CSS Cluster Based Exams to be introduced in 2017
 

ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission is all set to recommend Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for introducing a cluster-based examination system for CSS from 2017 by abolishing the existing generalised system under ambitious civil service reforms.

Nawaz had assigned the task to Federal Minister for Planning and Reforms Professor Ahsan Iqbal to devise a strategy for the much awaited civil service reforms.Under the cluster based examination system, few clusters will be developed such as Economics, Taxation and Accounting.

The examination will be based on specialised fields in accordance with educational knowledge and skills instead of getting a generalised exam for the selection of candidates through Central Superior Service (CSS) of Pakistan.

Planning Commission Member (Governance) Tahir Hijazi on Thursday said that their focus was on transforming the training system of bureaucrats as they were developing new contents and modules to equip future bureaucrats with latest knowledge and competence to manage different affairs effectively.

“We will recommend abolishing ACRs system which had failed to deliver and new IT based system will be introduced for evaluation purposes under which seven officers will evaluate performance to give promotion,” he added.

But in recent past, the civil service reforms were largely remained a pie dream as it failed because of political will or executed in highly pathetic manner. For instance, the latest example is monetisation of cars which was highly misused by the top baboos from last several years and now the government seemed helpless to reverse it.

Former Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and architect of numerous work on civil service reforms in Pakistan, Dr Ishrat Hussain said he had recommended cluster-based examination for CSS for certain services because in accounts and audit group certain officers became part of it who could not read out balance sheet. He cited that MBBS doctor joined FBR but he did not have any knowledge about income tax, sales tax or customs.

There should be no bar but skills of certain clusters should be tested among candidates, he said and added that if medical doctor developed his or her skills about economics and accounting, he or she should be allowed to sit in these cluster exams to join this service group.

However, a former bureaucrat, who dealt with civil service reforms, told this scribe that the purpose of CSS was to hunt down raw talent instead of specialised talent which was groomed through extensive training for performing in specialised fields.

In India, he said, this issue was extensively debated and finally it was decided that the generalised system of examination should continue instead of cluster based examination for specific services or groups.

Those who are working on civil service reforms at the moment, they themselves do not know about its exact size and scope so they will not be able to deliver anything on this front, he candidly argued.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Planning, Development & Reforms Ahsan Iqbal called for speeding up the pace of work on civil service reforms in the light of vision of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to make it performance driven and quality service delivery oriented. He stated this while chairing a meeting on civil service reforms on Thursday.

He felt that general examination system for civil service is not appropriate and suggested that it should be changed to clusters with specialised knowledge and skills.He said that time has come for taking decisions by targeting early harvest initiatives. He stated, “Training programmes will be reformed to give modern skills to civil servants to equip them with new policy making and implementation skills.”

Source: [URL="http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-38876-All-set-for-cluster-based-CSS-exams"]The News[/URL]

I personally support Cluster-based exams, because it will enable the Government to employ the most suitable candidates for specialized positions.

The cost incurred by the Govt. in providing extensive training will also be reduced as the aspirants would have strong background of their respective fields.

Additionally, the candidates who do not succeed in passing the examinations will have an alternate career path which will enable them to pursue other options in their respective fields.

What about literature , philosophy, psychology and most of all Science Subjects? And political science and history where would they stand?


Can't say anything....without knowing the complete details..

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good step
 

although a good step yet needs a deep research for a better implement of it .

can someone tell me that if a person is an enginner or a doctor then cant he apply for PSP or DMG under clustering ? or he can apply but will have to study specific subjects?

a worst decision, this would just worsen the current situation of general based examination, which according to the Indians is better than the said cluster based exams, i hope it's just an assumption for reforms and should be neglected..

according to this Muslim law to police and IR to Foreign services. so those students opt both subjects, they would be select for which department......? and what about other subjects I.e sociology, gender studies, town planning etc....? please seniors reply must. thanks.

Just waisting time and resources, anyhow if that rule is implemented Engineer will be out as well as Doctors.:sick

The step is a welcome step for the future of bureaucracy in Pakistan but with a lot of challenges as well. The first area of discussion would be the number of clusters to be made.

someone please reply my query

[QUOTE=pakistan;849966]someone [COLOR="Red"]plz[/COLOR] reply my query[/QUOTE]

Please avoid net-speak here, it is against forum Rules. Read forum [URL="http://www.cssforum.com.pk/general/forum-policies-rules-regulations/"]Rules[/URL] and abide by them.

And regarding your query, please wait for official stance on these issues.


JazakAllah

Brother, if you read the post carefully, you will find the answer. Basically clustering would be made (if implemented as per above proposal) on the basis of skill not educational background. So if you gain necessary skills in a particular field by studying the relevant optionals, your educational background will not matter. For example if you want to join foreign service, you might have to pass the subjects like International Relations, International Law etc.Your educational background may not be relevant.
I hope this suffices your query.

thanks alot brother . you made my day . any ways can you tell that the necessary subjects would replace the optional ones or compulsory ones? i hope you get my ques

[QUOTE=pakistan;849976]thanks alot brother . you made my day . any ways can you tell that the necessary subjects would replace the optional ones or compulsory ones? i hope you get my ques[/QUOTE]
As of now, nobody knows. Additionally, this is just a recommendation and doesn't amount to be implemented. As far as the contents of clusters are concerned, we will have to wait for the final verdict to be announced by FPSC.

If this system is implemented then in my view all of the aspirants will be rushing for top 3 groups ie. pas, fsp and psp but no one will be ready to go for taxation even the asirants whose profession is taxation or likewise will be preparing for the top groups of his choice. Now imagine that 12000 to 13000 people want to be the part of PAS then whats the point of placing other remaining groups.

an stupid decision though.... if you call it for masses then how can you make it so specific? specification is already exist in education department and now this....
lets wait for further details and announcements.

Quality of Inept Leadership
 

Such Policy need intense research to practically implement it. Generalize exam allow every aspirant to compete equally but this cluster will make aspirants more suffer.

One thing more, as I have experienced this implementation of new trend will take a decade. So don't be diverted be focus to your preparation.

it seems horrible:blink::blink:
i have opted physics,envir sciences,town plang, criminolgy and geography
it means if i will not selected in 2016 i will again sacrifice my whole devotion and subjects for 2017 attempt:0

It seems logical. I also read about the cluster methode. finger crossed. Lets see..

Another aspect of Cluster based exams would be that Aspirants will compete for particular group and for limited number of seats in the quota of that group. It means that aspirant of PAS will compete with the aspirant of same group.

@All

Wait for the official announcement.

What reforms The Planning commission of Pakistan is going to made in regard to CSS is ludicrous and again is the waste of time and money, no doubt these are the precious elements in the development of any nation. The need of the hour is to impede the way of both, Doctors and Engineers, if they join Superior Services of country would be absolute loss to the country at both end, every body is well aware of that loss, viz, first when a person join medical or engineering field nation resources are exhausted and than at that time when the same person join the civil service and again nation resources are exhausted to groom that person for allocated field, specially financial and managerial. But Planning commission is not paying any heed in this regard, I think there is strong lobby against this long contested, since 2007, reform. I'm not against Doctors and engineers but have more concern for Pakistan's Development.
:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry

acoording to my opinion this clust based examination is just waste of time

It will be a sheer disappointment and intellectual failure of country's policy makers if this scheme would be implemented. First of All, the competition will be shifted from general to group by group. It'd cast a far reaching, long term effects. Presently, after 19th grade, officers may be given any service in any group, no matter what is his specialized group. But once, this scheme is implemented, there would be no reshuffling. Consequently, there will be mismanagement as a result of want of diversity. Secondly, less seats will be available for, the recruitment will be on group basis. It would not only shatter the confidence of the candidates but also result in failure of the most of the candidates.

Implanting an imported system in a surgical manner will worsen the state of affairs. First reform your education system, a system which could impart knowledge. The prevailing system has been failing in developing balanced minds, but opium eaters, craving for authority to be utilized for the satisfaction of their ego.

I don't think that the above said reforms will be effective to find out the best talent across Pakistan. Let's say if they set specific subjects for every occupational group and aspirants will be asked to choose specific subjects for some particular group then you know what happens, every one will go for the top-notch occupational groups and no one will go for the groups which will not be appealing to the aspirants. So it feels like this scenario is ambiguous to me.

And if they say that the students having degrees relevant to the subjects of civil service, will be allowed to apply for the exam then it will be unfair and injustice to the rest who won't be able to meet the prerequisite condition. But everyone knows it is a competitive exam so everyone must be allowed to appear for this exam because every aspirant is as equally important as any other aspirant so they must be treated equally.

And what's bad in having generalized examination system, we get to study so many interesting topic related to Pakistan affairs, our social problems, about Islam and so many other topics, having diverse knowledge always helps you making better decisions.

Yes! Don't worry... You will not face any problem

Debate is useless unless it is announced... Nothing is gonna happen... This is just a news.. Nothing serious... And for true CSS aspirants it is nothing... hackwork pays off. No one can stop you from becoming a successful man. JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELVES

[QUOTE=Shafaqat Ali;850102]What reforms The Planning commission of Pakistan is going to made in regard to CSS is ludicrous and again is the waste of time and money, no doubt these are the precious elements in the development of any nation. The need of the hour is to impede the way of both, Doctors and Engineers, if they join Superior Services of country would be absolute loss to the country at both end, every body is well aware of that loss, viz, first when a person join medical or engineering field nation resources are exhausted and than at that time when the same person join the civil service and again nation resources are exhausted to groom that person for allocated field, specially financial and managerial. But Planning commission is not paying any heed in this regard, I think there is strong lobby against this long contested, since 2007, reform. I'm not against Doctors and engineers but have more concern for Pakistan's Development.

:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry:cry[/QUOTE]


Agree with you brother but it's the basic right of every citizen to chose a field whatever he/she likes and second government should make health department and engineering side more lucrative for doctor and engineers than CSS so that they don't prefer CSS over their respective fields.

Which group of subjects or experience will be require for Postal group?:haha

[QUOTE=lovereflector;850949]Which group of subjects or experience will be require for Postal group?:haha[/QUOTE]

Dear,It doesn't depend upon your subjects you want to prepare regarding CSS exam enlisted in Subjects list.It depends upon your merit no that you have grabed after taken an interview.If you have low merit no,then you have possibility to allocate in PG.Work hard that you could allocate in some suitable group.Always think high.

Can you briefly explain in context of cluster based system.

Oh my goddd... First they surprised us with the revised syllabus and now this cluster based examination... They should decide at once both the decisions so that the candidates should start preparations according to the new examination system.I will appear in the next year if the system changes at any time then my whole preparation of the optional subjects will go in vain....:cry :cry :cry:0

CSS Cluster based examination
 

Atlast a good step taken by FPSC. i think this will prove fruitful inshALLAH

Can anybody guide about the cluster based system.....what is it ???

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so the aspirants of 2017 , what should we do? only wait for the news?

[QUOTE=pakistan;852019]so the aspirants of 2017 , what should we do? only wait for the news?[/QUOTE]

I am also very confused ... should i start preparing for the exams now or later?:cry:thinking
Fpsc should have changed the whole system during the decision of revised syllabus...

Foolishness at its peak
 

Cluster based exam are not successful in such situation where everyone seeks for distinction. It is obvious that everyone will submit the application in the DMG or the top ranking groups. Then who will apply for the other groups that will be vacant too. To be brief, exam should be general so everyone could participate in it by equal means then they could be filtered in the interview.

[QUOTE=anabiya mughal;851108]Oh my goddd... First they surprised us with the revised syllabus and now this cluster based examination... They should decide at once both the decisions so that the candidates should start preparations according to the new examination system.I will appear in the next year if the system changes at any time then my whole preparation of the optional subjects will go in vain....:cry :cry :cry:0[/QUOTE]

It's not next year for cluster based exam, it's 2017 instead. Go prepare with full heart for 2016, no danger. (Clearly mentioned.)

In my opinion even 2017 is way too early for the decision to be implemented. :)

By the way, what about getting a BA? What group might possibly be available? I hope both PAS and FSP. :)

This is NOT AT ALL a workable system. There ain't enough Bachelor IR holders good enough for FSP (good graders in CSS + BS IR)

Enjoy and study at ease. This is just a nightmare. Reality is far fetched.

:ninja:

Cluster-Based Exam!
 

Greetings to All,
Some queries are disturbing me a lot. I wish anyone could make me clear.

As per an unauthentic information, Cluster-Based examination will require a particular Master Degree to compete for a particular group. In that case, I, withholding a Master Degree in [B]JOURNALISM[/B], could apply for the PAS? or

If it relies upon the combination of the optional subjects, so what combination one shoud make to persuit PAS?

The queries might be insane, but confusing me a lot.


Thanks in anticipation.

CSS Cluster Based Exams to be introduced in 2017
 

[QUOTE=naeemgul;865588]Greetings to All,

Some queries are disturbing me a lot. I wish anyone could make me clear.



As per an unauthentic information, Cluster-Based examination will require a particular Master Degree to compete for a particular group. In that case, I, withholding a Master Degree in [B]JOURNALISM[/B], could apply for the PAS? or



If it relies upon the combination of the optional subjects, so what combination one shoud make to persuit PAS?



The queries might be insane, but confusing me a lot.





Thanks in anticipation.[/QUOTE]


At this stage no one can address your query ,wait for final/official notification and that notification will at least take 6 more months.

They might require a particular degree for particular service group or they might force you to opt for particular optional subjects for particular service group.

However, if you are asking this to be on safe side then i can predict that masters in Public administration will be more suited for PAS than journalism. Aspirants with journalism degree will be more suitable for "information group" according to their insane criteria