FPSC announces 364 vacancies across federal services

Of the total posts, 247 are new positions, while 117 are carryover vacancies from previous years

ISLAMABAD:

The Federal Public Service Commission has announced a total of 364 vacancies to be filled through the Central Superior Services Competitive Examination 2024, according to an official notification issued in line with the Establishment Division’s directives.

The vacancies have been finalised under Rule 19 of the CSS Competitive Examination Rules, 2019, and include 247 fresh posts and 117 carried-over seats from previous years.

Punjab candidates have been allocated 179 seats, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 48, Balochistan 31, rural Sindh 32, and urban Sindh 29. Candidates from former FATA have 15 seats, Azad Kashmir 8, and Gilgit-Baltistan 4.

According to FPSC, 214 seats are allocated on open merit, 32 for women, and 118 for minorities. The distribution of vacancies has been made according to provincial, regional, women, and minority quotas. “Candidate allocation will be based on merit, preferences, and domicile,” it stated.

Following the CSS 2024 results, successful candidates will be assigned to groups including Pakistan Administrative Service, Police Service, Foreign Service, Income Tax, Office Management, and other federal groups.

FPSC abolishes written tests

In August, FPSC abolished written tests for general recruitment, announcing that from now on, only Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs)-based examinations will be conducted.

According to a public notice, the new system will come into effect from September 21, 2025. The change will, however, not apply to the Central Superior Services (CSS) competitive examinations. Under the revised system, general recruitment for posts from BPS-16 to BPS-21 will be held under new rules.

For BPS-16 and BPS-17 positions, candidates will face a single MCQ paper of 100 marks, while for BPS-18 and above, there will be two MCQ papers. To qualify, candidates must secure a minimum of 40–50 percent marks, and 0.25 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer.

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The CSS exams are held to recruit officers (BPS-17) for Pakistan's bureaucracy the Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS), police, foreign service, customs, etc.

The purpose of general recruitments is to fill individual posts advertised by the FPSC in various ministries and departments. The posts thus advertised range from BPS-7 to BPS-19, not just BPS-17 like the CSS. The BPS stands for Basic Pay Scale.

Only 395 candidates clear CSS 2024 written exam

In April, FPSC revealed that the success rate for the written results of the CSS 2024 examinations was just 2.53%. According to official data, 23,100 candidates submitted applications for the competitive exam, out of which 15,602 appeared for the written phase.

However, only 395 candidates successfully passed, reflecting the continued rigor and competitiveness of one of Pakistan’s most challenging career examinations.