CSS candidates term date sheet unfair

ISLAMABAD: Several aspiring candidates for Central Superior Service (CSS) exams for this year have termed date sheet given by Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) as unfair that would put candidates at disadvantageous position.

The FPSC issued date sheet for competitive examination (CSS) 2020 according to which the examination would start from February 12, 2020 and would continue till February 20, 2020. One candidate contacted this scribe and said that it would be unfair for all those who are appearing in CSS exams this year as they would have to appear in two papers each day without any holiday.

Several CSS candidates have termed the datasheet cruelty as they would have 12 papers within a span of 6 days with no break. They said that FPSC has made a hectic schedule with two papers a day and no holidays between any of paper. Candidates will suffer from mental fatigue and it will affect their performance, said a CSS aspiring candidate, adding that mind needs proper rest for proper functioning, but FPSC did not give importance to this factor.

They further said that for the last two years (CE-2018, 2019) FPSC has been conducting one compulsory paper a day and after that two papers a day of optional subjects. That would have been still acceptable though not ideal because in 2015 FPSC even gave holidays in optional papers which helped candidates for improved performance. But this time, that is not the case even in compulsory subjects, what to talk about optional subjects. CSS is an elite exam there should be accommodating schedule for this exam, they added.

CSS candidates further stated that FPSC was planning to conduct screening exam for CSS 2020 because of increased number of candidates. However, the federal cabinet rejected the proposal citing reasons that this screening test will put candidates from backward areas like ex-Fata and Balochistan at risk.

If a screening test which comprises only multiple choices questions and far easier than written descriptive part of CSS put candidates from backward areas at risk, how this unfair datasheet of written part will benefit those students from backward areas.

They appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the matter and revise the FPSC datasheet to save the future of brilliant students as well as of the country. If the whole schedule could not be changed at least one paper should be taken on daily basis, they concluded.