The CSS examination, administered by the FPSC, is a rigorous process that recruits candidates for federal civil services through written tests, psychological assessments, and interviews. The CSS exams remain Pakistan’s premier institution of unbridled meritocracy and serve as a mode of social mobility for many in the nation. They are an eternal badge of respect for anyone who can crack them and are seen as a pathway towards Pakistan’s elite civil service cadre. Women have often been a minority in the CSS exams candidacy due to bias.
The persistent issue, in most cases about Pakistan, seems to be discrimination; some groups are favored over others, and some are overrepresented or overallocated compared to minorities. In this case, the gender gap between male and female applicants for the CSS is widening.
Females are consistently underrepresented and underallocated in the CSS exams. The data shows a relatively consistent trend favoring male candidates, with a higher proportion of men clearing both the oral and written exam phases.
This gender gap underscores the need for a policy effort to promote gender equality and create an inclusive environment that allows women to compete effectively against their male counterparts.
Women in Pakistan face a broad stroke of institutional and societal hurdles in achieving their dreams or qualifying for the Civil Service Exams.
Even today, there exists a social stigma that limits the ability of women to study and work. In rural areas and some urban communities, the societal expectation of women being primarily homemakers prevents them from working, especially in bureaucratic positions or positions of power. This could disincentivize them from joining and prevent them from being properly represented, even though they are 50% of the population.
Another key factor is the general gender disparity in Pakistan; the literacy rate is already low, but it gets even lower for women.
Female literacy rates are significantly lower than those of their male counterparts, especially in regions like Balochistan and KPK. This leads to fewer opportunities for females to have the proper education required to pass the CSS exams.
Though this may portray a bleak picture, there is hope, especially with strong policies and making women’s empowerment a priority in this nation. Looking back at the graph of allocation based on gender, we can see a general increase and steadying around 40% for women, which is an improvement over earlier years that were around 18%- 19%. It may not be the biggest improvement, but it’s still steady growth.
The number of women in federal and provincial bureaucracy has risen by 20%, with female officers now occupying key roles. Women constitute nearly 5% of the total 571,619 federal government employees, up from below 4% a decade ago. The Defense Division employs the highest percentage of female federal workers at 36.86%, followed by the Federal Education & Professional Training Division at 19.74%. Regionally, Punjab hosts 57% of female federal employees, followed by Sindh at 22%.
There was a growing trend of women entering civil services, including roles traditionally held by men, such as deputy commissioners and district police chiefs.
Prominent women now hold high-profile positions, including Justice Ayesha Malik, Pakistan’s first female Supreme Court judge (2022), and Saima Saleem, a visually impaired diplomat serving at the UN in Geneva. But these aren’t the only inspirational women in Pakistan.
Success Stories of Women in their CSS Exams
Below are some very inspirational women and their CSS journeys:
Shanza Faiq: Topping CSS 2018
Shanza Faiq, a graduate of the prestigious Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), topped the CSS 2018 examination, making headlines across Pakistan. Her journey included receiving the Prestigious Women of Pakistan Scholarship at Warwick and working as a Graduate Research Assistant in the UK. She also contributed articles to Dawn and was selected for the Pakistan Youth Parliament.
Zainab Khalid: A Top Performer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Zainab Khalid stood first among female candidates and secured the overall seventh position in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the CSS examinations, becoming the first female police officer in the Mansehra district. The daughter of a banker, Mohammad Khalid, she emphasized the role of parental support and hard work, aiming to advocate for women’s welfare in her role. Her achievement highlights the increasing representation of women in traditionally male-dominated services like the police.
She said, “Women have courage and abilities but they are not provided with opportunities to compete with men in our society.”
Fatima Saima Ahmed (Pakistan Administrative Service – PAS)
Fatima, an engineer by training, previously worked at the Pakistan CAA while juggling work and studies. She joined the PAS just two weeks after delivering her son, Yusuf, bringing him and her family to the training hostel at Walton Academy. For over a month, Yusuf lived with her there until her family left, leaving her to manage sleepless nights caring for him and days filled with training. Physically exhausting, the experience tested her limits, especially after Yusuf moved to her parents’ home, but her motivation remained strong: she wanted to be her son’s strength and ideal.
Marryam Fazal (Pakistan Audits & Accounts Service – PAAS)
Marryam initially viewed CSS as an intimidating challenge. Reflecting afterward, she realized CSS wasn’t about memorizing facts but about the journey of hard work and dedication. Success, she learned, stemmed from faith in oneself, not just knowing every answer. After passing, she faced frequent questions about preparation shortcuts and book recommendations, firmly responding that “there is no shortcut to success,” emphasizing perseverance over quick fixes. Her story highlights the transformative power of effort and self-belief.
Dr. Hina Sikandar (Pakistan Postal Group Service – PG)
She is a dentist with an outstanding academic and extracurricular record. Within only 2-3 months of preparation, she passed the exam on her first attempt while completing her dental house job. She prepared unconventionally, self-studying with a laptop, choosing subjects randomly based on interest rather than trends, and avoiding books, academies, or mock exams. Despite limited time and no background in the material, her focus on quality over quantity and immense optimism led her to victory.
Conclusion
So, while women face immense challenges in these exams and society, their resilience, persistence, and hard work always shine through. They show us that Pakistani society must overcome its outdated stereotypes and social stigma surrounding women. Women are already close to men, even with so many hurdles, so one can only imagine how far they’d soar if true equality were established.
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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.
The author is studying Economics at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) with a keen interest in financial affairs, international relations, and geo-politics.