CSS Exam Vacancies Spark Senate Scrutiny Over Rules and Reforms
Nadeem Tanoli
ISLAMABAD – A Senate committee has raised pressing concerns over Pakistan’s Central Superior Services (CSS) examination system, questioning high failure rates, unfilled quotas, and proposed reforms that critics say may disadvantage candidates. The Committee on Delegated Legislation, chaired by Senator Naseema Ehsan, grilled officials from the Establishment Division and the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) on rules framed under the FPSC Ordinance, 1977.
Lawmakers expressed alarm at the large number of vacant seats in the CSS every year due to candidates failing in key subjects. Officials admitted that these vacancies are often re-advertised, and suggested that subjects with persistently high failure rates may need to be shifted into the general pool to give aspirants a fairer chance of qualifying.
The issue of quotas also came under scrutiny. Members reviewed allocations for minorities and called for reforms that would ensure equitable representation. Senator Bushra Anjum Butt demanded clarity on why Punjab had recently increased the upper age limit for candidates, pressing the FPSC to explain the rationale behind the decision. The committee directed officials to provide a full briefing on the matter in the next session.
Chairperson Senator Naseema Ehsan recommended a nationwide increase in the age limit, stressing that students from disadvantaged and remote regions often start their education later than others and deserve the opportunity to compete for elite civil service positions.
Despite the controversies, officials highlighted a notable success: this year a record number of women not only claimed reserved seats but also secured positions on open merit, marking a significant step forward for gender representation in Pakistan’s civil service.
The committee vowed to continue reviewing the CSS framework, warning that without meaningful reforms, structural inequities and chronic subject failures would continue to erode confidence in one of Pakistan’s most competitive examinations.
