The Minister-in-Charge of the Establishment Division, Senator Ahad Khan Cheema, on Friday linked the high failure rate in the Central Superior Services (CSS) examinations to insufficient academic preparation, the competitive nature of the examination among many other factors.
The inquiry was made by PPP Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Sehar Kamran, who sought information regarding the mechanism, criteria, and process involved in the civil service examination for the recruitment of civil servants, as well as the underlying reasons for its high failure rate.
She also questioned whether the current examination system is in accordance with international testing standards.
In a written response to the National Assembly, Cheema pointed out that there is an average of 125–133 candidates competing for each CSS vacancy, with approximately 200–225 vacancies available against a pool of 25,000–30,000 applicants.
The government stated that candidates must achieve a minimum of 40 percent marks in compulsory subjects, 33 percent in optional subjects, and 50 percent in aggregate marks in the written examination, with disqualification occurring if a candidate fails in any single subject.
Most candidates failed in English essay and precis
Cheema disclosed that a large number of candidates failed in the compulsory English essay and English precis and composition papers due to a weak academic background, inadequate analytical skills, and insufficient understanding of essay topics.
The response to MNA Kamran further indicated that many candidates struggled to present their arguments in a coherent and logical manner, while poor comprehension and weak written expression were major issues.
Examiners noted that the quality of responses was frequently below the expected level for graduates.
Moreover, authorities identified the inappropriate selection of optional subjects, an over-reliance on coaching academies, and taking examinations without adequate preparation as major contributors to the low success rates.
