The Central Superior Services (CSS) exam, a gateway to prestigious government jobs in Pakistan, opens doors to various roles in finance, administration, police, and several other departments, consistently attracting top talent from across the country. The competitive exams serve as not merely solidifying careers but they represent a noble pursuit of excellence and a pledge to serve the nation. This is why the entirety of Pakistan is waiting with bated breath for the announcement of the CSS result of 2024.
The Federal Service Public Commission (FPSC) that is responsible for conducting these exams has always been under the influence of different tenures of political parties in Pakistan. This resultantly has made fluctuations in the number of applicants for the CSS exams concerning political stability, economic certainty, and governmental reforms that lead to variation in applications.
The distinction in trends can be seen in recent years such as in 2021, 39,650 people participated out of which only 17,240 candidates appeared in the written part of the exam and only 365 aspirants were successful making the pass percentage grow close to 2%, consistently with previous years. Under Prime Minister Imran Khan, leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Government, there was a subsequent increase in the number of applicants in the year 2022 as it was a transitionary period. There were imminent changes in the government that led more candidates to apply as many young people still had confidence in the meritocracy under PTI’s civil service reforms. With almost 32,000 candidates out of which 20,262 went further in the exams, only 393 individuals were able to complete the written test and 237 were able to pass. This eventually led to a decline in the passing percentage which was just 1.85%.
In April 2022, Pakistan witnessed a major political change when Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted from power through a no-confidence vote. The end of the PTI Government, which had been in power since 2018, was marked. This transition made the way for a Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), a coalition government led by an alliance of several opposition parties that included the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). A cloud of uncertainty hung over the situation that faced inflation and economic woes, making private sector jobs less striking, creating doubt and a sense of disillusionment among the public about the future of civil service reforms.
For the 2023 exam, a total of 28,024 applicants applied out of only 13,008 who appeared for the exam, and only 210 candidates were declared successful, thus representing an increase in the passing ratio of 2.96% from the previous year. This showcased that amid political and economic uncertainty in the country, there was the belief that the CSS was a credible pathway to success.
On the other hand, the 2023 to 2024 CSS exam presented a notable deviation from previous examinations as there was the introduction of the “special CSS exam” that took place alongside the regular exam. Both are vital for candidates to apply for the highly coveted civil service role but they differ in eligibility and criteria purpose.
The special CSS exam, a one-time initiative was announced to address the chronic underrepresentation of candidates from specific regions such as Baluchistan and ex-FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas), Gilgit-Baltistan, and other ostracized regions in the federal administration. The main aim of this initiative was to fill the remaining or vacant civil service positions that remained unfilled in prior examinations. This was to make sure that a balanced approach was being used for the distribution of service jobs to Pakistani citizens from any background or region. In addition to this, unlike the normal CSS exam that has an age limit of 30 years, the special exam relaxed the age years to 35.
The CSS results, typically announced between August and October following the completion of exams, have been delayed in 2024. As October draws to a close, no results have been released yet. One of the key issues can be the coordination between the two Special CSSs alongside the regular exam. This coinciding examination may have shaped administrative challenges, requiring the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to guarantee fairness, accurate marking, and proper division of posts. The complexity of managing two separate exam streams has extended the evaluation process. Additionally, the FPSC may have been met by an increased workload due to a higher-than-average number of aspirants.
With the start of the special CSS Exam to address regional underrepresentation, the Commission may have had to handle a greater volume of candidates, further slowing down the result compilation. Moreover, the ongoing political instability in Pakistan, with the caretaker government currently in place, has contributed to bureaucratic delays. This transition has impacted various government functions, including result announcements. According to some reports, the CSS 2024 results may be delayed until December. This delay is added to by financial issues, as the government has been facing funding challenges for the CSS exam process. There are concerns that there may be no jobs available for successful candidates due to the government’s current budget constraints and limited employment opportunities in the civil service. These factors combined have led to a significant delay in the announcement of the results, causing ambiguity for many contenders awaiting their outcomes.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
She is a student of international relations, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the field from Bahria University. With a deep interest in global affairs, she writes on topics related to geopolitics and international dynamics, aiming to contribute thoughtful analysis on contemporary global issues.