CSS exams is known as Central Superior Service Exam. This exam is taken by Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) in Islamabad. The candidates who passes this exams, government officers holding BS-1 (basic-scale) position they get jobs in these following sectors under the Federal government:
- Foreign service of Pakistan
- Income Tax Group
- Information Group
- Commerce and Trade Services
- Custom and Excise Services
- District Management Group
- Postal Services Group
- Military Lands and Cantonments Groups
- Police Service of Pakistan
- Office Management Group
- Pakistan Audits and Accounts Service
If you’re interested in giving CSS exams then this article is beneficial for you.
CSS exams consists of 4 parts:
- Written Examination
- Medical Tests
- Psychological Test
- Viva Voice
The exam consists of 1500 marks, let’s divide these marks:
- Written Examination – 1200 marks
- Medical Test
- Psychological Test / Assessment & Interview and Viva Voce – 300 marks
Subjects for CSS Exams
Mandatory Subjects (600 marks)
- English Essay- 100 marks
- English (Précis and Composition)- 100 marks
- General Knowledge:
- Paper 1 General Science and Ability 100
4. General Science: (MCQS= 20Marks, Subjective= 40 Marks)
- ABILITY: Subjective= 40 Marks
- Paper-II Current Affairs 100
- Paper-III Pakistan Affairs 100
5. Islamic Studies or Comparative Study of Major Religions (For Non-Muslims) 100
Total: 600 *MCQs are to be attempted on computerized OMR Answer sheet, whereas subjective questions are to be attempted on Answer Book.
Optional Subjects (600 marks)
The minimum standard of optional subjects will be that of an honor’s degree of a university in Pakistan. The candidates are required to select optional subjects carrying a total of 600 marks from the following groups as given below:
A. Group-1 One subject carrying 200 marks
Subject | Marks |
Accountancy & Auditing | 200 |
Economics | 200 |
Computer Science | 200 |
Political Science | 200 |
International Relations | 200 |
B. Group-2 One subject carrying 200 marks or 2 Subjects carrying 100 Marks
Subject | Marks |
Physics | 200 |
Chemistry | 200 |
Applied Mathematics | 100 |
Pure Mathematics | 100 |
Statistics | 100 |
Geology 100 | 100 |
C. Group-3 One subject carrying 100 marks.
Subject | Marks |
Business Administration | 100 |
Public Administration | 100 |
Governance & Public Policies | 100 |
Town Planning & Urban Management | 100 |
D. Group-5 One subject carrying 100 marks.
Subject | Marks |
Gender Studies | 100 |
Environmental Sciences | 100 |
Agriculture & Forestry | 100 |
Botany | 100 |
Zoology | 100 |
English Literature | 100 |
Urdu Literature | 100 |
E. Group-6 One subject carrying 100 marks.
Subject | Marks |
Law | 100 |
Constitutional Law | 100 |
International Law | 100 |
Muslim Law & Jurisprudence | 100 |
Mercantile Law | 100 |
Criminology | 100 |
Philosophy | 100 |
F. Group-7 One subject carrying 100 marks.
Subject | 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 |
Eligibility Criteria
1. Nationality Criteria: Candidate must be citizen of Pakistan or permanent
resident of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
2. Qualification for CSS:
- Must have a Bachelor Degree with at least 2nd
Division from a recognized university of Pakistan or equivalent qualification
from foreign university recognized by Higher Education Commission (HEC). - Candidates having 3rd Division in their Bachelor
Degree can only apply for the exam if they have secured higher division in the
Master Degree.
3. Age Limit Criteria:
- The age limit for CSS is 21 to 30 years
- The age limit is relaxed by two years (making 32 years as maximum age) of candidates currently serving as government employee or belonging to recognized tribes and areas.
- The upper age limit may be relaxed by two years in
categories mentioned in Rule 6 of CSS Competitive Examination Rules – 2021 and
onwards, subject to fulfillment of documentary requirements. The cutoff date
for determining the eligibility of the candidate in terms of age,
qualification, domicile etc., is 31st December, 2021.
CSS Exams 2022
CSS Exam Conduction: Every year at the end of September, the FPSC gives advertisements of the conduction of CSS exams. The application dates usually starts from 5TH October to 3RD November, 2022. The conduction of exam is taken every year between 10 to 25 February.
CSS Examination Centers: CSS examinations are conducted in the following cities of Pakistan:
- Abbottabad
- Bahawalpur
- D.G. Khan
- D.I. Khan
- Faisalabad
- Gilgit
- Gujranwala
- Hyderabad
- Islamabad
- Karachi
- Lahore
- Larkana
- Multan
- Muzaffarabad
- Peshawar
- Quetta
- Rawalpindi
- Sargodha
- Sukkur.
How to Apply for CSS Exam?
Here are Application Guidelines to apply for CSS Exam:
- Apply online at www.fpsc.gov.pk during the period 5TH October to 3RD November, 2021.
- Carefully fill the online form and check it before online submission. Take printout and dispatch hardcopy to FPSC on or before closing date. Any correction in the printed hardcopy of online form may be made by hand and initialed, before dispatch/submission to FPSC. Thereafter, no request for change in any entry of online application or its hardcopy would be accepted.
- Deposit, before the closing date, Rs.2200/- as examination 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).
- Ensure that attested copies of all required documents, photographs & original treasury receipt of Rs.2200/- are attached with the hardcopy of online application form, before dispatching to Secretary FPSC, Islamabad.
5. Choose the optional subjects correctly in
accordance with Appendix-I of the Rules for CSS Competitive Examination
