By Laraib Shahid
In a telling sign for the country’s dismal state of education, only 3.32% of ‘potential’ candidates passed the competitive examination for the country’s civil service. The shocking exam results have elicited much commentary. A majority of people lamented the falling standards of education. However, some praise the examination for being meritocratic and so rigorous that it selects the very best for the civil service, which, they argue is all for the betterment of the services. But does this claim hold any water?
According to the results announced by the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) recently, only 312 candidates of a total 9301 passed the CSS examination, a 3.02 pass percentage.
The FPSC’s official website stated a total of 22,025 candidates applied for the CSS written examination of which only 9301 appeared to take the exam. Of these 9301 participants, only 312 candidates managed to pass the written qualified for viva. Those candidates, who had passed in the written examination, were made to undergo pre-selection schedules for medical examination, psychological assessment and viva voce.
The mushroom growth of higher learning institutions, particularly in the private sector, is one of the major reasons behind the decline as few candidates take the CSS exams very seriously.
The FPSC should try to find out whether the problem is with the exam method, paper pattern or there are reasons other than that at play, and a thorough assessment should be conducted to get to the bottom of the matter. The candidates might have been disturbed by group combinations for selection of subjects that were changed by the FPSC at the last moment.
There is also a quality of education issue and the HEC should conduct audit of universities to solve it. Moreover, there is a gap between the assessment of students and the subjects they are being taught in universities. This matter should be consulted with the HEC, education experts and people from academia to find out reasons for the increasingly disappointing results.
Dwindling prestige of CSS:
The final list of candidates recommended for appointment by FPSC after completion of pre-selection stages number 238, of which 132 are male and 106 female.
CSS results 2016
| Candidates applied | 20,717 |
| Candidates appeared | 9643 |
| Candidates passed | 202 |
| Successful male candidates | 114 |
| Successful female candidates | 85 |
| Percentage | 2.06% |
CSS Results 2015
| Candidates applied | 22,130 |
| Candidates appeared | 12176 |
| Candidates passed | 368 |
| Successful male candidates | 220 |
| Successful female candidates | 148 |
| Percentage | 3.02% |
CSS Results 2014
| Candidates applied | 24,640 |
| Candidates appeared | 13,170 |
| Candidates passed | 439 |
| Successful male candidates | 294 |
| Successful female candidates | 145 |
| Percentage | 3.3% |
CSS results 2013
| Candidates applied | 15,998 |
| Candidates appeared | 11,406 |
| Candidates passed | 238 |
| Successful male candidates | 172 |
| Successful female candidates | 66 |
| Percentage | 2.09% |
CSS Results 2012
| Candidates applied | 14,335 |
| Candidates appeared | 1006 |
| Candidates passed | 788 |
| Successful male candidates | 588 |
| Successful female candidates | 200 |
| Percentage | 7.8% |