The federal government has rejected proposals to increase the upper age limit and number of attempts for the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination, deciding to retain the existing eligibility criteria.
The Establishment Division informed a parliamentary committee that the recommendations to increase the maximum age limit from 30 to 35 years and the number of attempts from three to five were considered impractical. The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has also decided to maintain the current policy.
The proposals had been discussed by parliamentary committees as part of efforts to provide CSS aspirants with greater opportunities to compete for Pakistan’s civil service. However, the Establishment Division raised concerns that increasing the age limit could significantly increase the number of candidates appearing in the examination, placing additional pressure on the examination and paper-checking process.
The division also argued that allowing five attempts could encourage candidates to spend several years repeatedly preparing for the examination. It further noted that candidates joining the civil service at an older age would have fewer years of service before retirement, potentially affecting the availability of experienced officers for senior positions.
Another concern was that a higher age limit could give an advantage to candidates who are financially able to spend more years preparing for competitive examinations.
As a result, the current CSS rules remain unchanged, with the general age limit at 21 to 30 years and a maximum of three attempts, subject to applicable age-relaxation rules.
