Assalam o alaikum!

The most important thing i want you guys to remember is that you would definitely find many people around you who say, "Yar ye tou tumhari pehli attempt hai...ye sirf experience ke liye hoti hai.agay 2 attempts pari hain tum un pe focus karo." DO NOT EVER LISTEN TO THOSE PEOPLE!
Anyone can clear in the first attempt if he/she studies SMARTLY. CSS is all about managing your time and making the most out of it!
You do not really need to study 16 long hours for the whole year. Keep a balanced approach.
I did study hard but during my preparation I took one month off (I did not plan it though). I was down because I started to think that I might lose focus but after a month or less, I was again on the fast track and studied as I did before the month long break. So the reason behind telling you guys all this is only one and that is you will experience many ups and downs during preparation and in the exams as well. And if you manage to endure all this, You will be victorious!

sorry but your comments are confusing in above comment you said even after 1.5 year of preparation one cant be sure about qualifying css in the very next comment you say you prepared only 38 days and were able to pass all subjects except English precis
and would you please point out what went wrong with your English paper as you told you have record breaking scores in B.A English

Dear Shahzad my comments are not at all confusing, Dear i meant to say that you can't be sure about passing it, no matter how long you prepare, but if you got potential then you can even get allocation with preparation of atleast 5 months prep...
I am not alone, there are many victims like hassan shariq who is foreign qualified and got 8 Bands in IELTS, he is failed in Precis, this time FPSC applied -x formula on this particular subject, yet i accept that i am failed in English, one must be realistic in his approach...there are 800 people who passed it....

CSS is an unpredictable exam, you can't be sure of your success even if you have attempted full papers and without any mistake. Before 2012 the result of essay paper was a surprise for everyone, but now after this year, result of both english papers will be surprise.....

where in your preparation of English composition do you think there was lacking . what according to you if you had done would have sufficed for your passing

my dear friend, i did not prepare that paper at all, neither it can be prepared..but this is not the reason of failure, this time this subject has been targeted, many have 12 or 10 marks, i even have 32.....

Well guys it is goood to see that you are planning it in time. i also want to start for 2014..although i took 2012 attempt, but failed in essay and GK..english composition was cleared, as don't face much problem in composition..well i wish good luck to all lookin gahead to next trial..
@ Guidance: please seek guidance from some one who 'really' wants to guide as i was misguided by some CSP officer, so i hope we all should discuss and use our brains to make it to the best..
Good luck!!!

__________________
Jinnah

thank u sir for helping new user by ur knowledge.we are looking for such guidence like u.thanks again sir for helping students making thier future

well you can't be misguided if you put as much trust in yourself as you do in a CSP, kehte hain na,

yes,i have cleared css 2012 written part in my first attempt ALHAMMDULILAH cant thank ALLAH enough for this blessing but how? is definitely a tough question to answer...but let me give it a try..

first of all u need good guidance, self motivation and passion to start with and hard work, consistency and positive approach to cap it up

this forum contributed alot in my preparation, i took guidance for my optional subjects, current affairs etc from seniors here.

when i started my preparation in oct last year i was left with just 4 months.
my optional subjects were indo-pak history, journalism, sociology, public administration, and Punjabi.

i made a plan for study and allocated 10 days for each subject and 14 days for indo-pak history, current affairs was the only subject which i prepared on daily basis.
reading dawn on daily basis is a must do.
i used to study 4-6 hours a day in oct, nov and for 8-10 hours in dec, jan, and feb.