Pay system review for public servants
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-12-07 10:51

Salaries for public servants would no longer be based solely on their official rank under a revision of the public service system being considered by the government.

Remuneration would instead be based on their ability, accomplishments and experience, the Yangtze Evening News.

The change is part of a continuing revision of the public service law. Apart from increasing productivity, the move also aims to encourage public servants to stay on with the government by creating greater flexibility in pay scales, and to curb corruption.

The public service is divided into 15 official ranks. An official's remuneration package is determined by rank and sub-rank.

"Currently, salary and benefits are decided in accordance with a person's title, so becoming a high-ranking official is the main goal of many newcomers as soon as they enter the public service," said Song Shiming, a State School of Administration professor who participated in drafting the law.

Under the draft law, a public servant who does not climb the ladder of official titles can still have his remuneration increased if his qualifications reach a certain level.

The qualification would be evaluated by reviewing track records and abilities.

All public servants now start off as clerks and more than 90 percent of the nation's public servants are clerks or have the lowest official rank of vice section chief (fu ke).

According to a 2002 government survey, almost 65 percent of the lowest-ranked cadres in 33 Party and government departments in a Guangdong county had been working at those levels for more than a decade.

"The introduction of more salary ranks is aimed at better motivating the lower-ranked public servants by acknowledging their performance, tenure and ability," Song said.

The government asked experts to start working on the draft in 2001 and the draft had been submitted to the State Council for examinations after being revised 11 times.

In a society with fierce competition, the job of a public servant is still attractive despite there being little chance of promotion.

More than 540,000 people applied for this year's State examinations for public servants.

Even though about 210,000 were disqualified before the start of the examinations, each of the remaining applicants will have to beat 36 others to win a government position.

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