years as an incentive in Corona stricken period.Since the age limit for application for physicians in government employment, judicial service and several quotas is still 32 years, the age limit for general candidates can also be raised to 32 years considering the loss during the pandemic.

Several institutions, including private banks in Bangladesh, have been publishing employment notices in newspapers mentioning the age limit for applying for government jobs as 30 years. I do not think it makes sense for this 30-year-old to be in private employment. Even though the age is over 30 years, there are millions of talented and skilled youth in this country. Not using all these talents to take the country forward means wasting national resources, I guess.

If the Corona situation comes under control, the government will open educational institutions from June 13, but it is not possible to arrange the recruitment tests with the participation of large number of candidates immediately. This means that we will have to wait for several more months, and even in these few months, thousands of candidates will cross the age of 30.

We cannot but acknowledge that the government, with an iron hand, is still combating the Corona situation with sufficient awareness. Today, the government is also applauded for providing financial incentives to various disadvantaged professional communities to keep the socio-economic condition of the country stable.

Thinking of Corona, the government paid relaxation in terms of age-limit in applying for all jobs other than the BCS exam last year and it was undoubtedly commendable. We hope that since the Corona situation has not yet returned to normal, the government will take necessary steps to alleviate the plight of millions of job seekers by rising the age of entry into all sectors of government services to 32 years, taking into account the miseries of  educated youth.


Badrul Huda Sohel, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Ishakha International University. E-mail: [email protected]