The Board of Revenue, Punjab, recently conducted a written examination for the appointment of Naib Tehsildars across the province. The results have sparked widespread discussion, as only one candidate, out of 529 law graduates who took part in the test, managed to pass. The rest of the 528 aspirants, despite their extensive experience, failed to qualify for the prestigious position.
The successful candidate, Des Muhammad, a seasoned Girdawar from Punjab, emerged as the sole individual to pass the challenging exam. He was able to maintain the dignity of the provincial revenue department, while many of his peers, some of whom had over two decades of experience in the revenue sector, were left disappointed.
The failure of such a large number of experienced Patwaris and Girdawars has raised significant questions about the level of preparedness and the difficulty of the examination. Many of the candidates, including senior law graduates who have spent decades in service to the revenue department, could not meet the required standard to move forward in their careers. The Board of Revenue’s gazette also revealed that prominent candidates from major cities across the province, such as Lahore, Gujranwala, and Rawalpindi, were unable to succeed. Some of these candidates held notable positions in departments like the National Highway Authority (NHA) and Lahore Development Authority (LDA), yet they too could not pass the examination.
This mass failure has led to intense debates among officials and professionals, as it appears that the stringent criteria set forth in the examination proved too difficult for even the most experienced candidates. The outcome not only highlights the challenging nature of the test but also brings into question the adequacy of current preparatory frameworks in place for these professionals. The test, aimed at promoting deserving law officers to the position of Naib Tehsildar, was expected to be a step forward in reforming the provincial revenue services. However, the result has left many in the profession uncertain about the future of their careers, as seasoned candidates find themselves unable to progress. With the staggering number of failures, it is now incumbent on the Board of Revenue to review its examination processes and ensure that the standards of the test are in alignment with the practical experiences of those in the profession. Moreover, this result could spark an internal review to determine if further training or revisions to the examination framework are needed to ensure that the large majority of candidates are better equipped to succeed in future assessments.