Personality socioeconomic status and father's education as contributing factors to selection in NWFP public service commission

Abstract

The present research, conducted through Study I and Study II, investigated the contribution of socio-economic status and fathers' education in the selection process of the public sector jobs according to the laid down criterion, and the improportional association of these two variables to the selection of the candidates at the N.W.F.P. Public Service Commission. For this purpose a sample of 695 subjects between the age of 18-35 years, who had applied for various jobs and had appeared for selection at the N.W.F.P. Public Service Commission were chosen. A sample of 95 subjects, who were selected by the Commission, from these 695 subjects were also chosen. Study I, comprised of the estimation of reliability of the CPI. For this purpose inter-scale, and scale-total correlations were computed, for both the total sample and the selected candidates. The inter-scale correlations for the total sample range from r = -. 015 to r = .87 and for the selected candidates inter-scale correlation range is from r = .09 to r = .91. The scale total correlation for the entire sample is between r = .34 and r = .87, while for the selected candidates the range of correlation is from = .57 to r = .90. KR- 20 indices of reliability were also calculated which came out to be from .72 to .97 with a median of .89. For Study-II the candidates appearing for selection were classified into low and high scorers and their percentage in the low and high scorer category for the entire and the selected sample were calculated for the relevant CPI sub-scales. The low and high scorers on the relevant CPI scale were classified into different classes of socio-economic status and father's education. It was found that candidates from upper class and with father's from graduate category scored high for the majority of the sub scales. The selected subjects were categorized into low and high scoring groups on the relevant scales of CPI and were tested for selection improportionately as regards their father's education and socio-economic status. It was found that subjects from the upper class and with father's education from the graduate category scored high on majority of the subscales. The subjects in the total and selected sample, were compared through Chi-square on their socio-economic and father's education, in order to see the contribution of these variables in the selection process. It was found that majority of the selection was from the middle class and from father's having middle-intermediate educational level. One way analysis of variance was applied on the scores of relevant sub-scales of CPI for the selected and a matched sample of unselected subjects. It was found that the two groups of subjects differed only on qualities leading to personal importance, social participation and status, whereas, they did not differ on qualities mentioned in the selection criteria.