PANRB Addresses 160,000 Civil Servant Retirements, CPNS 2026 Recruitment to Open?

Jakarta — The Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) has revealed that approximately 160,000 to 166,000 civil servants retire annually, including throughout last year and into 2026.

To fill the vacancies created by these retirements, the government plans to conduct civil service candidate (CASN) recruitment, including formations for CPNS (Civil Service Candidates) and PPPK (Contract-Based Positions).

However, it remains uncertain whether the recruitment process can commence this year, as it is still under discussion between the PANRB and the Ministry of Finance, particularly regarding budgetary allocation.

“Every year, approximately 160,000 to 166,000 retire, including those last year. This means if we apply the zero growth principle, those 160,000 are what we will recruit,” said Aba Subagja, Deputy for Human Resources at PANRB, during a Nation Hub CNBC Indonesia programme on Friday (13 March).

“However, this requires not only policy from PANRB, but also consideration from the Finance Minister, including budget availability,” Aba emphasised.

Nevertheless, Aba stressed that the government currently has surplus civil servant stocks from the 2024 recruitment process. He stated that the current number of civil servants stands at approximately 6.5 million, including 1.2 million recruited in 2024 formations.

However, he acknowledged that among the current civil servant workforce, the primary need remains in teaching and healthcare sectors, as some schools and health service units still lack sufficient teaching and healthcare personnel.

“And more importantly, we must provide opportunities for new talent to join the civil service if vacancies are available in 2026,” he said.