Totally agree with your advice. I for one did not study for my first attempt, but during my university education and my overall general interest, I have developed the 3 things you have mentioned above. Indeed, knowing your subject i.e. the basics are essential, but textbook learning is not enough. You have to be analytical, apply what you have learned to real life scenarios, be it an economic theory or a psychological theory. Theories always lack something, they do not cater to every exception. Knowing those exceptions is when your analysis and marks lie.

Like I said, I did not study for my first attempt, but what I realised was that it not just about how much you have learned, but how to apply what you have learned. CSS exam questions are very generic, especially in compulsory subjects. So whenever you learn something or read something, do not take it on face value, every piece you will read will have a writer bias. Even facts are not truly 'facts' as the saying goes 'winners write history'.

Its a sad state of Pakistani education when students despite being Masters and Phd holders in their fields still sometimes lack these basic skills sets, which you learn around the time of your under graduate degree in most universities around the world.

Congratulations on your results, and I must say this is the first piece of advice that is actually worth something for the rest of your life and just for a competitive examination.