The Ministry of Public Administration has scheduled a meeting on Thursday, January 9, to evaluate the reasons behind the exclusion of candidates from the recently published 43rd BCS Gazette.

Top officials from two government agencies have been directed to send representatives equipped with relevant data and evidence to the meeting.

According to high-level government sources, the Ministry of Public Administration does not independently decide to exclude or include candidates. However, there is a widespread misconception among the public that the ministry plays a direct role in these decisions.

To address this misunderstanding, the agencies that submitted reports on the BCS candidates have been asked to clarify their positions with supporting evidence.

A former official of the Ministry of Public Administration, requesting anonymity, told The Daily Star, "Such meetings are rarely called, and this initiative is commendable. Candidates deserve to know the reasons behind their exclusion."

Another former official from the Cabinet Division echoed this view, saying that the exclusions were based on intelligence agency reports.

The ministry clarified that some candidates did not participate in mandatory health examinations, while others were excluded for reasons outlined in the agency submissions.