It's an interesting question, rather a series of questions. Many newcomers inquire about time-space framework during their preparation phase. The answers to these most commonly asked quereies are, as far as I believe, as follows:

1-It's is very much possible that you pass rather excel in CSS and any other field in your first try if you have following ingredients which are considered as prerequisites:

*--- A clear aim in mind what are you going to do and how can it be achieved.

*--- A love, dedication, and craziness for your cause and goal post, i.e. css in this case.

*--- A firm and full-time commitment to css and denial of all other pleasures during the time period when you get into the preparation phase.

*--- A masterplan of exams preparation based on clear, sincere and correct guideline. It means finer details and all nuts and bolts.

*--- A workaholic spirit. A thirst, an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

*--- A cooperative family and circle of friends.

*--- Avoidance of all discouragers, rumour-mongers, and jealous-of-bureaucracy type folks.

*--- Prayers of all your well-wishers, especially yours own and of your parents.

*--- As much extensive reading as one can do.

*--- A smart plan of the exam-preparation. Including at least three revisions.

*--- A thorough and deep understanding of all your subjects.

*--- Excellent communication skills, public relationing, a confident and humble personality and no arrogance at all.

*----Knowledge of all technologies (I mean tricks) of attempting written papers. It is extremely important besides full preparation of subjects and excellent grasp of your subjects.
Remember, the transfering of knowledge on the paper is an art and you must master it as well for a successful going.

*--- A firm grip on English languge as it is the key to success if you want to excel it.If you have a beauty of expression, a diligent insight into the subject matter and know the intricacies of communicating your knowledge to others , you can control and command the brain of the examiner.

*---Please stay away from those who discourage and those who may be appropriately termed as envious of css and rabble-rousers.

*--- Keep yourself upto date in all matters relating CSS. Don't be discouraged at any stage.

*---- As far as timings, it varies and depends on your abilities and preparation level. As a rule of thumb,it fluctuates between 8-15 hours a day.
There are times when you are fully energetic and put a lot of time into this business and sometimes you are exhaust and don't spend much time. But the golden rule is that do as much as you can absorb and reproduce well and beautifully. Don't do donkey work just to keep yourself satisfied that you are doing a great job.

*--- Just one month before the exams you need to through all your energy into the engine and give a nitro-boost. For this you must save your energy and the graph of daily time spent on studies should take-off slowly. If you spend a major chunk of your fuel in the previous month, you will be exhaust and soon feel feeble near the exams. But if you are taking off slowly near the exams just two months befor their starting, you will feel rejuvenated just before the exams.

*---- You must need not be voracious for as many books and bundle of notes. Just get some good material and try to have a full command.

I am writing this thread specifically for all those who are thinking to attempt Competitive Exam in coming years but they are frightened and scared because they think they will fail. I suggest all of you to muster your confidence and give a serious attempt. You may or may not succeed but I assure that attempting Competitive Exam will make you a much more competitive, confident, enlightened and mature person. So give up all your apprehensions and fears, and accept it as a challenge. Accept it as a passion or true love in which you have to succeed at any cost.

After doing MBA I had job offers from Banks and Multinationals Companies but I was interested to join Civil Services so I appeared in Competitive Exam. In first attempt I managed to pass all subjects and got 596 marks in aggregate. You people must know that one must have 600 (50 % in aggregate) marks to qualify for the interview. Instead of thinking that it is not possible for me to pass I have given my second attempt this year (2005). Obviously my papers went much better then my first attempt and this time I hope to at least qualify for the interview. I have found that Competitive Exam is not just exam of your knowledge; it is exam of your persistence and commitment as well.

In my interactions with CSPs I found some characteristics in most of them. I found all of them to be determinant, optimist, hard working and focused. If you are also interested to join this elite group then I will suggest that be bold and attempt it with confidence, self-belief and courage. It is better to lose a battle then to accept defeat without fighting. At least an educated person’s attitude should not be like this to surrender without struggle. You may or may not agree but I firmly believe that in great attempts it is glorious even to fail. As I am in part-time teaching as well for the last couple of months so I often tell my students that it is better to mark high and miss it then to mark low and achieve it.

If someone says that one must have to be over intelligent and genius for becoming CSP then I don’t agree. I heard such statement from a few people but I don’t believe in any such thing. I believe in myself and I believe that everything is possible for a willing heart. I don’t pay heed to this thing that 95 % people fail every year; I think that if 5 % pass it every year then I can also pass it. If someone says that one must be diligent and hard-working then I acknowledge that these are not only prerequisites for a becoming a CSP but also essential for living a successful and victorious life.

Some people say that it is useless to join bureaucracy because there is so much corruption, dishonesty, bribery and mismanagement. To some extent it is true but let me ask a question to all of you, is it sensible that all honest and sincere youth should stay away from civil services and let only those who have intentions to misuse their powers to go and join without any competition? I don’t think anyone of you will say it is sensible to adopt such strategy. The right approach should be that we should join bureaucracy with this aim and objective that we have to bring a change, a change that our beloved country direly needs.

Another excuse given by many people is that Civil Servants have low salaries and they have to go for unfair means to meet their expenditures. It is a well-known reality that just after a few years of services CSPs are given so much facilities and amenities that they can easily enjoy a high living standard. And if someone really wants to earn then other options like part-time teaching, investments in property, side-businesses, investments in stocks are always there. Only those who have hunger and greediness go for illegal means.

In the end I would like to give an interesting point that will at least motivate all unmarried youngster to seriously think about doing CSS. It is a fact that every girl will be proud to be wife of a CSP and all parents really wish that their daughters should be married to someone whose career is so bright and secure. For girls I would like to say that gone are the days when boys use to dream about a girl who is simple, shy and innocent. Nowadays boys are eager to have a professional, confident, dynamic and mature wife. You may not be a CSP but after attempting CSS exams you will be able to guide your children to be CSPs and your attitude to accept challenges and think laterally will enable you to guide and advice your spouses in their daily lives.

Do pray for my success.

Asadullah

__________________
[COLOR=Navy][SIZE=4]Shoot for the moon even if you miss, you will land among the stars.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

How to attempt Compulsory Subjects

General:

1. By choosing to be examined for a grade-17 post, you enter into a psychological warfare.
2. 50% CSS is done on day-1
3. Wicket to wicket bowling on day-1
4. Strong nerves are required for later-day papers
5. Essay and English are not generally scoring but Islamiat and Everyday Science are highly
scoring subjects
6. Enter the examination hall with a positive frame of mind
7. Always revise
8. TIME MANAGEMENT IS MOST IMPORTANT. CSS is just a 35-minute game.
9. Always try to pose a difference
10. Your handwriting matters a lot. Both in speed and clarity.

English Compulsory

Sequence of attempt:
(i) Pair of words – 15 min
(ii) Idiomatic phrases – 15 min
(iii) Paragraph – 30 min; 1 or 1.5 pages
No introduction, No background,
Start writing directly and deal as a part,
This is NOT a short essay
Revise as soon as you finish it
Revise TWICE at the end
(iv) Précis – 40 min
(v) Composition – 40 min

Reserve last 10 minutes for revision

NO over-attempt please
No cutting or erasing

Essay
(i) Selection of a suitable topic lessens 40% burden
(ii) Mind your command not the standard
(iii) Try bifurcating your essay
(iv) Start every paragraph with conspicuous word by giving it a different color but NO CAPS and NO change of font.
(v) You do not go to score in Essay and English
(vi) Choose a risk free essay
(vii) Maximum 10 to 12 pages, little but beautiful
(viii) Always revise
(ix) Use terms relative to the subject of the essay
(x) Exercise
- Mark one essay in each of the previous papers
- Write an essay on any one of the topics
- This is the gauge of your potential


Pakistan Affairs

(i) Usually not a scoring subject
(ii) Comprehend your question Find key words in every question
(iii) Break and bifurcate (3-4 pages for each question)
(iv) No monotonous backgrounds
(v) Start with a quotation
(vi) Pose a difference
(vii) Give headings
(viii) Your gauge is how confident and aggressive you are
(ix) Attempt with a positive frame of mind
(x) Creative ability counts a lot
(xi) DO NOT DECEIVE THE EXAMINER

Big mistakes done with Pakistan Affairs paper
- Routine attempt
- Over writing
- No Pakistanism or patriotism shown
- No Jinnahism (here try to memorize some of his quotes)
- Pessimism

Current Affairs

(i) Draw an outline of your question
(ii) Give facts and figures about the question
(iii) Start with background, analyze problem, give present scenario, prospects & give conclusion
(iv) Avoid controversial questions
(v) Use current affairs key words
(vi) REMEMBER THIS IS AN EXTREMELY LOW SCORING SUBJECT

Everyday Science

(i) Your first preference should be the objective type questions
(ii) While solving any of the subjective type questions, always draw figures
(iii) You can score 90/100 marks

Islamiat

(i) Start with Bismillah
(ii) Your approach should be that of a modern forward thinking Muslim
(iii) Give references of Quranic verses and Ahadith
(iv) Put English quotes
(v) You can even score 80/100 marks
(vi) Your model should be Dr. Ghulam Murtaza Malik