Staff Correspondent

The movement to raise the age limit for entering public sector jobs to 35 years, which began over a decade ago, has built frsh momentum following recent political upheaval in Bangladesh.

The interim government has indicated a positive stance on increasing the age limit; however, it is not yet clear by how many years it will be extended.

“Raising the age limit is reasonable. There is no doubt about that,” Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, head of the Public Administration Reform Committee, said after a meeting with the reform movement leaders at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

The protesters, citing the fact that the age limit is over 35 in 162 countries, reiterated their demand for Bangladesh to follow suit.

Rasel Al Mahmud, a representative of the protesters, told bdnews24.com, “We have come with the demand to set the age limit to 35 years, as per international standards, with some conditions allowing for flexibility.”

However, two analysts pointed out several complications with implementing this change, including concerns about retirement benefits, adaptation to the job market, and a potential surge in the number of job applicants. Speaking to bdnews24.com, they highlighted these challenges.

The '35 Year Age Limit Coordination Council for Job Seekers' has been organising regular protests for years to push their agenda. However, the previous Awami League government repeatedly rejected the demand.

Amid widespread student protests, the interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, took office on Aug 5, following the fall of the Awami League government.

Since then, various groups have intensified their demands, including job seekers advocating for an age limit increase.

ARGUMENTS FOR RAISING THE AGE LIMIT

Following Bangladesh's independence, the age limit for government jobs was raised from 25 to 27 years. Later, in 1991, amid disruptions in educational institutions caused by session backlogs during the anti-autocracy movement against the military regime of president HM Ershad, the limit was further increased to 30 years.

Currently, candidates applying under the freedom fighter, disabled, and indigenous quotas are allowed an additional two years.

In 1982, during Ershad's military rule, the age limit was briefly set at 50 years for the appointment of 650 magistrates.

Khadija Khatun Mukta, one of the coordinators of the movement, said that session backlogs, international standards, the impact of COVID-19, political instability, recruitment corruption, and sporadic job announcements are key reasons behind the demand for an age limit increase.

When asked if the situation has improved, she said: “It’s true that session backlogs have decreased. Students of Dhaka University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, and medical colleges are graduating between 23 and 24 years of age.

"But national university students are still facing severe backlogs. They are also job seekers. What will happen to them?”

Mukta, a former student of Carmichael College in Rangpur, shared her own experience, saying: “I got my 2018 results one and a half years later, towards the end of 2019.

“But due to the pandemic, it took me another three years to complete my master’s, including waiting for the results. During that time, there were no job circulars.”

She also pointed to major session backlogs at several institutions, including the seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University, as well as Rajshahi, Chattogram, and Begum Rokeya universities.

Md Harun, another protester, told bdnews24.com: “Many places still have significant session backlogs. We lost two years due to COVID, and six more months were lost to the current political unrest and complications surrounding the election. Considering all these factors, we are demanding that the age limit be raised to 35 years.”

He added, “If we have more time to enter government jobs, after graduation, we could have seven or eight years. That way, I could work in the private sector while also trying for government jobs. If the government salary is too low, I wouldn’t feel the urge to leave the private sector.”

Speaking at a discussion, job seeker Al Kausar Miaji said: “In 33 years, not even a day has been added to the job application age limit. In contrast, the retirement age was raised from 57 to 59 in 2011.

"The logic was that their life expectancy had increased. Can we say that the life expectancy of the unemployed decreases, while that of bureaucrats increases?”

Comparing Bangladesh with other countries, he said: “Out of 195 countries, 162 have age limits over 35. In South Asia, some Indian states, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives have limits of 45. Only Bangladesh and Pakistan still have a 30-year limit.

“In the US and Canada, people can apply for jobs up to 59 years old, and in countries like the UK, Russia, South Korea, and Hong Kong, people can work until the day before their death.”

He argued that in countries where merit, competence, and fitness are the main criteria for employment, age should not be a determining factor.

IS AGE INCREASE A COMPLICATED ISSUE?

Former Local Government Secretary Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan describes the increase in retirement and entry age limits as a "delicate issue."

He said, "The matter of raising the entry age for jobs and the retirement age is very delicate. We must proceed with great care."

Shahid said it requires deep consideration regarding how much to raise the age limit.

Graduates usually enter the workforce at around 23 to 24 years old, and then they have seven years to sit for exams, allowing them to attempt three exams.

"If the age limit is raised, they may have the chance to sit for two more exams. This creates opportunities for them, and new entrants will also face challenges," he explained.

He said that since graduation exams are typically conducted on time, the previous age limits could still be maintained.

He noted that there has not been session congestion since the semester system was introduced in universities.

"Therefore, graduates are completing their degrees and can take job exams right after passing their honours exams," he said.

The former secretary said no analysis is available regarding the impact of maintaining the age limit at 30.

He highlighted the importance of understanding how many years individuals will work,as failing to complete 25 years means they will not qualify for their full pension.

Discussing a case from last June, he pointed out the phenomenon of candidates leaving a Bangladesh Civil Service, or, BCS, cadre job for a non-cadre position, suggesting that increasing the entry age may lead to more such trends, which could result in many candidates losing opportunities and ongoing manpower shortages in various government institutions.

Former additional secretary and author on public administration, Firoz Mia, believes that increasing the age limit should only be a temporary measure.

He said, "The arguments being made about the pandemic, the current hiring freeze, etc., justify a temporary increase. However, it shouldn’t be universal."

He added that for lower-tier positions, candidates are already eligible at 18, so raising the age to 35 would be unreasonable. "While it might be appropriate for cadre services or similar roles, it should not be permanent."

Firoz argued that if job seekers are limited to age 35, there may not be a viable age left for them to become self-sufficient if they don’t succeed in obtaining a government job.

He emphasised that the previous government had extended the limit temporarily due to the pandemic, and that such adjustments should not be permanent.

CONCERNS OVER OLDER CANDIDATES

Former public administration minister Farhad Hossain expressed concerns about not raising the age limit due to the anticipated increase in applicants and the better performance of younger candidates in competitive exams.

He said, "In the 43rd BCS, the majority of recommended candidates were younger (23-25), while those over 29 were the least recommended."

Citing the Public Service Commission or PSC’s 2023 report, he said among the successful candidates, only 1.67 percent were over 29, while 39.90 percent were aged 23 to 25.

Shahid referenced Farhad's comments, saying: "Older candidates may not perform as well due to the educational advantages of fresh graduates."

He highlighted the psychological aspects of hiring, noting that if a younger employee supervises an older one, it could create challenges.

Shahid recalled a time during the Ershad government when the age limit was raised to 50 for magistrate appointments, resulting in poor performance from older appointees.

Firoz shared his view that older candidates may struggle to adapt to the workplace, highlighting that differences in energy levels could lead to coordination issues.

PENSION COMPLICATIONS

Shahid raised concerns that extending the age limit for entering jobs may create complications regarding full pension benefits.

He noted that unless someone completes 25 years of service, they are not entitled to full pension benefits, saying: "In that case, the retirement age will be 60. If someone works for less than 25 years, a couple more years will need to be added. This raises the question of why their retirement age isn’t being extended."

“If the retirement age is increased, it won’t only apply to those entering jobs at 35. If the retirement age is raised, it will halt promotions within the five-year period after recruitment.”

This year’s Tk 8 trillion budget includes 16 percent allocated for salaries and allowances of public servants, amounting to at least Tk 815.80 billion.

Shahid said creating new posts to address unemployment would increase the government’s financial burden.

He said, “There is a significant argument that the number of public servants is already large. The question arises as to whether we need such a big government. Should we make the government even larger when the focus is on reducing its size?”

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, or BBS, based on the International Labour Organization, or ILO, standards, the number of unemployed people in Bangladesh stood at approximately 2.59 million as of March 2024.

Shahid suggested increasing the retirement age only for those entering jobs at an older age to avoid pension complications.

“The solution would be to fix a period for those who join at 35. If they don’t serve 25 years, they won’t receive the full pension, so the retirement age could be extended to 65 for them. However, raising the retirement age for everyone wouldn’t be logical, as it would reduce job opportunities,” he said.

Meanwhile, protester Mukta called for a reasonable reform of the pension system, saying that pension should be based on the years of service.

She said aligning the retirement age with the entry age could be a viable solution if full pension benefits are not possible.

Former secretary Shahid warned that reducing opportunities in government jobs could further complicate employment, adding: “There are just over 1.9 million government jobs, with several hundred thousand vacancies. Every year, 70,000 to 80,000 people retire or leave due to other reasons.”

“We are producing hundreds of thousands of graduates every year. According to government data, there are 2.6 to 2.7 million educated unemployed, while outside estimates suggest 4.0 to 4.2 million. How many jobs are there in comparison?”

Recent data from the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, or BIDS, shows that the unemployment rate in Bangladesh is 3.6 percent, with youth unemployment making up almost 80 percent. About 30 percent of young people lack education, training, or employment.

To address the unemployment issue, Shahid advised looking beyond government jobs.

“Not everything has to be done within the government sector. We need to focus elsewhere,” he said.

“Our focus is on securing a government job, but there are very few positions between grades 9 and 20. We need to think about that too,” he added.

On the other hand, protester Harun expressed optimism that if the age limit for government jobs is extended, the private sector might follow suit, increasing opportunities in that sector as well.

AGE LIMITS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

India’s Union Public Service Commission, or UPSC, sets the minimum entry age for jobs at 21 years and the maximum at 32 years, particularly for recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service, or IAS.

However, there are relaxations in the upper age limit for certain groups. Scheduled Castes and Tribes get an extension of up to five years, backward communities and injured commission officers get an additional three years, while persons with disabilities are granted a 10-year extension.

Age limits for state government jobs in India vary by state.

For instance, in West Bengal, the upper limit for some jobs is 40 years, and in Telangana, it is 46 years.

According to the guidelines of Sri Lanka’s Public Service Commission, the minimum entry age for public sector jobs is 18 years, with the upper limit extended to 45 years in some cases. The maximum age was previously 35 years, but in February 2020, the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government extended it to 45 years.

In Pakistan, the entry age limit for public service jobs is similar to Bangladesh’s, generally set at 30 years. However, the upper age limit is relaxed to 32 years for certain communities, including Scheduled Castes, Buddhists, some indigenous groups, and residents of Balochistan and Jammu and Kashmir.

In Nepal, the general age limit for public and parliamentary service jobs is between 18 and 35 years, with extensions up to 40 years for women and persons with disabilities. For senior positions such as undersecretary and joint secretary, the upper age limit can be as high as 45 years. In the healthcare sector, the minimum entry age is 21, while the maximum is set at 45 years.

In Bhutan, under the rules of the Royal Civil Service Commission, the minimum age for entering government service is 18 years, while the upper age limit is 40 years.