Candidates to be screened before CSS Exam

From 2022 onwards, the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) will conduct a screening test for individuals interested in taking the Central Superior Services (CSS) competitive examination.

It should be noted that the federal cabinet recently approved the conduct of a 200-point screening test prior to the CSS competitive examination. The test would have 20 points for Islamic Studies, 20 points for Urdu, 50 points for English, 60 points for general abilities, and 50 points for general knowledge.
Read more: Strict Admission criteria creates difficulty for students

FPSC found that the number of applicants increased by 10% annually on average from 1998 to 2019, with a 69 percent rise in applications in 2020 and 2021 compared to previous years. As a result, the passing percentage dropped and the processing time increased.

According to sources, the FPSC has been asked to reassess the CSS competitive examination system after researching foreign best practises and taking into account the perspectives of various stakeholders, as per the Cabinet Committee on Institutional Reforms' decision. Following that, according to the FPSC report, screening/preliminary tests were held in SAARC countries to screen applicants for main examinations. The screening test will cut the CSS examination processing time in half, from 20 to 12 months.

It is important to note that the cabinet discussed this issue at its meeting on December 10, 2019, however the idea to introduce a screening test prior to the written examination was not approved.

The cabinet members believed that SAT/GRE type tests would disadvantage candidates from developing countries, and that the legal tenability, as well as the late announcement, would be unjust to candidates.

The FPSC notified the cabinet that it planned to hold the screening test well before the announcement of the CSS CE-2022 examination, so the issue of legal tenability and unfairness to candidates would be avoided.

Furthermore, the FPSC stated that the screening test's passing percentage had been set at 33%, allowing the majority of candidates from all parts of Pakistan to pass the proposed test.