By Mukhmall Hayat Jasra (PSP)
CSS is the most prestigious civil service exam in Pakistan conducted in February every year by the Federal Public Service Commission. You can become an Assistant Commissioner, an ASP in Police Service of Pakistan and multiple other posts are also given in various services like Foreign Service of Pakistan, Pakistan Customs and more.
This exam contains 1200 marks written exam and 300 marks interview. There are six compulsory and six optional subjects in the written exam.
The most difficult compulsory subjects are English Essay (100 marks) and English Precis & Composition (100 marks). Other two key compulsory subjects are Current Affairs and Pakistan Affairs. These two subjects are the basis of CSS as the knowledge of current issues of the world helps you almost in every paper of CSS. The remaining two subjects are Islamiat (100 marks) and General Science and Ability (100 marks)
If you are a beginner in CSS preparation, first of all work on two things:
- Writing Correct English
- Understanding Current Issues of the World
30 Days to Improve English;
In the beginner’s guide to CSS preparation, the question is how to improve your English writing abilities. The answer is simple. First of all you should learn just the four basic tenses: Present Indefinite Tense, Present Perfect Tense, Past Indefinite Tense and Future Indefinite Tense. Then, you should read simple English books or newspapers. You should try to read for at least one to two hours. After completing reading in English, you should write just one or two pages on general topics in English. These topics can be very common such as Benefits of Women’s Education, Advantages of Social Media, My Favorite Political Leader and so on. If you continue this practice of reading and writing English for 30 days, we can guarantee you that you will feel that your English has improved.
5 Books to Read to Understand Current Issues:
You need study plan for CSS. But you will remain frustrated and confused in your CSS journey if you don’t know the basic things about various current issues of Pakistan and the world. You must read relevant books. Avoid reading irrelevant and complex books in the beginning of your CSS preparation. The books that are recommended in this article are relevant to CSS syllabus and updated to the current dynamics as well. After reading these books you will have fair knowledge and understanding of key concepts and issues. 5 relevant books are given below:
- Foreign Policy of Pakistan (1947-2019) by Abdul Sattar
- Exploring Pakistan by Saeed Ahmed Butt
- Rethinking Pakistan by Raza Rumi
- Pakistan: The Search for Stability by Maleeha Lodhi
- Global Politics by Andrew Haywood
Newspaper Reading and Fact Book for CSS
While starting your CSS journey, along with these books you should also maintain a fact book. How to Make Fact Book for CSS? A fact book is actually a notebook that a CSS student keeps and updates on daily basis. This notebook is divided in 13 key parts. When you read a newspaper, a book or any other material or watch a TV program or documentary, you should add facts, examples or any other relevant thing from the afore-mentioned sources in your note book which is also called The Fact Book. These 13 parts are actually the topics that covers around 60% of CSS syllabus. These 13 topics are important for Essay, Pakistan Affairs, Current Affairs, Political Science, International relations, US History, Gender Studies and many other subjects. These are the 13 Topics that must be the part of your Fact book;
1. Global Economic Condition
2. Pakistan’s Economy
3. Governance Issues and their Solutions
4. Gender Issues: Facts, Problems and Solutions
5. Education Sector
6. Population Explosion: Trends, Issues and Solutions
7. Climate Change
8. Agriculture Sector of Pakistan
9. IT, AI and Social Media
10. Afghan Issue
11. Palestine Issue
12. 18th amendment
13. CPEC
CSS is possible. There are many myths about this exam. Do not believe in these myths. Believe in your own abilities. Every year students with Urdu medium background and having simple BA degree take positions in CSS exam and become ACs or ASPs. You can also do it. Nothing is impossible in this world. Have the mindset of a winner. Prove that you are Also Capable of Passing CSS with Flying colors. You can make yourself and your family proud by becoming an AC or an ASP.
Do it now……!
Start your preparation now…..!
(The author has the honor of passing CSS exam twice and has been allocated in Police Service of Pakistan in CSS 2023. He also got 5th position in PMS Punjab in his first attempt in 2023)