Diversifying the Civil Service with the Prépas Talents Program
Next September, the Montpellier Institute for Preparation for General Administration (IPAG) will welcome three "Prépas Talents" students. The goals are to combat self-doubt among young people regarding competitive exams and to diversify the senior civil service by facilitating the integration of individuals from disadvantaged or underprivileged backgrounds.
In 2019, 1% of students at the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA) had a parent who was a manual laborer; by comparison, 73% of students had a parent in a professional or managerial occupation. At the National Institute for Territorial Studies (INET), the proportion of students from higher intellectual backgrounds averaged 67%.
“There is a lack of diversity within the civil service; there has long been a clique mentality that explains the self-censorship experienced by certain students from less privileged backgrounds,” notes Nicolas Marty, associate professor and director of the Montpellier Institute for General Administration Preparation (IPAG).
Going Beyond the ICCs
"Psychological barriers, but above all financial and material barriers," the teacher emphasizes: "Depending on where we live and our income, we are not on equal footing when it comes to education. It is more often children from the middle and upper classes who can afford the training and thus enter the civil service. We must support students and institutions to diversify the student body and achieve true equality of opportunity.”To combat this reproduction of elites, the Ministry of Transformation and the Civil Service and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESRI) are launching, starting in the 2021 academic year, seventy-four “Prépas talents” classes, including three at the IPAG in Montpellier.
“These 74 classes represent 1,700 spots nationwide, which is 1,000 more than in the integrated preparatory classes (CPI), the previous program that already allowed us to recruit students based on merit and financial need,” notes Nicolas Marty. The desire to diversify the civil service is certainly not new, but with the Prépas Talents program, the initiative goes further by offering, in particular, a doubling of financial aid for selected students, increasing from €2,000 per year to €4,000. This aid can be combined with traditional scholarships, which are awarded based on financial need.
Three specialized classes in Montpellier
Just as each civil service school had its own CPI, the Prépas Talents classes will be directly linked to the government agencies for which they prepare students. Thus, Montpellier is renewing its partnership withthe Regional Institute of Administration in Bastia—the lead institution for the southern region—and with the National School of Competition, Consumer Affairs, and Fraud Prevention (ENCCRF). A third class will be opened in partnership this time with the Hérault Departmental Directorate of Public Finance (DGFiP). “Hosting these Prépas Talents classes is also an opportunity for UM to strengthen its partnerships with major government agencies. This synergy between the academic and professional worlds is a true factor for success.”
Another change from the old CPI programs is the introduction of internships and enhanced mentoring provided to each student by a current civil servant.“They’re more like mentors. We’ll select them from among IPAG’s current partners or from our alumni who have become civil servants,”explains Nicolas Marty. “The introductory internships will be directly offered by the program to avoid creating inequalities among students.” As with the CPIs, however, enrollment remains relatively small: a total of 40 students across these three Prépas Talent classes in Montpellier, to ensure enhanced academic and methodological support.
Resources and merit
How will these students be recruited?“First of all, gender parity will be prioritized—that’s essential—and applicants must have completed at least their third year of undergraduate studies. They may come from vocational programs, master’s programs, or the professional world… The backgrounds and ages are very diverse,” the professor explains. Next comes the income criterion, with a cap of €33,100 per year.“We’re targeting two groups: students receiving financial aid and job seekers,” continues Nicolas Marty. “Merit” will also be assessed, taking into account place of residence and family responsibilities. “We want to offer equal opportunities to those who face greater difficulties in pursuing their studies.”This commitment aligns with the policy of equal opportunity and professional integration developed by the University of Marseille.
With support from the Ministry of Transformation and the Civil Service, material resources will also be made available to students to prevent any inequality from arising at this level: laptop loans, 4G data sticks, subscriptions to newspapers and magazines (Le Monde, Les Echos, Acteurs publics…), textbooks, and other educational materials…“In short, all the resources that students from more affluent backgrounds would have at their disposal. The exam itself is very egalitarian since it is the same for everyone, but the paths to getting there can be very different,”concludes Nicolas Marty. “We will soon see the first graduating classes entering government agencies, with a more visible impact on the face of the civil service.”