Reforming the Civil Service exam

The Central Superior Services (CSS) is an elite branch associated with the government of Pakistan. It is considered one of the most highly-respected services one can hope to join. Naturally, an aspiring candidate requires a high level of discipline and hard work to even come close to clearing the process that selects individuals for the CSS. With goals firmly in place and exam preparations in full throttle, the next step for the candidate is to submit a form — which in itself is a painstakingly lengthy process and presents unique challenges of its own — at one of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) offices. Discounting the length of the form and the extra paperwork required to accompany it, the candidate, depending on his financial armour, can now gain assistance from one of the academies that have cropped up recently.

While the time needed to be ‘well-prepared’ for CSS exams is subjective — depending on the candidate’s educational background and ability to ‘memorise’ concepts — it is generally accepted that four to six months are enough to get ready for the tests. The plural form of the word test is being used since the CSS assesses a candidate on a variety of subjects — from the size of the planets to current affairs and the rich history of the subcontinent. Though the examinations usually finish within two weeks, they are followed by an excruciating wait, often lasting at least six months, to find out if the next step of the recruitment process — the interview phase — is in his fate. After that happens, which also takes its sweet cupcake time, the candidate can still fail after the interview phase.

If a candidate manages to clear the interview, another anxious wait will be in store for him, as then he will have to wait to know which service he is going to get allotted. Here comes the most tricky part — after spending almost a year and a half that includes preparation time and the anxious wait — the candidate can still not get his desired service group since the result is relative to the performance of other students that year. Merely sitting for the CSS exams, therefore, requires a huge sacrifice.

One can argue that there is more than one attempt allowed — a candidate has three shots at taking the CSS exams — and a candidate, who is dedicated to joining the civil service will try again if he falls in the first hurdle. But it also means that roughly another year-and-a-half will be spent if the candidate chooses to sit for the exams again. The painstaking length of the process forces candidates to think of a backup. One cannot expect a candidate to sit through the wait and not manage his risks. One can safely conclude that the risk of trying to become a civil servant borders on outweighing the charms of being one. It is highly surprising that the government has not tried to speed up the process. It has a system in place and has stuck to it for ages and there is no intention, on its part, to deliver results earlier.

If one was to say that the training period begins in a specific time of the year since a batch has to graduate before the next one is admitted, why not just finalise the results sooner? This way, aspiring candidates will have a clearer roadmap. The inefficiency in delivering results creates doubts about the competence of the FPSC. There is absolutely no reason for the announcement of results to take as long a time as it does. If the government wants efficient civil servants, it needs to act as an appropriate role model and deliver results efficiently as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2013.

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