The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has rejected reports suggesting a sharp decline in the number of CSS applicants, stating that claims of falling interest among young candidates are misleading and based on an inaccurate comparison of data.
In an official clarification, the commission said comparing application figures from 2022 with those of 2025 without considering changes in the examination process creates a false impression. FPSC maintained that interest in the prestigious civil service examination remains strong across the country.
According to the commission, 64,081 candidates registered for the MCQ-Based Preliminary Test (MPT) in 2025, describing the figure as clear evidence that thousands of young Pakistanis continue to aspire to join the country’s civil services.
The FPSC further shared that 18,139 candidates submitted applications for the 2025 CSS written examination. Out of these, 12,792 candidates appeared in the written exams, while 354 successfully qualified for the next stage.
Following the interview process, 342 candidates were declared eligible for allocation, and 170 candidates were ultimately appointed to different occupational groups and government services.
The commission emphasized that every year, a large number of applicants participate in the MPT screening test before becoming eligible for the written examination. However, it said that several media reports ignored these MPT registration figures and instead compared only the number of written examination candidates, leading to an inaccurate conclusion about declining interest.
FPSC stressed that the high number of MPT registrations reflects continued enthusiasm among Pakistan’s youth to pursue careers in the civil service. The commission reiterated that the CSS examination remains one of the country’s most competitive and sought-after recruitment processes.
Officials urged that future assessments of CSS participation should consider the complete examination process rather than relying on partial statistics. According to FPSC, a comprehensive review of the available data clearly shows that interest in the CSS examination remains stable and continues to attract tens of thousands of aspiring candidates each year.
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