All You Need To Know About CSS Exams

The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) in Islamabad is conducting the Central Superior Service (CSS) Exam. The candidates who pass the examination are eligible for being recruited as a designated government officer holding the rank of BPS-17.

The exam will take place from February 18, 2021, in multiple cities of Pakistan. And an applicant can appear a maximum of three times.

The Positions Equivalent To BPS-17 Available After Clearing The Exam

Below is the Federal Government Programs one can opt for focusing on the clearance of your chosen education discipline

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• Commerce and Trade Services
• District Management Group
• Foreign Service of Pakistan
• Custom and Excise Service
• Information Group
• Income Tax Group
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• Office Management Group
• Military Lands and Cantonments Group
• Police Service of Pakistan
• Postal Service Group
• Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service
• Railways (Commercial and Transportation Group)
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The Pattern Of CSS Exam

In order to evaluate the candidate’s expertise, abilities, and mental skills, the exam will be conducted in four categories.

1. Theory Test
2. Medical Test
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3. Psychological Test
4. Viva Voce

Theory Test

For the exam, one has to give 6 mandatory and 6 optional papers. 40% and 33% scoring is required to pass the exam from compulsory and optional subjects respectively. The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has given a list of optional subjects available and you can select as per your educational background. The list of mandatory and optional subjects is given below.

Compulsory Subjects

The compulsory subjects in total carry 600 marks with each subject carrying 100 marks. The subjects are:

1. English (Precis and Composition)
2. English Essay
3. General Science and Ability
4. Current Affairs
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5. Pakistan Affairs
6. Islamic Studies Or Alternative Subject for Non-Muslims

Optional Subjects

The optional subjects also carry 600 marks and categorized into seven different groups.

Group 1

This group contains 5 different subjects and each subject carries 200 marks.

1. Accountancy & Auditing
2. Economics
3. Computer Science
4. Political Science
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5. International Relations

Group 2

This group contains a total of 6 subjects and some subjects carry 200 marks while the rest are of 100 marks. In order to clear the candidate has to score 200 marks. So, two subjects of 100 marks can be chosen or just one subject having 200 marks.

1. Chemistry – 200 marks
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2. Physics  – 200 marks
3. Pure Mathematics – 100 marks
4. Applied Mathematics – 100 marks
5. Geology – 100 marks
6. Statistics – 100 marks

Group 3

From Group 3 one subject can be selected and each subject has 100 marks.

1. Public Administration
2. Business Administration
3. Government & Public Policies
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4. Town Planning & Urban Management

Group 4

Here 5 subjects of 100 marks are given and only one needs to be selected.

1. Islamic History and Culture
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2. History of Pakistan and India
3. British History
4. European History
5. History of the USA

Group 5

Group 5 has a total of 7 subjects, each of 100 marks and one needs to be chosen out of 7 subjects.

1. Gender Studies
2. Agriculture and Forestry
3. Environmental Sciences
4. Zoology
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5. Botany
6. English Literature
7. Urdu Literature

Group 6

All subjects carry a total of 100 marks and one needs to selected from the given seven.

1. Law
2. International Law
3. Constitutional Law
4. Criminology
5. Mercantile Law
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6. Philosophy
7. Muslim Law and Jurisprudence

Medical Test

The second in the list is the medical test followed by the theory test. It is advised that the candidate appears in it before appearing for the exam from a well-reputed medical institution.

In the case of a differently able candidate, disability certificates must be requested in advance and issued by a recognized authority. In four disciplines, differently able individuals are required to offer CSS exams: Pakistan Audit and Account, Postal Service, Commerce and Trade and Information Services. Upon special request, a helper may also be given to differently able individuals who can facilitate them during examinations.

Psychological Test And Viva Voce

The psychological test followed by the medical test will evaluate the mental aptitude and its aspects along with the behavioral qualities with respect to the candidate’s competence. Both the test together carries 300 marks.

The candidate ought to have a strong grip on general knowledge alongside exceptional communication skills to clear the viva voce.

Eligibility Criteria

The following requirement must be fulfilled to appear in the exam.

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• The applicant must be a Pakistani national
• 16 years of education from any national or international university but accredited by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) with at least a 2nd division.
• The candidate ought to be between the age of 21 and 30

The Venue of Exam & Interview

The exam is conducted in multiple cities across the country. The venue includes Okara, Muzaffarabad, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Skardu, Sialkot, Sukkur, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, D.I. Khan, Gilgit, Hyderabad, Gujranwala, Khuzdar, Larkana, and Multan.

However, the interview is conducted in just five major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, and Peshawar.

How To Apply In Pakistan For CSS EXAM?

During February and March of each year, the CSS exam is held. In the month of September, ads about the announcement of these exams start appearing in the newspaper. Below is the timetable for the submission of applications and the start of the Central Superior Service Test.

Process Of The Online Application

• Online Application: 1st to 31^st October (of every year)
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• Last Date for Hard Copy of Online Application Receipt: 11 November (of the year)
• Cut-Off Date For Qualifying Requirements Determination: December 31 (of the year)
• CSS Examination commencement: 12 February (of every year)

How To Apply For The Online Exam Of CSS

It is mandatory to apply online for the exam. A list of the following information will be required at the time of filling the application.

• CNIC number.
• Bank detail.
• Chosen optional subjects.
• Education and professional experience.

All the information must be correctly placed. After the submission of information, the applicant will receive the confirmation email along with a unique tracking ID.

Documents Required To Submitted

The documents can vary so the ads must be read thoroughly. However, the following documents are generally asked for as a hard copy.

• Copy of Educational Certificates
• Photographs
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• Bank Receipt of Exam Fee
• Experience Certificates, if required

Fees Required For The Exam

Exam Application Fee: PKR 2,200

Paper Rechecking Fee: PKR 500

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