I have witnessed a certain query on various forums and this questions has often been hurled towards me as well that when is it the proper time to begin the preparation for CSS?

Nowadays, I observe various aspirants who get passionate enough to begin preparation for CSS even before the completion of their university education. They go on to neglect their academic career and all they want to pursue is the allocation in civil service.

From my point of view, that is an absolutely wrong trend to follow and there are manifold reasons behind it.

To begin with, if you commence CSS preparation along with your university studies, most probably you will not be able to manage both, efficiently and effectively. Either one of them is sure to be affected by your negligence. CSS preparation requires your complete and utter dedication, commitment and not to forget the most imperative factor; time.

Secondly, if you pursue both studies at one and the same time, you will be devoid of the clear goals regarding your career. I mean to say that if you only focus on your university education, then you know for sure that you are only aiming for a higher GPA but if you also follow CSS preparation along with, you may lose your main goal and focus.

Not scoring good grades because of pursuing CSS studies along with university education may also get you grilled in the interview because believe me or not, your academic career and distinctions differentiate you from the other aspirants and it matters a lot to the interviewing panel. A strong academic career reflects your inner maturity and outward demeanour in front of the interviewers and that aids you in fetching good marks.

Furthermore, building your academic career is essential to develop a sense of maturity needed for an exam like CSS. Although the qualification required to appear in CSS is merely graduation but it is not an exam for ‘tehsildar’ or ‘patwari’ which you can qualify by only cramming some MCQ’s and such stuff.

It is the prestigious civil service exam for which thousands compete every single year from all over Pakistan. You have to be the best to compete and get allocation against the very best.

Now, what I suggest is that if you want to appear in the civil service exam, just get yourself done with all the necessary academic qualifications first and then seriously begin the preparation for the CSS exam. In the meanwhile, (in university) develop a habit to read English newspapers on daily basis, research about the most appropriate optional subjects for you and make endeavours to build your writing skills.

Your academic period is your ‘planning phase’ in order to aim for CSS. Spend this time in ‘planning’ to appear in this exam. But never ignore your professional degree or course at any cost. That should be your priority. You have got years to prepare and aim to become a CSP.

Of course, exceptions are always there like when you face the age restrictions to appear in the exam, you can and I guess you should manage to pursue both, the university education as well as the CSS studies. But if you are not encountering any sort of snag like age issue, start preparation after the completion of your final degree and not before that.