Civil servants ditch maths tests for jobs at Treasury | UK | News
It was revealed that the Treasury removed a numerical exam from the graduate program in order to increase diversity. In 2020, shortly after the death of George Floyd, the government department now headed by Rachel Reeves quietly removed the numerical test from the application process due to suggestions that it had a “negative impact” on candidate diversity.
Whitehall also complained about “excessively high criteria” which led the Treasury to abandon oral reasoning exams. Later, the “Public Service Strengths Test” was applied by the bosses. He asked candidates if they “preferred not to have to focus on something for too long.”
Anger erupted after The Spectator obtained documents described as “wild”.
In Freedom of Information requests obtained by the magazine, The Spectator said that after reviewing the 2019 programme, the Treasury concluded that the policy adviser postgraduate program was not diverse enough.
The review recommended abolishing the numeracy test. Since the measure in 2020, the diversity of candidates passing the application process has subsequently increased.
In the minutes of the internal board meeting, it was learned that when the test was introduced, the aim was to remove a “barrier” for candidates and allow “a more diverse ethnic background (candidates) in assessment centres”.
He noted that “having two tests creates an additional ‘hurdle’ for candidates to jump and creates another opportunity for candidates to be eliminated from the process.”
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK’s economic spokesman, told The Telegraph: “If people can’t get to a conclusion, they shouldn’t be in the Treasury.
“We need the best people, regardless of their background. As chancellor, I will end this nonsense and restore meritocracy in appointments.”
Jack Rankin, Conservative MP for Windsor, added: “Really, in the mirror, the public sector is very sick.
“They sat down and decided, without any disagreement, that ethnicity is more important than numerical knowledge in appointments to the Treasury. We must change this thinking from top to bottom.”
The Undersecretariat of Treasury said: “The Numerical Reasoning Test was removed because it was proven that the test had a negative impact on candidate diversity.
“Later in the 2020 campaign, levels of negative impact decreased.”
