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ISLAMABAD:
A Senate panel has urged the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to allow Central Higher Services (CSS) candidates two exam attempts per year and to raise the upper age limit to 35 years.
The recommendation came during a meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, held in the Parliament Lodges under the chairmanship of Senator Saleem Mandviwala.
Representatives of both the establishment and the FPSC participated in the meeting.
The session began with a comprehensive briefing on the CSS competitive exam, covering the current marking scheme, selection mechanism and evaluation cycle.
An important recommendation that emerged from the meeting was the need to increase the number of exam attempts offered each year.
The committee argued that the current single-year attempt forces students to spread their preparation over four years, often losing eligibility due to age limitations.
It was proposed that the FPSC would allow two attempts per year, similar to supplementary exams in other education systems, so that students do not lose years and can remain within the set age brackets.
The FPSC, however, noted that under the current paper-based assessment system, such a change is not immediately feasible due to the time required to evaluate the syllabus and finalize the results.
Another key recommendation made during the meeting was to increase the overall upper age limit for CSS candidates to 35 years, taking into account various factors that contribute to students’ gap years.
The committee was informed that the selection test (based on MCQ) comprises 200 marks and serves only as a qualification stage. The written exam includes 600 points for compulsory subjects, with a grade threshold of 40 percent, and another 600 points for optional subjects, with a grade threshold of 33 percent. This brings the total written exam to 1,200 marks, for which candidates must score a total of 50 percent (600 out of 1,200) to qualify.
Those who pass the written stage go on to a psychological evaluation, a medical examination and, finally, the viva voce, with 300 points, of which 100 points (33 percent) are required to pass. The overall merit allocation is based on a total of 1,500 points.
