Approximately 325,000 applicants are taking the 46th Bangladesh Civil Service examinations in a bid to secure first class government jobs.

The exams began simultaneously at 215 educational institutions in eight divisional cities across the country at 10am on Friday.

The 200-mark tests, made up of MCQs, will continue until noon at centres in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Rangpur, and Mymensingh centres.

The 325,608 applicants are vying for 3,140 posts in the civil service.

Crowds of job seekers could be seen gathering in front of the Dhaka centres around 8:30am in the morning.

Candidates were only allowed to carry their admit cards and pens at the Residential Model Colleg centre.

Shobuj Afrad, who had come to the centre from Uttara to give the exam, said he had left home early as he was worried about the exam and possible traffic congestion.

“I knew there would be traffic congestion on the road today,” he said. “That is why I decided not to take a risk and left home early. I arrived at the centre around 8am.”

Sumaiya Islam, another job seeker at the centre, said she had been unsure whether the exams would be held on schedule due to the heat.

“After schools and colleges were closed, I thought the examination would also be postponed. But, it’s proceeding on schedule. They already postponed it once, so I think that’s why they did not change it again.”

A long queue of examinees were lined up outside the Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s School in Dhaka’s Bakshibazar around 9am. The rush dwindled around 9:15am.

The law enforcement personnel at the centre barred them from taking anything other than their admit cards and pen inside. Even those who came with clear files had to leave them behind.

Anyone carrying bags, files, mobile phones, and calculators had to submit them at the door.

Examinees were able to enter the centre until 9:30am.

Pavel Hossain from Wari was one of the last to enter. He said he got stuck in traffic on the way to the exam.

“I left home with quite a bit of time left. But the traffic came to a standstill when I reached this area. In the end, I walked here. A lot of time was wasted in the line at the entrance too. It would have been a relief if I could have gotten in a bit earlier.”

Megaphones had announced that the examination centre would not allow examinees to enter after 9:30am. Accordingly, when the clock struck the appointed time, the gates to the centre were closed.

Several examinees were locked out when this happened. They requested it be reopened, but received no response.

Taslima Jahan, one of those stuck outside, said she had been delayed by the traffic congestion.

“There was so much traffic on the road, how could I get here early? Everyone knows about the bad traffic in Dhaka, couldn’t they have given five to seven minutes of leeway?”

In a distraught tone, she said, “I had so much hope, but it’s all turned to dust. I missed such an important exam in my life.”

Examinees have to answer 200 MCQ questions in two hours. Each correct answer will add a mark while 0.50 marks will be deducted from the total for each incorrect answer.

Visually impaired candidates will be allowed 10 extra minutes for each hour of the examination for transcription. Those with other disabilities will get five extra minutes for each hour of the examination.

The 46th BCS preliminary exam was initially scheduled for Mar 9, but was pushed back due to the Mymensingh and Cumilla city corporation elections.

The Public Service Commission issued the notice for the 46th BCS for appointments to 3,140 government posts on Nov 30 last year.

The deadline for applications was Dec 10. Over 325,000 job seekers applied.

The exam will appoint 489 applicants to the general cadre, 2,074 to the professional or technical cadre, 520 to general education and 57 to technical education.