The number of civil servants has reached a historical high, and the share of the total population is 6.68 percent. This is an increase of 7.8 percent from the same period last year, and it means that 17 percent of the total workforce is working in the public sector. The share of civil servants in the total population was 5.78 percent a decade ago, and now they are 225,200, which is an increase of 16,300 from the previous year. Although the number of government employees has continuously increased during the above period, the number of 16,300 is also an increase that has not been seen in the past 10 years. Except for the increase of 14,100 in 2013 to 2014, the increase in the number of civil servants has fluctuated between 1,000 and 6,500 per year.

Number of ministries and agencies have also increased. According to the results of last year, there are 16 ministries and 38 agencies of the government in the “Report of the Civil Service Council's operation and the national census of civil  servants-2022”. Specifically, in 2013, 16 ministries and 30 agencies were working. At that time, the government of N.Altankhuyag was criticized for establishing an agency, but the number did not exceed 30. That being said, when approving this year’s budget, the State Electronic Services Regulatory Authority was established at the beginning of the year, the National Institute of Forensic Investigations was established in January, and the implementing agencies such as the General Directorate of Forensic Investigations and the Investment and Trade Department were established in February and it was not mentioned in the report. Also, although the General Department of Professional Inspection was dissolved and its functions transferred to the relevant ministries and other government agencies, the Governmental Inspection Implementation Department was established, and the maximum number of employees was approved to be 150.

After every election, the winning party destroys the government by firing and replacing employees and deliberately creating jobs and vacancies to free up personnel. For example, as seen in the report, the period which increased by 14,100 coincides with the period when the Democratic People’s Party won the majority in the 2012 elections and the ruling power changed. But after 2016, after winning two consecutive elections, what was the reason for the People's Party suddenly increasing the number of employees last year, even after already integrating their party members into the civil service. According to the report, it emphasized that, 17 kindergartens, 11 schools, four hospitals, one scientific institute, four cultural centers and 31 state administration institutions were created last year. In other words, the number of public service employees increased by 14,600 from the previous year to 152,200, and this became the main incentive to implement policy measures to keep general education classes in two shifts, to fully enroll young children in kindergarten, and thus to increase the time for teachers to work with students. Indeed, the number of service personnel has increased six times over the 2020-2021 growth. Also, the number of political employees decreased by 406 from the previous year to 3759.

In recognition of this, the head of the Cabinet Secretariat and Minister D.Amarbayasgalan recently announced that the work of reducing the size of the civil service will be implemented in stages from 2024, and the percentage of employees in the total workforce will be increased to 15. It is because according to international principles, it is considered abnormal if the share of civil servants exceeds 15 in the total workforce of the country. This is a “promise” to reduce the number of civil servants by 26,500 and not exceed 199,000, which means that it will be brought to the level of 2019. Four years ago, the number of civil servants was 198,400. In fact, it is not surprising that the main person in charge of the government and the party’s “leader” made this announcement after winning the last two elections in a row, at almost the end of their eight years of continuous power. The work that was not done in the past seven years and the promises that were not fulfilled in the next year, within the mandate of the next Parliament and the Government, seem to be no different from election promises. Moreover, recently, Speaker of the Parliament G.Zandanshatar was handed over the report from the Civil Service Council and during the presentation, the speaker criticized the increasing number of civil servants every year and warned that comprehensive reforms should be carried out to make them smaller and more competent, to increase their productivity and improve their results. In doing so, he directed to carry out hierarchical research, analysis and evaluation aimed at intensifying the comprehensive reform of the public service and make policy recommendations. 

With such a tone of sudden awakening and realization, the authorities announced that they have failed to fulfill their election promises after admitting that they have corrupted the government in the past. When the People’s Party reminded them, they did not forget that they promised to reduce the number of ministries, agencies, and budget organizations by eliminating duplication of work and duties of government institutions. They also talked a lot about the implementation of some government functions by non-governmental organizations and professional associations. In addition, they emphasized making government services accessible to citizens by transferring them to electronic form and bringing them closer to the people. This is part of their campaign promise of 2016. The 2020 action plan includes the promise to implement the “E-Mongolia” program to deliver government services quickly, without delays, and with the participation of citizens, to make government services free of congestion, and to improve quality, accessibility, and results, copying their campaign promise of before. In 3.1.16 of the agenda, there is also a clause that says, “The structure and organization will be rationalized and shortened by eliminating and combining the activities of state administrative institutions. Furthermore, there continues to be more promises which seems like dreams, such as, to eliminate bureaucracy, to improve the services of government institutions, empowering their employees, and saving budget costs. Even though we have a minister in charge of e-development, and even a government implementing agency, the State Electronic Services Regulatory Office, and the number of its employees has increased, our government has become smaller and more competent, and has not been close to its citizens.

In fact, after the Mongolian People’s Party won the majority in 2016, Parliament revised the Civil Service Law and it has been implemented since 2019. The Mongolian People’ Party, which has been responsible for the preparation and implementation of the Law, and has not shared it with anyone, is now talking about comprehensive reforms and reducing the size of the civil service.

Source: “Report on the activities of the Civil Service Council and the national census of civil servants-2022”