Originally Posted by SPRR

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to say that it has been a great 2 year run for me, trying to become a CSP.

Before i ventured into this, i had the following perceptions about CSS:

1. That it was only for the rattay-baaz.
2. That one has to write sheet after sheet for even the simplest of questions.
3. That its a waste of time.
4. That it doesn't test your knowledge. It only tests how well you can memorise.

My perception about the exams changed after the first attempt. True one needs to memorise portions, but its not just about cramming, its also about the concepts and how well one can articulate or express those concepts into the written form. I wrote about 12-13 pages in my Essay (without EVER preparing or practising for an essay) and got 46.

So, its the quality that matters, not the quantity. I advise people not to panic in the exams when they hear others asking for extra sheets halfway through the examinations.

The first time i took the exams, i was working and thought that i would just see what the exams were about. I studied for a month max and appeared in CE-2014. I thoroughly enjoyed the overall experience and poured my heart out in the exams. I didn't make it when the result came out and failed one optional paper.

I thought that i should give it another try and went for the CE-2015 exams. I studied for around 3 months this time. Quit my job to devote more time to studies. This time, i have a better feeling about the exams. Rest is up to God inshaAllah.

All in all, it was a great experience because i studied a kaleidoscope of interesting subjects which broadened my knowledge about the world, history, law, politics, Pakistan, and International Affairs - subjects that i had never studied before in school, college or university. I wish our schools would include subjects like Sociology, Philosophy, International Relations, International Law etc. in the syllabus.

I do, however have certain issues with the examiners, and how the examinations are administered.

1. "Beauty lies in the eyes of the examiner".
I am against the beautification of papers, i.e., using markers for headings, then underlining the headings, making margins, using quote after quote etc. These are competitive examinations. Although it may make sense using these things to make your paper stand out, but they do not in any way certify the quality of your written content. We are not in grade 4. We should not be forced to do this to get better grades. We can send you a sticker book of Barbie and a pack of crayons instead if you want.

2. The first three days of the exams make or break the aspirants. 6 subjects in 3 days, 9-5 makes one go crazy. There should be a gap in between the first three days. A subject like Pakistan Affairs is lengthy and takes time to revise.

3. Wouldn't it be better if one has to take optionals according to their group preference? For example, if a person wants to go to the Foreign Services, then he should be liable to take up International Relations as well as International Law, using a higher weightage on these subjects since they are DIRECTLY related to his preferred field. Similarly, Public Administration should act as the same for the ones preferring PAS.

4. It seems that the examiners single out papers on pre-conceived notions and give them similar marks. For example, last year, there were numerous people who received 10 marks in their Essay exams, a number of people who received EXACTLY 40 etc. Why not 11, 12, or 41, 42 ? This just shows that the examiners do not really go through the whole papers. They see a bad point and voila!, they give you 10!

5. Examinations: I am not anti-feminism or anything like that but, like the army Naakas (barricades) where the army personnel let you go if they see a female sitting in the car, the invigilators let the females cheat their way through the whole paper. I am not saying that they should allow guys to do this as well. No, not at all. I am saying that they should be able to stop the female candidates from conversing throughout the exams, because it is VERY distracting. Bring in female invigilators if you must but PLEASE, do not deliberately let anyone constantly whisper, male or female. Thanks.

I encourage people to seriously take these examinations as soon as they are done with their Bachelors, and give it their best shot in the first attempt. Do not do what i did and just go through the first attempt to see what its all about. The first attempt is the best attempt.

My 2 Rupees on how best to take the examinations is to study smart. Do NOT waste time studying books upon books of a subject. Start off with the Jehangir/Faridi series. They bring you up to scratch. Once you're done with them. Then do your own research. Google has everything. Make your own notes and learn them as much as you can.

Pick up the optional subjects which are interesting to you, and have a good scoring pattern.

Also, it is not necessary to read DAWN everyday. Seriously. Searching up targeted articles on the subjects you want to study on the internet is more effective.

I also encourage people to NOT view the CSS Examinations as a way for them to legitimize their inferiority complexes and use their newly gained powers to acquire wealth by exploiting the people.
If there is one thing that i have learnt from all the newspaper reading and the studies about Pakistan, its the fact that our country is going down the drain. If the politicians are looting the country, then its up to YOU and ME, to stop them and keep a check on them because soon, we won't have a country to live in. We will have divided states, already divided because every group believes that THEIR cast, language, form of Islam, ethnicity is the best.

Lastly, i want to thank this Forum, for being a beacon of light for all the aspirants out there. Whoever handles this forum, great job guys.

Just one thing, kindly change your automated reply to people using "thiZ tyPexZ of language". There's no such thing as 'cute words' or 'netspeak'. Change that to 'slang'. Simple.

Regards.