CSS Exam

CSS stands for Central Superior Services, a competitive exam conducted annually by the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to recruit officers for various government positions at BS-17 grade. Candidates from all over Pakistan participate in this exam. Those who excel are selected and assigned key roles in different civil service departments. The qualifiers are allocated to one of the following 12 service groups based on their merit:

• Pakistan Customs Service
• Commerce and Trade Group
• Foreign Service of Pakistan
• Inland Revenue Service of Pakistan
• Information Service of Pakistan
• Military Lands & Cantonment Group
• Office Management and Secretariat Group
• Pakistan Administrative Service
• Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service
• Police Service of Pakistan
• Postal Group
• Railways (Commercial & Transport) Group

To be eligible for the CSS Exam, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Gender: No gender discrimination; both male and female candidates, including special persons, can apply.

Nationality: Candidates must be citizens of Pakistan or permanent residents of the State of Jammu and Kashmir or Gilgit Baltistan.

Qualification:

• Must have a minimum Bachelor’s degree in any discipline.
• Should have at least a Second Division or Grade “C” in their Bachelor’s degree from a Pakistani university or an equivalent degree from a foreign university recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Islamabad.
• Candidates with a Third Division in their Bachelor’s degree can apply if they have obtained a higher Division in their Master’s degree.
• The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) determines the equivalence of foreign degrees.

Age Limit:

• Candidates must be between 21 and 30 years old as of 31st December of the current year.
• The upper age limit can be relaxed by two years (up to 32 years) for specific categories, including:
  • Candidates from Scheduled Castes and Buddhist Communities (with a certificate from the Political Agent/DCO/District Magistrate).
  • Candidates from recognized Tribes living in specific areas, including Balochistan, Tribal Areas of D.I.Khan and Peshawar Divisions, former Frontier States of Dir, Swat, Chitral, Amb, former excluded (Baluch) area of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur Districts, former Tribal Areas of Mardan and Hazara Divisions, and Upper Tanawal Area of Hazara Division (with a certificate from the Political Agent/DCO/District Magistrate).
  • Permanent residents of Azad Kashmir Territory (with a certificate from the Kashmir Affairs Division).
  • Permanent residents of Gilgit-Baltistan, including Gilgit, Diamir, Baltistan, Ghizar, and Ghanche (with a certificate from the Political Agent/DCO/District Magistrate).
  • Disabled candidates (physically impaired, hearing/speech impaired, visually impaired) with a disability certificate from the designated competent authority.
  • In-service government employees, Armed Forces personnel, and contract employees with at least two years of continuous government service as of 31st December of the current year, including those from AJ&K (with a Departmental Permission Certificate). Employees of nationalized banks, State Bank of Pakistan, WAPDA, regulatory authorities, autonomous bodies, and semi-autonomous bodies are not eligible for age relaxation.

There are following 04 stages of the CSS Exam with 1500 marks in total:

• Written Examination – 1200 marks
• Medical Test
• Psychological Test
• Viva Voce – 300 marks

Written Exam

Written exam consists of compulsory and optional papers comprising of 1200 marks in total i.e., 600 marks for compulsory subjects and 600 marks for optional subjects (to be selected from the following groups).

Compulsory Subjects (100 x 6= 600 marks)

Optional Subjects

GROUP – 1 (To select one subject of 200 marks only)

GROUP – 2 (A): (To select one subject of 200 marks only)

GROUP – 2 (B): (To select two subjects of 100 marks only)

GROUP – 3: (To select one subject of 100 marks only)

GROUP – 4: (To select one subject of 100 marks only)

GROUP – 5 (To select one subject of 100 marks only)

GROUP – 6 (To select one subject of 100 marks only)

GROUP – 7 (To select one subject of 100 marks only)

Psychological + Interview

Candidates qualifying the written exam will be shortlisted for psychological test and viva voce. The minimum score required to qualify the written part is 600 marks.

Psychological assessment is the name given to a process of evaluating and assessing an individual. The psychologists integrate information collected from multiple sources such as Tests of Personality, Ability, Intelligence and Command task. The findings revealed from these tests are further supported and confirmed by relating them to background information, behavioural observation and one-to-one interview with the psychologists.

Types
Psychological tests for recruitment can be divided into two main categories: Ability Tests and Personality Tests.

1.      Ability Tests

The ability tests measure intellectual and reasoning abilities of the candidates. These consist of multiple choice questions (MCQs) or short Q&A format. These limited time tests can be passed only if you are speedy as well as accurate in your answers. The different types of ability tests can be categorized as follows: 

a.    Abstract Ability: These tests attempt to assess the ability of the candidate in identifying the underlying logic of a pattern and then determine the solution.

2.      Personality Tests

It is usually said that personality tests do not have any right or wrong answers. This is but only half true. No doubt you will not be given scores on the test but what you say reflects a lot about the personality you possess and your confidence, decision-making skills, leadership abilities, etc., will be assessed through personality tests. These can also be classified into two types:

a.    Non-projective Personality Tests: In these tests, the candidates are required to respond in true and false to a series of statements relating to their feelings, thoughts, emotions and behaviour in a variety of situations.
b.    Projective Personality Tests: The projective tests included in CSS exam usually include story writing and completion of sentences.

Autobiography

The candidates may be asked to write an autobiography in which they are expected to write as to who they are and what they aspire to be.

Questions Relating to the Candidate

In this part, the candidates may be asked several questions relating to their personality, experiences, relations with others, interests and attitudes.

Group Discussion

The main purpose of group discussion for selection is to assess the abilities of the candidates to work as a team.

Command Task

In command task, the candidates are given a task which they have to perform in conditions that are as near to the work environment as possible.

Interview with the Psychologists

In the end, the candidates are required to appear before the psychologists for a brief interview. It is more of a discussion with the psychologists