ISLAMABAD: A report by the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) paints a gloomy picture of the Central Superior Services (CSS) results of the last many years.
According to the report, which has been submitted in Parliament, a total of 71 seats remained unfilled in 2013 as compared to 30 seats in 2012 and 45 in 2011. Moreover, the pass percentage in the written exam was 30 per cent in 2002, but came tumbling down to 7.83 per cent in 2012, 1. 93 per cent in 2013 and 3.3 per cent in 2014.
According to the report, in 2012, the government could only fill 240 posts out of 285 positions that were available to candidates.
“There were not enough qualified and eligible candidates to fill out the remaining 45 positions,” the report says.
Disparities
According to the report, the number of vacant vacancies for minorities is also on the rise.
Of the 30 vacant posts in 2012, 17 of those allocated for minorities against their quota remained unfilled. In 2011, the number of vacant posts (for minorities) was 13 out of a total of 45 vacant posts.
The report also sheds light on the glaring provincial disparity in terms of quota, which leads to disagreement between the provinces.
Of the 10,066 candidates in 2012, 788 qualified for the exam with 67 per cent seats allocated to candidates from Punjab, 12 per cent to Sindh (rural), five per cent to Sindh (urban), nine per cent to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), three per cent to Balochistan, as many to Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) and Fata and one per cent to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The region-wise share of allocated quotas remains, according to the report, at 52 per cent for Punjab, 15 per cent for Sindh (urban) and 13 per cent for rural, 10 per cent for K-P, five per cent for Balochistan, three per cent for G-B and Fata and two per cent for AJK.
Diminishing English, current affairs’ skills
According to the report, in 2012, around 82 per cent of the qualified candidates obtained 60 per cent marks in Islamic Studies and 77 per cent candidates in Every Day Science, two per cent in English Essay, 11 per cent in English Precise and Composition, one per cent in Current Affairs and Pakistan Affairs.
Preparation mistakes
Moreover, the report reveals that of the 52 per cent (5,244) students who opted for journalism in 2012, only nine per cent (488) had prior knowledge of the subject. The same trend was reported in other subjects.
Similarly, 97 per cent of the candidates opted for British History, 96 per cent for International Law, 96 per cent for Public Administration, 94 per cent for Forestry, 93 per cent for Geography, 93 per cent for Indo-Pak History, 90 per cent for International Relations, 91 per cent for Sociology and 91 per cent for Urdu, but none of the candidates had studied these subjects before.
The report concludes that the result indicates the non-seriousness of candidates in selection of optional subjects, influence of training academies which run crash preparatory classes and the notion of high scoring subjects.
“Most of these academies tutor potential candidates through selective study and reading which can barely get them through the exam. Quite often, candidates resort to guide books or old notes. Resultantly, most of the candidates end-up with a combination of optional subjects of which either they do not have any academic background or there is no relevance to civil services,” said the report.
It also points out that a majority of candidates rely on substandard study material available in the market. “They have demonstrated glaring flaws both in comprehension and expression as they have abruptly jumped to writing a topic without comprehending its meaning and consequently, loose, lengthy and jumbled stuff is produced without any sense of relevance, clarity and structure.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 3rd, 2014.
COMMENTS (34)
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The report reads selection of subjects..well the selection of subject cannot be a matter of prior knowledge . I am having the background of literature but would I be so insane to go for a subject that is not number scoring despite of all prior knowledge??The behaviour of candidates is non-serious but all are not same. What about the criterion of checking the papers??? Does FPSC has the courage to discuss it ?? A person who did correctly 20 marks objective in Islamic History Culture in addition to four extensive questions and he gets 32 marks in paper??? Indeed the result is becoming more whimsical than performance based.Very ritualistically FPSC every year puts the burden on the shoulders of aspirants but what about the non-seriousness of paper setters when they just copy paste questions from entrance exams?? People want to make recounting of papers and seriousness of FPSC is clear from the contact number given on their site and not in use even.
without any comprehensive knowledge of the optional subjects the particular candidates cannot pass the css examination, and i simply don't understand why the candidates opt such subject which they don't studied before.
Aspiring to be a CSP officer is like putting your eggs in a sinking basket. Would you strive so hard to join a company which is going bankrupt? I see no future of CSP career. There are heaps of better opportunities in the private sector and abroad.
@Viqar Khilji: Some person with logical comment and concrete suggestions. I appreciate your comment. I would say ET should bring more this type of articles to create awareness and we can get rid of this colonial structure of governance.
“There were not enough qualified and eligible candidates to fill out the remaining 45 positions,” the report says. Let me say,
If your age requirement could extent.. then, I am here!
In an age of professionalism, hiring personnel with no prior experience or education relevant to the job, is no longer a done thing. Hence the present system of recruitment for jobs in Grade 17 for the Central Superior Services, needs to be put an end to. Following suggestions for formulating a new recruitment policy, are made: 1. Direct hiring should be made by the Ministries/Departments concerned. In order to keep merit above all other considerations, recruitment can be done through FPSC. 2. Recruitment should be made of the best possible candidates keeping in view job description. 3. A Master Degree relevant to the job applied for (plus work experience/internship if thought necessary by the hiring Ministry/Department) should be the minimum requirement. 4. There is no need to hold written examination any more. Shortlisted candidates can be interviewed to find the most suitable persons and posted directly to the Ministries/Departments. 5. There is no need to put selected candidates through a trainining process in Civil Services Academy. The concerned Ministry/Department can give an in-house training to the hired persons. Persons desirous of serving the Federal Government will start pursuing education which will be relevant to vocation of their choice. This will not only help in promoting professionalism in the country but will also be conducive for producing subject experts. The government should give a cut off date for the present system (say 3) years and bring in the change from the succeeding year so as to allow enough time to aspiring candidates to prepare themselves for the new system. Ofcourse the above suggestions will be best workable in an environment whete the federal, provincial and local governments provide same quality education facilities all over the country which are easily accessible to all.
I totally disagree with first two portions of report regarding no of vacant post and quota in punjab..With due sorry writer first carefully go through the result not only report..quota in punjab??he is serious????????in 2013 92 candidates were from lahore and only 12 from multan which mean 92 from upper punjab and 12 from south punjab..in 2014 as i went through written result it was again shocking and heart broken for me ..more than 150 students from lahore..it is not about punjab but Lahore only.i am doubtful and even asked from shahana ..i want to study also that this prevailed during tenure of Musharraf or not...I think this disparity is created on huge ground by democratic governments well this is not about punjab all about upper punjab or LHR..plz people do not consider me wrong we all are pakistanis i am criticizing only fpsc policies not you
regarding optionals they are true and wrong at same time ..no doubt 80 to 90 percent candidates appeared with non serious attitude,attend academies(e.g KiPS :'(),choose scoring subjects..but at least 10 to 15 or 20 percent are serious candidates but fpsc crushed due these non-serious and passed only 3.3 percent..and report says candidates opt optionals without prior knowledge ..you master in psychology and i did in chemistry .we can only opt subject with 200 marks with prior knowledge but off course we have to opt 400 marks subjects like journal and socio..if fpsc has objec then it must change rules that "it is mandatory for candidates to opt optional subjects which they study during their educational journey.. from class prep to master level???
@Lawyer: What a joke, I mean Really, who gave you this bright idea. Those who cant do their own job properly are best civil servants???
Well i agree that candidates do not have prior knowledge of the subjects that they have chosen but what if they've only studied one single subject out of the full list of optionals? Does it means he/she should'nt dare to go for any subject that sounds more easier or based on the basic knowledge of subjects would encourge him/her to go for it? But once chosen, there should be proper channels or insitutions from FPSC whose duty should be to help those candidates.
Can anyone there who have passed in recent years help me out in seting startegies or affective techniques to prepare the compulsory and optional subjects in a short while as m preparing for 2015. Regards
CSS examination and posting pattern is crap. It is based on western and more clonal traditions and produces clerical oriented decision makers. There is need of complete overhauling of induction in government services. Right person with right background at right place be selected through new techniques of appraisal of candidates rather this "rata system" exam. I am totally astonished to see the findings of FPSC and comments below. People in Pakistan never see the actual problems with the system. I think how and why a MBBS doctor joins civil service cadre of Railways. It shows severe problem with the overall governance structure.
Definitely, there are flaws in grading system, a lot of such examples have heard, one of them is on the way to readers, one CSS passed candidate, was appeared in his following second attempt as a result to achieve at higher rank and at most prestigious department, but, when the result declared, he was failed in two subjects. Unfortunately, his name wasn't come up on next lucky draw LoL....
If people think that by cramming 12 books and some current affairs they can run a country hahahah then what a shame for our nation. Even a soldier have to pass a test which shows the trends and future motives of the candidate. But the people who are going to run the country have to mugg some information. Hahaha what a pity what a dilemma. Thats why we are just spectating the brain drain and we can do nothing because muggers and crammers have to run The State of Pakistan.
@anila:
True, but ironically most of them best civil servants currently are former faujis.
@Muhammad Tayyab khan: well said sir. However, the other side of the mirror depicts that there is a flaw in the grading system too. If i score 60 in 2012 then how could I score 34 in 2013 with the same self-made notes, same techniques, same strategy ? It shows that the examiner has his own preference while leaving no space for the candidate to plan before hand...
Its very simple, they're looking to induct fundos on strategic posts.They don't want a Secretary, who is a free thinking heretic & tomorrow he/she can tamper with the "idelogical boundaries" of this country.Pakistan has gone to dogs for real! Zia zinda hai... CSS k examiners ki shakal mei zinda hai.... i got more than 75% in all other subjects except Essay & Islamiyat because i'm a proud opinionated leftist.. AND the questions/topics were carefully crafted to tap into a person's mindset & figure out which side of the divide they stand on..
There are many variables involved. Capacity of candidates is just one issue highlighted here. Capacity of paper-setters and checkers should also be discussed. In 2010 I got 90 marks in composition but was failed in essay and given 35 marks. Similarly was given 30 marks in journalism. In 2011 however I passed obtaining 60 in essay and 70 in journalism. I know for a fact that I studied and attempted the papers in the same manner for both years. Paper setters and checkers need to have consistency as well.
The main reason of low results in Css is: the technique to answer is given priority over knowledge about subject. One should read subject properly.Instead of answering in traditional way;one should use his/her analytical approach to answer the question.
"most of the candidates end-up with a combination of optional subjects ----of which--there is no relevance to civil services,”
er why are such "irrelevant" subjects offered to them? remove them from the list..
I second to the opinion that now clearing these exams merely depends on luck. Being an english medium student throughout my 16 year education and sitting next to a student from an urdu medium background with the same aim i find it really disappointing the standard of english they want to see in a student. Even sometimes i could not get a thing which an urdu medium student finds even more difficult or simple as that u cram it. I had no idea of International Law but opted it because i had very limited options in the whole list..... After reading this article i must say what better solution will they provide??? Who is going to come up and improve the syllabus???? This heated issue still needs to be better answered.
So what is the solution to all of this?? I myself prepared for CSS and could not take the papers just because i opted International Law which i had no idea of... so to avoid failure i avoided all of the exams. It is truth that most of the subjects given we dont have any knowldge of..... So who is going to take step and ease out for us or guide us.....
If anything this shows FPSC and CSS examinations need a serious overhaul in terms of quality of papers, grading criteria, and examiners. I have read that people who have heavily used Islamic lingo and conservative rhetoric in papers tend to gain higher marks than those who dont indulge in such self-patting-on-back.
The above mention report show the complete weakness of our whole education system;which only produce Degrees;not intellectual.Our all Educational institutions are working as degree producing machines.It is the need of hours that our government should take solid steps to improve our education and its institutions in a well manner so that we will become able to fill the vacant post in all departments and easily confront the challenges of present era.
This article is indeed an informative piece and rightly points out the systematic flaws, but what's more devastating is that CSs has been merely reduced to a game of luck. Based on my.own personal experience, i appeared in 2014 and managed to score reasonably well, above 600.. got both english essay nd Composition right but flunked islamiat and hence, i was considered as fail. isnt it devastating and sheer injustice
Some Recommendations for aspirants (Anyone can disagree) 1)Don't rely on academies(They are just selling sheer lies to make you feel content) 2)Don't go for local books of guess papers and cramming(Trust me it will not help u in anyway) 3)Make internet your friend.Check fpsc website for what are the topics of a specific subject that you are expected to master.Collect all the available data in a precise package in form of notes from internet.Spend more time on making your notes rather than cramming crap stuff.Once you have completed your notes.Study them as much as possible. 4)Don't use "Gulabi English".Yes!!! it's true.We belong to south asia and we are not supposed to be using tough vocabulary.Make your grammar good Instead and use simple and soft english for essays.I am willing to bet no one will fail in Essay paper provided he uses correct grammar and and complete overview of required topic.(It doesn't mean your grammar should be of kindergarten level).Just read dawn occasionally and fetch some good words that are used repeatedly. 5)Last but not the least always remember whether it is css or your real life"FAITH CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS" these words stand correct in every battle of life.Keep your faith strong in Allah and always be the hardest worker in the room.
FPSC has to re-organise its structure, better mangement and paper examiners should be hired. Sample papers and their answers should be provided so that candidates come with that materail which is required. On the other hand candidates should also improve their knowledge and analytical skills to clear the exam atleast.
@anila:
I totally agree with you and second your opinion that the Army Officers should not be openly allocated in the top three Civil Services groups just on the basis of there interviews. What sadly compels the FPSC is the Constitutional provisions regarding exemption of the Defense Forces Officers from the Written Exam portion.
This is really unjustifiable because even CSPs have to reappear in the whole Written Exam if they want to change their Civil Services group. A passed CSS candidate who fails to get allocation has to reappear in the written exam if he wants to become a CSP. So it is mere discrimination and extra lenient to exempt the Defense Forces Officers from the CSS written part.
I reckon if it is made compulsory for them too, a large percentage of them will fail to qualify and get allocation in the Civil Services.
I m fully agree with the writer s stance
There needs to be a screening test in place in order to filter out the genuine candidates from the riff-raff so that the examining time be reduced and the papers checked with greater consideration.
Agree with King. Sorry to say but without a marking scheme, CSS is nothing more than a lucky draw.
Well awareness is the key over here. So many people appearing and not equally or enough clearing the exam. Students do attempt this exam without educating themselves about what they are attempting. But what does our governement do? Seminars should take place with constant intervals, there should be proper check on what the tutions are educating students with? Or government can enlist few good institutions which are good at it. If awareness is proper, i'm sure more of those people would attemp this exam who could actually clear it aswel, not someone totally stranger just taking his chances to see his luck! People should know clearly they can do it or not.
why there is a quata fixed for army .they onot pass the written exams and are selected in top three groups of civil service which is a clear cheating
CSS should create a grading criteria. In 2011, I scored 65 in International Law. In 2012, a similar paper appeared and I responded to it as I had a year earlier and I scored 34.
The problem is that a candidate will score either 15/20 or 5/20 answering a single question based on the mere whims of the examiner. FPSC should provide its examiners with a grading criteria that enlists factors that should be rewarded or punished.