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FPSC clarifies reports on CSS candidate decline

The Federal Public Service Commission has formally rejected claims of a 45 per cent decline in the number of candidates taking the Central Superior Services examinations, describing such media reports as factually incorrect and misleading.

In an official statement, the commission explained that recent news reports suggesting a sharp drop in youth interest were based on data that had been incorrectly compared and interpreted without proper context, leading to a distorted view of actual participation.

To clarify candidate statistics, the commission released official figures regarding the 2025 examination cycle. A total of 64,081 candidates registered for the 2025 Mandatory Preliminary Test screening, an annual preliminary process that the commission noted was completely overlooked in the media’s calculations.

For the subsequent 2025 written examination, 18,139 candidates applied and 12,792 ultimately sat for the papers. From these, 354 candidates passed the written phase, 342 were declared eligible following interviews, and 170 candidates received final service allocations across various civil service branches.

The commission also pointed out that media analyses had omitted results from the Special CSS 2023 examinations, which allocated 141 candidates to civil service posts. This special iteration was specifically designed to benefit women, minorities, and candidates from underdeveloped regions, further reinforcing the examination as a viable career path for Pakistani youth.

Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accurate data verification, the commission urged analysts and media outlets to verify details before drawing conclusions, maintaining that the civil service remains a top priority and aspiration for the country’s youth.

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