Open and transparent competitive selection of civil servants

Experience of developed states shows that social-economic development is closely connected with quality of public governance. In its turn, it is related to quality and efficiency of activity of the apparatus of government employees.

In the world practice, there is separate category of state officials, who ensure execution of decisions of political management. As a rule, this category is called civil service, which does not includes military and elected officials.

It is important to set open and transparent rules for selection of skilled and professional employees and exclude various signs of parochialism, kinship, personal sympathies, patronage and other forms of corruption in the selection, placement and promotion of staff, which will ensure openness, impartiality and effectiveness. This is one of the basic principles of the organization of the state apparatus.

Currently, employment of workers to state bodies in Uzbekistan is conducted based of Labour Code and industrial or inter-departmental documents. In other words, recruiting of public servants differ in each bodies.

At the same time, some state bodies have no job description and duties, as well as preferences, provided to civil employees, information on social packages and medical insurance, etc.

The system of dissemination of information on vacancies is not in good shape in some regional and national establishments. In some bodies, the head of the organization makes decision on employment of person, which also increases risks of corruption.

The resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On measures to further improve recruitment to national and local government bodies, professional development, roster formation” should solve above mentioned issues.

The Document stipulates common principles and rules that regulate merit-based recruitment and professional development, as well as ensure transparency of the whole recruitment process of local civil servants.

The Resolution envisages the adoption of the following Model Regulations on the procedure of merit-base recruitment of civil servants, on the procedure of roster formation and roster management in National and local government bodies and on the procedure of HR management.

After the adoption of the resolution, the state bodies should publish vacancies at mass media and own website, showing requirements to candidates, necessary documents for apply, contact information, etc.

The contest also envisages introduction of competition-based recruitment and holding open sessions of commissions on selection of candidates to the state bodidies.

The draft resolution also envisages development of measures to prevent nepotism (nepotism), regionalism, favoritism and corrupt practices in the selection and placement.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security of Uzbekistan, in collaboration with UNDP Local Governance Support Project / Phase-2, has developed the Draft Resolution and was placed on the Single portal of interactive government services for public discussion.

Foreign experience shows that introduction of single rules at recruitment of civil servants, increasing transparency of recruitment and formation of cadre rosters will help to select skilled and professional people to improve public governances and quality of public services.