The Central Superior Services Examination is referred to as CSS Exam. It is the highest competitive exam conducted by FPSC in Pakistan for the BPS-17 posts. Through this exam, the most intellectual, professional, and disciplined candidates are selected for civil bureaucracy.
This comprehensive guide is designed to provide you with all the essential information and preparation material you need to pass the CSS exam successfully.
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Introduction to CSS Exam
The Central Superior Services (CSS) exam in Pakistan is a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process comprising a written examination, medical examination, psychological assessment, and viva voice. This challenging examination serves as a gateway to prestigious career opportunities in various government departments and services.
Successful candidates have the opportunity to fill vacant positions in diverse sectors such as the Commerce and Trade Group, Customs and Excise Service, Foreign Services of Pakistan, Income Tax Group, Information Group, Military Lands and Cantonment Group, Office Management Group, Pakistan Administrative Service, Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service, Police Service of Pakistan, Postal Services Group, and Railways (Commercial and Transportation) Group.
With its extensive procedure, the CSS exam aims to identify candidates who possess not only academic ability but also the attributes required for responsible and effective leadership in public service across a number of crucial national sectors.
CSS Exam Syllabus
The CSS (Central Superior Services) exam in Pakistan consists of a comprehensive syllabus covering a range of subjects. The CSS exam is divided into three groups: MPT Exam (MCQ-Based Preliminary Test), Compulsory Subjects and Optional Subjects.
MPT Exam
The MPT exam is the screening test conducted by the FPSC to shortlist the candidates for the CSS written examination. The purpose of this exam is to make sure only the serious and eligible candidates sit the CSS written examination.
This 200-mark exam comprises two papers: General Knowledge and Ability and Current Affairs. The syllabus for the General Knowledge and Ability paper includes subjects such as English, Urdu, Islamic studies, ethics (for non-Muslims), mathematics, general knowledge, and analytical reasoning, while the syllabus for the Current Affairs paper includes subjects such as Pakistan affairs, international affairs, and current events.
CSS Compulsory Subjects
- English Essay & Composition
- Essay writing on various topics to assess candidates’ ability to express ideas coherently.
- English (Precis and Composition)
- Precis writing and comprehension to evaluate candidates’ language skills.
- General Science & Ability
- A test of general knowledge, analytical abilities, and logical reasoning.
- Current Affairs
- Assessment of candidates’ awareness of national and international issues.
- Pakistan Affairs
- Examining candidates’ knowledge of Pakistan’s history, geography, and socio-political dynamics.
- Islamic Studies or Comparative Religion:
- Evaluation of candidates’ understanding of Islamic principles or comparative religion.
Optional Subjects of CSS Exam
Candidates are required to choose subjects from a list of optional subjects according to their preferences and academic background. The list includes subjects from various disciplines such as Law, Political Science and International Relations, Economics, Accountancy and Auditing, Pure Mathematics, and many more.
It’s important for candidates to thoroughly review the CSS syllabus provided by the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC). It can be downloaded from the below link. Aspirants should tailor their preparation strategies based on the specific requirements of each subject to maximize their chances of success in this challenging examination.
CSS Written Exam Syllabus
Passing marks for CSS Exam
The passing marks for compulsory exams are 40 percent and for optional exams, it is 33 percent. However, you need an aggregate of 600 marks out of a total of 1200 marks to become eligible for the interview. The interview consists of 300 marks and you must pass it to get an allocation. In recent times, a candidate who gets 650 to 700 marks in a written examination and at least 150 marks in the interview finds his or her place in the list of successful candidates very easily.
Places of Written CSS Exam
Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, D. I. Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Gilgit, Gujranwala, Hyderabad, Khuzdar, Larkana, Multan, Muzaffarabad, Okara, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Sialkot, Skardu & Sukkur.
Places of CSS Interview
Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta.
How to Apply for CSS Exam?
- The advertisement of CSS Exam, reflecting dates, is published in all newspapers in September each year.
- Deposit the exam fee in the nearest Govt. Treasury /State Bank of Pakistan/National Bank of Pakistan under the account head “CO2101-Organs of State Exam fee (FPSC Receipt).
- Fill in the ‘Online Application Form’ on the official website of FPSC and take a print-out (hard-copy) of the same online form.
- Dispatch the hard copy of online form along with copies of your documents and bank receipt to the FPSC headquarter, Islamabad.
Free Preparation Material of CSS Written Exam
CSS exam is conducted each year, but due to prevalent unequal educational standards along with substandard bachelor programs, most of the aspirants fail each year. It is a dream job for the youth in Pakistan, but it requires perseverance, dedication, and shear hard work.
Here, an effort is made to provide a complete CSS Exam guideline along with the free preparation material. So that deserving candidates can get online help as most of the preparatory material in the market is unauthentic and not reliable.
CSS Written Examination Preparation Material
CSS Exam consists of 6 compulsory subjects along with optional subjects comprised of 600 marks. The list of all the subjects is as under;
Subject (Compulsory Subjects) | Marks |
---|---|
English Essay | 100 |
English (Precis and Composition) | 100 |
General Science & Ability | 100 |
Current Affairs | 100 |
Pakistan Affairs | 100 |
Islamic Studies OR Comparative Study of Major Religions (For Non-Muslims) | 100 |
Group-I (To select one subject of (200 marks only) | Marks |
---|---|
Accountancy & Auditing | 200 |
Economics | 200 |
Computer Science | 200 |
Political Science | 200 |
International Relations | 200 |
Group-II (To select subject(s) of 200 marks only) | Marks |
---|---|
Physics | 200 |
Chemistry | 200 |
Applied Mathematics | 200 |
Pure Mathematics | 200 |
Statistics | 200 |
Geology | 200 |
Group III (To select one subject of 100 marks only) | Marks |
---|---|
Business Administration | 100 |
Public Administration | 100 |
Governance & Public Policies | 100 |
Town Planning & Urban Management | 100 |
Group IV (To select one subject of 100 marks only) | Marks |
---|---|
History of Pakistan & India | 100 |
Islamic History & Culture | 100 |
British History | 100 |
European History | 100 |
History of USA | 100 |
Group-V (To select one subject of 100 marks only) | Marks |
---|---|
Gender Studies | 100 |
Environmental Sciences | 100 |
Agriculture & Forestry | 100 |
Botany | 100 |
Zoology | 100 |
English Literature | 100 |
Urdu Literature | 100 |
Group VI (To select one subject of 100 marks only) | Marks |
---|---|
Law | 100 |
Constitutional Law | 100 |
International Law | 100 |
Muslim Law & Jurisprudence | 100 |
Mercantile Law | 100 |
Criminology | 100 |
Philosophy | 100 |
Group VII (To select one subject of 100 marks only) | Marks |
---|---|
Journalism & Mass Communication | 100 |
Psychology | 100 |
Geography | 100 |
Sociology | 100 |
Anthropology | 100 |
Punjabi | 100 |
Sindhi | 100 |
Pashto | 100 |
Balochi | 100 |
Persian | 100 |
Arabic | 100 |
CSS Exam Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between CSS Exam and PMS Exam?
CSS Exam is conducted by Federal Public Service Commission and is conducted each year to fill the vacant seats in federal civil departments and bureaucracy, whereas, PMS Exam is conducted by the respective Provincial Service Commissions. It is not conducted regularly and selected candidates fill the vacant positions in provincial bureaucracy.
Where do the CSS Exam selected candidates are appointed?
The vacant seats are filled in the following departments and services;
1- Commerce and Trade Group
2- Customs and Excise Service
3- Foreign Services of Pakistan
4- Income Tax Group
5- Information Group
6- Military Lands and Cantonment Group
7- Office Management Group
8- Pakistan Administrative Service
9- Pakistan Audit and Accounts Service
10- Police Service of Pakistan
11- Postal Services Group
12- Railways (Commercial and Transportation) Group
What comprises of the CSS Exam in Pakistan?
The competitive examination comprises of the following;
(a)written examination;
(b)medical examination;
(c)psychological assessment; and
(d)viva voce.
Subjects for the competitive examination comprise compulsory papers of 600 marks and optional papers of 600 marks.
What is the age limit of the CSS Exam in Pakistan?
The eligible candidates must be neither below the age of twenty-one years nor above the age of thirty years on the cut-off date. In short, the age limit is 30 years.
What is the minimum qualification required to appear in the CSS Exam in Pakistan?
A candidate must hold at least a second division or grade ― C bachelor‘s degree in any discipline of one of the Pakistani Universities or an equivalent degree of a foreign university recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
In case a candidate has a third division or D grade in his bachelor‘s degree shall be eligible for the competitive examination in cases where he has obtained a higher division or grade in master‘s degree.
How to apply for the CSS Exam in Pakistan?
A candidate must apply online through FPSC website, fee payment shall be done in National Bank of Pakistan of Pakistan.
How to select optional subjects for the CSS Exam?
Optional subjects must be selected carefully as wrong selection leads to failure. If you are confused and do not know which subjects to choose, you may contact us. We provide free online guidance for all those candidates who are hardworking, serious, and do not have the provision of joining any academy.
What is the age for CSS Exam?
The cutoff age for the CSS exam is 21 years to 30 years. However, if you are currently serving federal or any provincial government the age relaxation is 2 years. The age relaxation is also applicable if you belong to recognized tribes or areas.
Which degree is best for CSS Exam?
Although there is not any specific degree requirement for this exam, however, if you have done a bachelor’s in Law, International Relations, Psychology, Sociology, Literature, or economics then it will be very helpful for you during the preparation.
Is CSS Exam Difficult?
CSS exam is not difficult if you prepare it with proper guidance. The exam consists of 6 compulsory papers and 6 optional papers. The optional papers are selected by you according to your academic background, whereas, the compulsory papers are those which are being studied by you throughout your academic life. Hence, this exam only requires hard work and perseverance along with proper guidance. Click here to see CSS Exam’s complete preparation material.
How many papers are in CSS Exam?
It consists of 12 papers. Six papers are compulsory namely; English Essay, English Precis & Composition, General Science & Abilities, Pakistan Affairs, Current Affairs, and Islamic Studies. The optional subjects are divided into 6 groups from which you have to select six subjects.
Is the academy necessary for CSS Exam?
It is not necessary, if you have proper guidance and relevant material for the preparation then you do not need the academy. Academy preparation for CSS Exam is costly as well. All the relevant guidance and preparation material is available online on the website here.
Is CSS better than PMS?
CSS is better than PMS due to the following reasons. Firstly, the CSS exam is conducted every year. Secondly, the CSP officer gets promotion very easily during their service as they have a proper service structure. Last but not the least, you get the chance to serve in Federal Government Departments such as Income Tax, Foreign Office, Inland Revenue, and many more.
Oh my God it’s v Amazing I m v thankful for this masterpiece…kindly guide me about other subject also
It’s Fabulous.. but need more info and guidelines….
We Select Optional Subjects From Each Group or Select One Group for Optional Subject? Kindly Guide.
From each group, you cannot select more than 200 marks
Awesome.
Please upload remaining notes and books.
JazakAllah khair May Allah bless uhhh for providing all material for free..
can we skip one group and select subjects from others in optional subjects?