A simple job application form is often more efficient than a complicated application package for Government jobs. Manpower and time is wasted reviewing 10,000 applicants, when there are only 300-400 positions available.

This point was raised by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a Government meeting on Wednesday with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA).

Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Khanh Ngoc noted that a number of documents were unnecessary before the exam and could be submitted once candidates passed.

"Candidates can complete their applications later. It will save a massive amount of time for adjudicators and expense for applicants," Ngoc said.

Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai said that, "Last year, the General Department of Taxation had to review 30,000 job applications in just one week."

Mai urged MoHA to use IT to reduce the time required for the examination process and other social costs.

She also said a common mentality found among Government officials was that once they had entered the system, there was no need to improve.

"This mentality is detrimental to the Government's efforts to produce a dynamic and competitive workforce," said the deputy minister.

Head of the Department of Personnel and Organisation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nguyen Van Tan, called for more transparency and autonomy for ministries and Government agencies during the recruitment process.

"Applicants who apply for Government jobs at ministries and agencies have to go through the MoHA. Is this necessary?" said Tan.

Deputy Minister of MoHA Tran Anh Tuan said administrative reforms remained a priority for his ministry this year, especially examinations and the recruitment process for Government jobs.

He said exams would be centralised and computerized, and a standard certificate would be issued to candidates who passed the exam which would allow them to apply for Government jobs in the future. Other ministries and agencies may also conduct additional interviews to assess candidates' capabilities and suitabilities for jobs.

Tuan said his ministry also supported the idea of giving more autonomy to other ministries who wanted to recruit workers, but only when candidates had passed the exam.

"In fact, MoHA has allowed certain ministries to take charge of the hiring process but the results were less than desirable as all the candidates who took the exam passed. That cannot be right."

Deputy PM Phuc urged MoHA to push for more administrative reforms, noting that the task was of vital importance to improving transparency and preventing corruption.

"Reforms are necessary at every ministry, but MoHA must take the frontline and set a good example," said the Deputy PM Phuc. 

VNS