CAREER

COUNSELLING
Structure of Presentation
A. Choosing A Professional Career
B. What is CSS?
C. How Challenging CSS Is?
D. How To Achieve the Goal?
E. Is Structured Guidance Necessary?
F. Question - Answer Session
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A. CHOOSING
PROFESSIONAL
CAREER
Choosing Professional Career (I)
 Career vs. Job
 Long Term Association – Short Term Employment
 Progression Smooth – Promotions Need Switchovers
 Public Sector vs. Private Sector
 Long Term Association - Short Term Employment
 Post Retirement Benefits – Rare Exceptions
 Promotions Smooth – New Jobs for Progression
 Security – Uncertainty

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Choosing Professional Career (II)
 CSS vs. Other Government Jobs
 Superior Services – Normal Government Jobs
 Promotions Are Rapid – Progression is Slow
 Policy Makers & Executers – Policy Executers
 Higher Social Status & Influence – Simple
 Greater Perks & Privileges – Ordinary
 Opportunities for Social Service – Very Rare
 Motivation level is higher – Static
 Golden Opportunity to Join Federal
Services!
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B. WHAT IS CSS?
What is CSS?
 CSS Central Superior Services (of Pakistan)
 Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC)
holds CSS Examination through out Pakistan,
once each year, for recruitment of CSS Officers
(Jan-March, 2009)
 Twelve (12) Services / Groups:
Accounts, C&T, Customs, DMG, FSP, ITG,
Information, MLC, OMG, Postal, PSP & Railways
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What is CSS Exam?

 Step 1:
 Written Examination (1200 Marks) –
Most Crucial
 Step 2:
 Viva Voce (300 Marks) –
Not Very Challenging
 Selection Purely on Merit - Cum -
Regional Quotas
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Requirement / Eligibility for CSS
 All Pakistanis with a minimum graduate
degree Are Eligible
 Age Requirement: 21 to 28 years
 For 2010 CSS Exam Eligible Candidates Are:
 Born Between 01-01-1982 And 01-01-1989
 Age Relaxations:
 Government Servants (3 years service) = 2 years
 Scheduled Castes / Backward Areas = 2 years

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Provincial / Regional Quotas
 All Pakistan Merit 7.5%
 Provincial / Regional Quota
 Punjab (Including Islamabad) 50%
 Sindh: 19%
(Rural: 60% & Urban: 40%)
 NWFP: 11.5%
 Baluchistan: 6.0%
 NA & FATA 4.0%
 AJK 2.0%
 Women Quota 10% of each Provincial / Regional Quota
 Sindh domiciled candidates have the Golden
Opportunity – Almost No Competition!!
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Written Examination - I
 COMPULSORY SUBJECTS (600 Marks):
 English Essay (100 Marks) [Highly Sensitive]
 English Précis & Composition (100 Marks)
[Highly Sensitive]
 General Knowledge (300 Marks)
 GK-I: Pakistan Affairs (100 Marks)
 GK-I: Current Affairs (100 Marks)
 GK-I: Every Day Science (100 Marks)
 Islamiyat (100 Marks) [Highly Sensitive]
 No Worries – Every thing Doable

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Written Examination – II
(Optional
Subjects)
OPTIONAL SUBJECTS GROUP – A
 Carrying 600 Marks to Subjects Marks
be selected Accounting & Auditing 200

 Nine (9) Groups Economics 200

Business Administration 100
 What To Do?
Public Administration 100
 Attached Conditions
carefully examined Subjects carrying not more than 200
marks can be opted.
 Subject selection with Note: Business Administration
sound reasoning cannot be opted in combination with
Public Administration

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Written Examination – III
(Optional
Subjects)
GROUP – B GROUP – C
Subjects Marks Subjects Marks
Political Science 200 Pure Mathematics 200
Agriculture 100 Applied Mathematics 200
Forestry 100
Computer Science 100
Sociology 100
Statistics 100
Journalism 100
Subjects carrying not more than 200
Subjects carrying not more than 200 marks can be opted.
marks can be opted.

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Written Examination – IV
(Optional
Subjects)
GROUP – D GROUP – E
(Science Subjects) (History Subjects)
Subjects Marks Subjects Marks
Physics 200 Islamic History & Culture 200
Geography 200 Indo-Pak History 200
Geology 200
British History 200
Chemistry 200
European History 200
Physics 200
Biology 200 History of the USA 100

Subjects carrying not more than 200 Subjects carrying not more than 200
marks can be opted. marks can be opted.

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Written Examination – V
(Optional
GROUP – F
Subjects) GROUP – G
Subjects Marks Subjects Marks
Law 200
Philosophy 200
Constitutional Law 100
Mercantile Law 100 Psychology with 200
Muslim Law & Jurisprudence 100 Experimental
Psychology
International Law 100
International Relations 100
Subjects carrying not more than 200 Subjects carrying not more than 200
marks can be opted. marks can be opted.
Note: International Law CANNOT BE opted
in combination with International Relations.

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Written Examination – VI
(Optional
Subjects)
GROUP – H GROUP – I
(Regional Languages) (National & Foreign Languages)

Subjects Marks Subjects Marks

English Literature 200
Sindhi 100
Urdu 200
Pushto 100
Persian 200
Punjabi 100
Arabic 200
Baluchi 100 Subjects carrying not more than 200
Subjects carrying not more than 100 marks can be opted.
marks can be opted. Not more than one of the 4 subjects can
be opted.
Note: Not more than one of the 4 subjects Note: Urdu can not be combined with
can be opted. Regional Languages.

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Selecting Optional Subjects
 Science & Technical (e.g. Accounting &
Auditing, Economics, etc.) Subjects
 Previous Knowledge & Command Over Subject Essential
 Social Science & History Subjects
 Previous Knowledge Preferred But Interest is Essential
 Languages
 Previous Knowledge & Command Over Language Essential
 Marking Patterns / Trends –
 Must be Explored But Exceptions Ignored
 FPSC Report (Examiners Views) Scrutinized
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C. HOW CHALLENGING
CSS EXAM IS?
How Challenging CSS Exam Is?
(I) CSS is Challenging


 But Achievable For Above Average Candidates

 Seriousness and Sincerity to the cause is Essential
 Art and Luck –
 Art could be learnt and
 Luck (chances of success) could be maximized and in
some cases guaranteed with proper guidance and focused
study.
 Requires Commitment
 to devote time and energies to acquire good knowledge,
with reasonable analytical depth, about twelve subjects
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How Challenging CSS Exam Is?
(II)
 Selective vs. thorough study:
 Both: Selective While Choosing Important Topics But
Thorough in the Focused / Chosen Topics
 Books For Study
 Books recommended by the FPSC should be preferred and
referred for high scores.
 But selection of books should be smart and efficient
 Good books, with analytical depth, always pay higher
dividends.
 Win – Win Situation: Success or no success

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D. HOW TO ACHIEVE
THE GOAL?
How to Achieve The Goal? (I)
 Decide and Commit:
 Must Decide to Join Central Superior Services of Pakistan
 Prepare Mentally to Appear in the CSS Exam ASAP
 Commit Yourself for the Objective for Six to Eight Months
 Prepare A Formal Study Plan Up To The Exam
 Calculate Months, Days, Hours Available
 Divide the Available Hours Among the 12 Subjects
 Focus on Skills Development
 Priority Should Be ‘Developing Skills’ - Not Only On
‘Assimilating Knowledge’
 Tips & Techniques to Gain Extra / Bonus Marks – Such
information is not found in books, periodicals, etc.
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How to Achieve The Goal? (II)
 Subject Knowledge
 Must Acquire Subject Knowledge
 Simple Research Of The Topics Essential
 Read, Understand, Analyze and Prepare Notes
 Memorizing Important Points – Must (Elaborate Yourself)
 Keep Focus on Past Examination Papers
 Develop Analytical Skills to Create Analytical
Depth in Answers
 Review “FPSC Annual Report”: Must Know
Expectations of ‘Examiners’ from ‘Candidates’
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How to Achieve The Goal? (III)
 During Exam, The Basic Thrust Should Be On:
 Properly Understanding The Question(s);
 Selecting The Best Four / Five Questions To Attempt;
 Setting The Perfect Order Of Attempting Questions;
 Analyzing & Comparing ‘Issues’ + ‘Events’ Effectively
 Writing The Most Appropriate And Concise Answers;
 ‘Introduction’ – Should Be ‘An Abstract’ of the Answer
 Must ‘Conclude’ Each Answer with Your Opinion
 Beware of the Clock – Must Adhere Timelines!!

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Time Management – Key to Success!
 During Preparation:
 50% Success - On Proper Time Management During Preparation
 “Study Schedule” Up To The Exam Is A Must
 Practice “Writing Answers” During Preparation
 During Examination:
 Available Time 150 Minutes for Four (4) Subjective Answers
 Allow 10 Minutes For Reading Question Papers and Deciding the
Order of Attempting Answers
 Spare 10 Minutes for Revision
 Spend 40 Minutes on First Answer and 30 for Remaining Three
 Must Follow Time lines

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 E. IS STRUCTURED
GUIDANCE NECESSARY?
Is Structured Guidance Essential for
CSS?
 Nature of CSS Exam?
 Not A Taught Course
 An “Un-guided Research Programme”
 Why Most CSS Aspirants Falter?
 Lack of or Improper Guidance
 Lack of Commitment [‘Competence’ is Good But
‘Commitment’ is Essential]
 Each Candidate Has to Prepare Him/Herself –
 Proper & Structured Guidance ‘Keeps on Track’
and ‘Saves Precious Time’
 Greatly Enhances Chances of Success
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Key To Success? Summarized
1. Commitment for the Cause
2. Structured Study / Preparation
3. Better Time Management
a) During Preparation &
a) In The Examination Hall

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QUESTIONS????
(IF ANY)
 FURTHER INFORMATION

 WEBSITE: www.uqaips.com
 EMAIL: info@uqaips.com
aziz110@yahoo.com

 CELL: 0322-241 0344

(Mr. Ahmed)

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Thanks