CSS Guide for Beginners

CSS Guide for Beginners

Sumera Naz                                                                                                              

Dated: 4, August 2020

This guide exclusively covers all the crucial aspects of CSS exams and is a paragon for the beginners. In this article, you will read about the introduction of Central Superior Service along with the results of 2019, its transparency, the quota system, the care service segment, and the privileges of CSS officers. 

 

Introduction:

Pakistan civil service has a decorous procedure making it one of the very competitive examination systems, it is conducted by the country’s largest recruiting agency Federal public service commission every year. Those who auspiciously pass the exams, join various occupational groups of civil services and become a part of the country’s civilian bureaucracy.

CSS Beginners Guide, click to watch the video

Result 2019:

The final result of 2019 has been announced by the federal public service commission on the 17th of June, 2020. Out of 14,521 candidates, who participated in the exam, merely a number 372 could manage to qualify the written part of the examination, and a total of 365 candidates qualified for the viva voce, comprising of 214 male and 151 female candidates. The overall passing rate of the 2019 examination remained just 2.56. Also, some of the successful candidates were medically disqualified, making the total number of candidates who got recommendations 214 (both male and female).

Prerequisites for Appearing in CSS Exams:

The age requirement to participate in the CSS exams is 21 to 30 years. Government employees can also apply with a minimum of 2 years of their services in the governmental institute, they need to submit the permission certificate from the concerned department. There are some categories of age relaxation, its complete information is available on the official website of the Federal Public Service Commission. The minimum educational qualification to apply for CSS is a bachelor’s degree in 2nd division. If a bachelor’s degree is in 3rd division with a D grade, then a better division in masters will make him/her eligible.

Classification of CSS Exams:

The exam for CSS is conducted every year in February. The exam consists of four major segments;

Written Examination

Medical Examination

Psychological Assessment

Viva Voce

 

Total 12 subjects are carrying 1200 marks; 6 are compulsory containing 600 marks and the other 6 subjects are optional and they also carry 600 marks. Although the exam is descriptive, some MCQs are also included; a separate computerized OMR sheet is provided for attempting MCQs. But the subjects of Essay-writing, Applied Mathematics, and Pure Mathematics do not have MCQs. To successfully pass the written exam, you’ll need to gain 40% marks in compulsory subjects and 33% marks in optional subjects with an aggregate of 50%.

The second phase of the examination is a medical test; the candidates who pass the written part of the exam, they proceed to the next phase. The medical board constituted by the Commission, examine the proper mental and physical fitness of the aspirant.

The third phase is the psychological assessment and the Viva-voce. The Viva-voce and psychological tests have combined; obtaining 100 marks will qualify the candidate. In the last two phases, the respective boards constituted by FPSC, assess physical fitness, mental alertness, personality, attitude, confidence, character, intelligence, and leadership quality of the candidate. The candidates are usually asked questions about Islam, general knowledge, and hobbies to assess candidate’s mental capability, attitude, and personality attributes; then after the interview, the board accesses the suitability and competency of the candidate for Civil Service.

Subsequently, the list of recommended candidates is sent to the establishment division. The candidates are then appointed in accordance with the occupational groups allocated by the FPSC. The exam does not involve grace marks and the obtained marks are reevaluated before the interview, not after the conducting of the interview.

A very interesting situation creates when two candidates score equal marks in the written part of exams and viva voce, the candidate who acquires more marks in viva voce, will be treated higher in merit, if their score in viva voce is also equal then the candidate with more marks in compulsory subjects, will be treated as higher in merit but if both candidates get equal marks in viva voce and compulsory subjects, the older will be given the advantage and placed higher in the merit list.

Common Training Program:

Now the final listed candidates are called for Common Training Program (CTP) in Civil Services Academy at Lahore, where all successful candidates receive basic training. This pre-service training not only focuses on academics but also emphasize on sports and physical training. After the completion of CTP, subsequent training named Specialized Training Program (STP) commence; the academies for specialized service training are situated in different cities as per the service groups. The duration of STP varies per the service group but the overall duration of both the CTP and the STP is about 18 months. After the training, the candidates are appointed on vacant posts in different districts of the country.

Quota Policy:

In almost all the CSS exams, some seats remain vacant owing to the unavailability of the required number of appropriate candidates, which are carried over for the upcoming exams. If a candidate does not report before commencing of CTP at Lahore academy, FPSC will then nominate the candidate from the waiting list, depending upon the service group under the quota policy. The distribution of the seats is as follows;

7.5% of seats in the country are reserved for open merit.

The quota of Punjab is 50%

Sindh Rural 11.4%

Sindh Urban 7.6%

KPK 11.5%

Baluchistan 6%

Gilgit Baltistan and Kohat 4%

Jammu and Kashmir 2%

 

This distribution of seats includes the quota of females and minorities also. Every year the carried over seats are also included in the existing quota seats. The Prime minister has approved taking special exams for the carried over seats this year, it is expected that it will be held in December 2020 and it will be the first-ever CSS exam in the history, for carried over seats. The total carried over vacant seats of Sindh, Baluchistan, KPK, Gilgit Baltistan, Jammu, and Kashmir are 188, which will be filled through this special exams 2020.

History of CSS Quota System:

The quota system for CSS exams was formulated in 1948, which was extended from time to time. The first prime minister of Pakistan, Liaqat Ali Khan introduced this quota system to provide equal opportunities in the fields of education and jobs and to avoid any kind of discrimination.

Some political elements from Punjab and Sindh urban opposed the quota system. In 2018 when some of the CSS candidates from Punjab province could not get seats, even after passing the exams, they filed a petition in Islamabad High Court against the quota system. In 2019 Pasban Democratic Party of Sindh also filed a petition against the quota system in Sindh High Court. According to this petition, in the 16th constitutional amendment, the period of the quota was extended from 20 to 30 years, which ends in 2013; and after that, it does not have the shelter of the law.

 In 2017 the government of PML-N brought this issue in the Council of Common Interests. Here the decision to revise the quota system was finally made. The termination of the quota system provides the ultimate benefit to Punjab, they can enjoy some extra seats despite the seats available for them on open merit. Then the 2nd beneficiary will be Sindh Urban but the candidates of all other provinces including Sindh Rural might be deprived of their right in some way.

Transparency in CSS Examination:

There was some negligence in terms of transparency of conducting CSS examinations in the past, but the result of 2019 has the lowest percentage of passing candidates that indicates improvement in the system. Before the examination of 2019, there were rumors of paper leakage, and FPSC took action by transferring this case to FIA. One of the assistant directors of FPSC in Quetta was relieved of his duties and was arrested by FIA later on. But after the investigations, leakage of paper could not be proved; then the government and FPSC released the statement that it was a conspiracy to ruin the credibility of FPSC.

The privilege of Being CSS Officer:

The services of a CSS officer start from BS 17, and through departmental promotion, a CSS officer reaches up to the BPS 22. BS 22 is equivalent to the rank of a 3-star General in the Pakistan Army. While in civil administration, the officers of grade 22 become federal ministers, provincial chiefs of different departments, Section officers, Directors, and DGs of federal institutions like FIA, FBR, and Intelligence Bureau, IGs of the provincial police and Foreign Secretaries.

Civil Bureaucracy is considered as a pillar of the government that administers the governmental institutes. The newly appointed officer of grade 17, in addition to their monthly salary, enjoys the deluxe accommodation, government transportation as per their scale. CSS officers possess the authority to utilize the government funds allocated to their respective departments. But it is a harsh truth that the infrastructure and esteem of civilian institutes in our country have been destroyed; the curse of financial corruption is prevailing and widespread. One of the primary reasons behind such practice is the command and supremacy of politicians over the civil bureaucrats.

For the prosperity and well-being of the country, Pakistan Civil Servants should always keep in mind the precious address of Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah once delivered in 1948 to the civil servants. He said, “the first thing that I want to tell you is that you should not be influenced by any political pressure, by any political party or individual politician; if you want to raise the prestige and greatness of Pakistan, you must not fall a victim to any pressure but do your duty as servants to the people and the state.”