The number of candidates registering for Pakistan’s Central Superior Services (CSS) examination dropped by nearly 48 percent between 2022 and 2025, according to official data from the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC). CSS registrations fell from 35,059 in 2022 to 18,139 in 2025, while the number of candidates who appeared in the examination declined from 20,262 to 12,792 over the same period. The number of candidates nominated by the FPSC also fell from 239 to 170.

CSS registrations fell from 35,059 in 2022 to 18,139 in 2025, while the number of candidates who appeared in the examination declined from 20,262 to 12,792 over the same period. The number of candidates nominated by the FPSC also fell from 239 to 170.

FPSC recruitment data for 2022–2025 also shows that fewer Pakistanis are applying for federal government jobs through the commission’s general recruitment process. However, competition remains intense because only a small percentage of applicants receive nominations.

In 2025, the FPSC nominated only 0.94 percent of registered CSS candidates and 1.33 percent of those who appeared in the examination. In 2022, those figures stood at 0.68 percent and 1.18 percent, respectively.

The same trend appeared in FPSC’s general recruitment process.

Registrations peaked at 436,757 in 2023 before dropping to 196,193 in 2025, a decline of more than 55 percent in two years. The number of candidates who appeared in recruitment examinations also fell from 199,234 to 80,633 during the same period.

Despite the decline in applications, the selection process remained highly competitive. In 2025, the FPSC nominated 3,005 candidates out of 196,193 registered applicants. In 2023, it nominated only 1,436 candidates from more than 436,000 registrations.

The data also highlights a gap between registrations and actual participation. About 45 percent of registered CSS candidates took the examination in 2023, while that figure increased to about 71 percent in 2025. For general recruitment, the appearance rate rose from approximately 32 percent in 2022 to 41 percent in 2025, although most registered applicants still did not take the examinations.

Via: The News

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