Diversifying the Civil Service Through 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-censorship among young people when it comes to civil service 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 National School of Administration (ENA) had a parent who was a manual laborer; by comparison, an average of 73% of students had a parent in a higher intellectual profession. 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; for a long time, there has been a clique mentality that explains the self-censorship experienced by some students from less privileged backgrounds,” notes Nicolas Marty, associate professor and director of the Montpellier Institute for General Administration Preparation (IPAG).
Going Beyond the CPI
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 education and thus enter the civil service. We must support students and educational 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 MESRI are establishing, starting in the 2021 school year, seventy-four “Prépas Talents” classes, including three at the IPAG in Montpellier.
“These 74 classes represent 1,700 spots nationwide—1,000 more than in the integrated preparatory classes (CPI), the previous program that already allowed us to admit students based on merit and financial need,” notes Nicolas Marty. The commitment to diversifying the civil service is certainly not new, but with the “Prépas Talents” program, the initiative goes a step further by, among other things, doubling the financial aid available to selected students—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 launched in partnership with the Hérault Departmental Directorate of Public Finance (DGFiP). “Hosting these Prépas Talents classes also presents an opportunity forUM strengthen its partnerships with key government agencies. This synergy between the academic and professional worlds is a key factor in success.”
Another new feature compared to the former 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 offered directly by the program to avoid creating inequalities among students.” As with the CPIs, however, enrollment remains relatively small: a total of 40 students across the three “Prépas Talent” classes in Montpellier, in order to once again promote 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 BTS programs, master’s programs, or the professional world… The backgrounds and ages are very diverse,” the professor explains. Next comes the income criterion, with an annual cap of 33,100€.“We’re targeting two groups: students receiving financial aid and job seekers,” continues Nicolas Marty. “Merit” will also be evaluated, 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 byUM.
With the support of 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, newspaper subscriptions (Le Monde, Les Echos, Acteurs publics…), textbooks, and other school materials…“In short, all the resources that students from more affluent backgrounds would have at their disposal. The competitive exam itself is very egalitarian since it’s the same for everyone, but the paths to getting there can be very different,” concludes Nicolas Marty. “We’ll soon see the first graduating classes entering government agencies, with a more visible impact on the face of the civil service.”