47th BCS Candidates Announce Boycott; PSC Firm on November 27 Exam Date

Candidates of the 47th BCS written examination have announced a full boycott of the upcoming exam, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow, November 27th.

The decision was announced at a press conference held at Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University on Wednesday, November 26th, following a series of protests demanding an extension of the exam time.

Candidates, represented by Saif Murad, alleged that the Public Service Commission (PSC) ignored their fair demands, resulting in a discriminatory situation between "old" candidates (who sat for another written exam just three months ago) and "new" candidates who lack adequate time to prepare.

Saif Murad alleged that 40-50 students were injured during their long-running movement, with some sustaining serious head injuries requiring multiple stitches. He claimed it is impossible for the injured to sit for the exam, yet no representative from the PSC or the government has reached out.

The candidates claimed many are not in a state of factual participation due to the un-changed schedule. They were forced to take the boycott decision after their pleas for postponement, based on "humanitarian consideration," were ignored.

Murad warned that if there is an unusually low presence in the examination, they will launch a new movement to demand a re-test.

He noted that the movement has been ongoing for 30 days, including approaching the PSC and authorities, and facing multiple attacks. He apologized for any public suffering caused by their actions to draw attention.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has remained steadfast in its previous decision. The written examination for the 47th BCS will begin on November 27th as pre-scheduled. The written exams will be held at eight centres across the country: Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal, Sylhet, Rangpur, and Mymensingh. However, some post-related exams will be held only in Dhaka.

The PSC's adherence to its roadmap and the candidates' announcement of a full boycott set the stage for a dramatic situation on the first day of the written examination.