Pakistan rejects proposal to increase CSS age limit and attempts

Pakistan’s Establishment Division has rejected proposals to increase the age limit and the number of permitted attempts for the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination. The recommendations, put forward by a sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, suggested raising the maximum age from 30 to 35 years and increasing the allowed attempts from three to five.

The Division described the proposed changes as “impractical,” noting that the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) must adhere to existing federal government policies. The FPSC had previously decided during its 174th meeting to maintain the current regulations.

Authorities raised several concerns regarding the potential reforms. Increasing the age limit could lead to a surge in applicants, placing excessive pressure on examination administration and paper evaluation. Furthermore, officials argued that more attempts might cause candidates to lose productive years, while older recruits would have shorter service careers, potentially impacting the long-term availability of experienced officers for senior civil service positions.