Rethinking the CSS

Recruitment System in
Pakistan

Group Members
Shahnawaz Ali
Muhammad Zulqarnain
Nouman Ali
Syeda Rameeza
Zainab Farooq
 Why Examination?
Low passing ratio in CSS Exams- only 2.9% in 2019 ( FPSC Annual Report 2017, 6)
• Easier to amend
• Examination is a fundamental part of recruitment process
 Issues in the Existing
Policy
• Language barrier- “Statistics on CSS CE result over the past few years indicate
persistent failure in English paper I and Paper II”( FPSC Annual Report 2017, 6) 
• Specialist vs Generalist (Imam, Dar, 197)
• Courses Irrelevant to Bureaucracy
• No Initial Screening Test
 Inactions
The Inaction on the Recommendation of Initial Screening Test (FPSC Report)
 Policy Actions
CSS Reforms 2016 (FPSC Report 2016)
• Change in the optional subjects criteria
• Change in the weightage of courses based on their relevancy with bureaucracy.
• Introduction of new and advanced courses
• Age Limit was increased form 28 to 30
• Grouping System of Elective Subjects
 Policy Actions
CSS Reforms 2019
• Introduction of Initial Screening Test
• Cluster-Based Specialized Recruitment
• Psychometric Evaluation
• Final interviews of shortlisted students
 Policy Recommendations
• Introduction of Preliminary Screening Test
• Optional Medium of Written Examination
(Nisar)
• Update the Curriculum with latest
disciplines
• Recruitment must be based on
specialization (Kashikar)
• Remedial programs must be introduced
for backward regions (Rana)
 Bibliography
Bashir, Mohsin. Personal Interview. 14 Nov, 2019.
Government of  Pakistan. Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC). Annual Report. 2017. Web.
Government of  Pakistan. Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC). Annual Report. 2018. Web
Imam, Amna. Dar, E Eazaz A. “Democracy and Public Administration in Pakistan”. CRC Press,
Taylor & Francis Group.
Junaidi, Ikram. “92pc CSS Candidates Fail in English.” DAWN.COM, 6 Dec. 2016,
Kashikar, Mohan S. “Case of Generalists Vs Specialist in Indian Bureaucracy and Need for
Reforms.” The Indian Journal of political Science, n.d.
Nisar, Asfar. Perosnal Interview. 18 Nov, 2019.
Rana, Ahsan. Personal Interview. 14 Nov, 2019.
Shafqat, Saeed. “Reforming Pakistan’s Bureaucracy, Will the Eighteenth Amendment Help?”.  
Any Questions