Rationale for National Service-component in Starting Salaries of Public Service Employees

58 Ms Carrie Tan asked the Prime Minister (a) whether the Public Service takes into account the completion of National Service when deciding on starting salaries; (b) if so, what is the rationale and how many positions’ starting salaries factor this in; and (c) whether there are current efforts to equalise salaries between the genders as Public Service employees' careers progress.

Mr Chan Chun Sing (for the Prime Minister): The Civil Service strongly supports the role that male Singaporeans play in contributing to Singapore’s security through their service of full-time National Service (FTNS). We accord all Singaporean male officers salary increments for their duration of FTNS at the point of their first appointment into the Civil Service. This is to bring them on par with their peers in the same age cohort who did not serve FTNS. Once officers enter the Civil Service, their salary and career progression are based on individual merit and performance and not differentiated by gender.