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  #1  
Old Friday, July 18, 2008
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CSS And The Aspirants


Complexes/Prejudices, Guidance/misguidance, Self-actualization/Lack of self actualization, Constructive and Destructive forces; and Strategies and solutions.


Credentials of the author:
  1. Masters in English Literature
  2. Masters in Defense and Strategic Studies
  3. CSP-36th Common (1st attempt)
Assalam-o-Alaikum everyone !

This thread is dedicated to the administrators and moderators of CSS Forum indiscriminately for their selfless service to the nation even in the face of unjust and undeserved prejudiced criticism at times from all and sundry ... May God bless u always. It is dedicated to those who couldn’t materialize their own dreams but are always ready to extend a helping hand when it is needed the most…Last but not least, it is dedicated to the Young Eager minds of Tomorrow: The Aspirants.

I must confess, I am not the best man to write on the subject but I am here to share with you my observations, experience and study of the minds I have browsed through while treading my path to the 36th Common. The thread is supposed to deal with the causes that lead to failure, according to my understanding, and solutions to the same.

I would focus on the Complexes/Prejudices, Guidance/misguidance, Self-actualization/ Lack of self actualization, Constructive and Destructive forces; and Strategies and solutions; instead of giving so-called recipes to get good marks in certain subjects…I hope to take care of the causes, and believe that effects would take care of themselves.

During our struggle, we come across some certain emotional, psychological, physical, financial obstacles which try to overcome us and consequently it mars our dedication, commitment and passion, and at sometimes make us bid farewell to the arms. Our Prejudices and Complexes fall in this category.


Our Prejudices and Complexes

1. I belong to a poor family, my parents don’t know any Big man, have no recommendations whereas Mr./Ms A’s father is a rich man / bureaucrat / MNA etc therefore, he wud pass CSS and I wud not.

2. I studied in a Sarkari school, never spoke two words of English Whereas Mr./Ms B has studied in English medium schools for the upper class and speaks English fluently…So I should nt even dream to compete them; I CAN’T beat them, alas!

3. I am from the most backward and undeveloped area of the motherland whereas Mr./Ms C belongs to a big city like Lhr, Islamabad etc, and so God Aghast!

4. I m a B or C grader throughout my educational career and there are hundreds of A,A+ graders, how can I compete them…I m better do something else instead of doing CSS.

5. Thousands of candidates appear in CSS and only about 200 get allocated and I am not that good to be placed among the top 200 out of thousands… etc, etc.

6. I am very good at English language. I speak so fluently that I stun people, how can they fail me…

7. I am very good at writing articles, essays, so I need not take much headache and study books to go through the so-called CSS exam!

These are some of our prejudices and complexes -inferiority, superiority- which certainly are a destructive force on our way to become a CSP; sometimes prove Angel of death for the aspirants.


Strategies/Solutions

1. Take a long breath wen any of such thoughts make its way to ur innocent mind, close ur eyes for a while and look within, the soul, the determined and committed man within u.

2. What if I was nt good until now, I can change my fate; I would start writing it NOW.

3. My parents are uneducated, ignorant human beings. So what! They ve consumed every drop of their blood to bring me up, to make me a better human being than they were, they have their dreams deep in their heart about me…No, I would not give up; Never. I am their soldier and I would fight for them, the way they have been fighting against odds for me despite their limitations and deprivation.

4. What if I am a B or C grader student throughout, but I have my chance now to show the world what I really am. I can tell that I am not a lesser mortal. Let me tell them that I can if I will…. I can be destroyed but nothing can make me give up.

5. Well buddy listen, it is good that I am good at writing and speaking English then there are many who had foreign education and badly failed in English Language paper…No, I should not take it easy and must ad hard work to my talents to achieve that I do deserve…

It is requested not to add comments/appreciation notes or things like that Until the thread reaches its culmination. -I intend to deal with one topic in one day- bear with me, please. Afterwards, I wud be glad if U put any queries; and Would be even more glad If my worthy fellows come up with the solutions to the curiosities of the aspirants.


Rabbir hamhuma kama rabba yani sagheera. Ameen.

Regards.
__________________
"You interpret my heart, my nature, as you wish to believe it. In truth, I have no secret longing to be saved from myself." (Eugene Onegin – Alexander Pushkin)

Last edited by Last Island; Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 06:30 AM.
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  #2  
Old Saturday, July 19, 2008
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Guidance / Misguidance


The very word guidance/ misguidance reminds me of the preface to George Bernard Shaw’s Doctors dilemma published separately as "Are Doctors Men of Science"? In one of many extraordinarily elaborated paragraphs Bernard Shaw explains what happens to a heart patient when she consults and trusts a Quack for the diagnosis of the malady and remedy or cure of the same... you know what can happen to her, I believe. We have a toothache and we can consult, without hesitation, our partner in the gym…. Is it a good state of mind? An ideal one? Are not you putting your time and health at risk? Are not you putting yourself at risk?

A depressed and a confused CSS aspirant also reminds me of a man who is accidentally chased by a mad dog; and the man - being at his wits ends - does not know what to do and what not. He runs everywhere to save his life. he is striving for his life. Good. But do you approve his effort? What if he would have controlled his nerves for a while to find a better solution instead of running? Would it have worked…? I believe it would have. They say, “When you are out in the field, control your nerves; if you have control over your nerves, you would have control on the field.” I agree to great extent.

A CSS aspirant Mr. /Ms A is unable to decide whether he/she should take International Relations as an optional subject or not. In confusion - and in his purely naive and sincere - though not wise-effort he approaches a CSP who himself had not opted for International Relations as a CSS aspirant or a famous English Language professor who has earned a name in teaching CSS students. They approve or disapprove according to their information - which is most of the time based upon either of their aurora, whims, reports of some students and certainly their own liking or disliking; and in some instances whether they can teach you that subject and make some money - I mean no offence, you can happily disagree but with the last proposition only! Do you think the person has done you great favor?

Is he our benefactor?

A friend or an enemy?

Whatever he is, he is not your benefactor, consciously or unconsciously. You have not tread a path, how can you lead others. No, you can’t. I object.

Is Mr. /Ms A is not akin to the heart-patient who had consulted a Quack who diagnosed it constipation and then NA RAHA MAREEZ AUR NA RAHA MARZ….

THE POINT is, it is of utmost importance to approach the right person for guidance; the person who has tread the path himself, has experienced himself…I believe he is the right man to get guidance from.

Now there are - I would prefer to be pragmatic, rational and straightforward instead of becoming an emotional idiot, No offence to vulnerable sensitive souls please. - reasons for humans misguiding there fellows. Some do that unconsciously, without any grudge or prejudice, out of their sincerity and wish to be of any help somehow. But remember: a wise enemy is better than a foolish friend…recall the Man and bear story.

There would be so called KIND and GENEROUS FRIENDS who would want to help you out - it is painful but true that we are misguided by the people who take us as their competitors and they think they would have to fight one less soldier if they somehow can detract or demoralize you - you are flabbergasted! But yes, it’s true. This is what they call counter-intelligence, feeding the wrong information intentionally, in strategic terms. We are humans and it becomes almost impossible for us at times to rise above our petty prejudices for the welfare of humanity. Do not disgust; that is what we are and there are good people too. Do not make yourself an easy prey. Do not go to the Chaudhry of your village or the neighbour next door, the famous English professor or the famous academy owner, i.e., QUACKS, not in their particular fields but in the one you are trying to seek guidance for.

In nutshell, if you diagnose the right malady, you can cure it efficiently and if you take heart trouble for constipation, you have lost your war before it begun. Recognize your benefactors; the experts in their field.

You are the most valuable asset of our family and the unique self created by God and you can’t destroy yourself like anything.

No body knows you better than yourself and if you don’t, just meditate, look within. You would get familiar with the man you are.

Tell your guide all about your aptitude and previous academic record....

Don’t ever panic, control your nerves and step forward with confidence…what is CSS? This world is one step away from you; one step of wisdom and rationality.

May God bless you.

Rabbir hamhuma kama rabba yani sagheera. Ameen.

Regards.
__________________
"You interpret my heart, my nature, as you wish to believe it. In truth, I have no secret longing to be saved from myself." (Eugene Onegin – Alexander Pushkin)

Last edited by Last Island; Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 06:28 AM.
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  #3  
Old Sunday, July 20, 2008
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Self-Actualization / Lack of Self-Actualization


One of Baba Bullah Shah’s mystic notes flow like this:

Parh parh ilm hzar kitabban,
kadi apnay aap noon prhya nai
Ja ja wardey mander maseeti,
kadi mun apnay vich warya nai.


Ah ! self-actualization….
What are we here for ?
For collecting heaps of wealth?
Fame and a big name?
The dream counter-part?
For worshipping God?

Do you think that becoming a CSP would satisfy your thirst and you would not crave for more?

Well, irrespective of your caste, color and creed; if you take a little time and ponder, your answer would be NO. It is not the destination, the ends. Even worshipping God is not the ends in itself: for some the ends of the worship is the reward of heaven; for some others it is an effective means to reach out to the mystery of The Creator and the universe; some worship God to find peace while some others because they believe that their God is worth worshipping.

Do we do this for God?
Does he need this?

No. He doesn’t; and we do it for ourselves because we want our ‘TAKMEEL’ – there are many English words to translate the word but I find this one more suitable here.

During my previous job I came across men of honor, criminals, diplomats, exploiters and the exploited but I found one thing common in all of them: I found that they are all striving for their ‘TAKMEEL’ though every one had his own notions of ‘TAKMEEL’ and used means varying to others; legal for himself and illegal for others or legal even for others. They seemed to me trying to fill some desert places within them and for this purpose they run after illusions which lead them to deep dark unfathomable forest of frustrations. Why?

Lack of self-actualization! Yes, you have got it right.

What if Mr. / Ms A wanna go to Islamabad from Lahore and he/ she catches a bus from the bus-stop without determining where it is bound to go? It may take him to Peshawer!

What if you find indomitable attraction in something on your way to your destination? It can slow your pace and may be you would waste your whole life caught in its glimmer.

It happens so, certainly, when one is not focused or has not an actualized self. Bertrand Russel, the famous American philosopher and mathematician has very convincingly put this idea in ‘The Causes of Unhappiness’ in these words: “wealth is a means to happiness and not happiness itself….” But, unfortunately, it becomes the ends for many of us, and means as well as ends to the most; resulting in frustration at the end. Yes, lack of self-actualization leads to the wilderness of frustration.

“Know thyself” said the great philosopher Socrates; perhaps, one of the most précised pieces of advice ever given by the wisest minds on the face of this earth. One is supposed to be Focused for that and once you get connected, downloading starts. ‘TAKMEEL’ depends upon the speed of downloading which ultimately depends upon the person striving for it. It may take, as I said earlier, the whole term of your natural life. Because your self is a complicated being, perhaps the most complicated, specially, for u. so complicated that Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, the wisest among the men of his times, was forced to say:

“The more I know, I come to know how little I know.”

Finally we have recognized the destination, the ends and means as well. What ever we do during our stay in this world is means to our ’TAKMEEL’.

So, let us know ourselves:
Who I am?
What I want?
What can make me get to it?
Am I doing it for pelf, power and position?
Am I a megalomaniac?
Am I doing it for my family?
Or for myself?
Would the way I am choosing to tread lead me to my destination?...
Ask yourself.

Whatever the cause is, it would give you strength and courage to produce the effect. The more powerful is the cause, the higher would be the effect.
Have you watched ‘The Cinderella Man’ played by Russel Crowe? The ordinary boxer who could not win an ordinary fight and his license is canceled, but then his stature touches the skies when he finds his family starving. He finds a cause in his loving wife and the off-spring for whom he then do even the most humiliating jobs and this cause gives strength to his soul and he becomes the champion beating the man more powerful than he….

Have you not watched the movie or read the book? No problem, don’t worry. Just look deep into the past years when you were a small kid. Remembered something? I hope you can see your parents doing the same what the Cinderella man did. Now you are recalling what your parents have undergone for you. Do you want to help them see their dreams come true? You want to repay them though you can’t? Yes, you want to. You see, you have the reason at last. You can do it now. Nothing can stop you. You know what? Doing it for them, you are heading towards your ‘TAKMEEL’. A smile on their wrinkled face can give you what the whole world together can’t. You are focused now. You have actualized yourself at last.

But you must differentiate being focused and being abnormal. I mean no offence to the book-worms, or sensitive souls but shutting yourself in four walls because you are preparing for CSS is a sign of abnormality. It is going to do you no good, nor it is desirable or recommendable. We need to be moderate. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) ordained: MYIANA RAVI BEHTREEN HIKMAT-E-AMLI HAI. And the Holy Quran says: AUR ALLAH HUD SAY GUZARNAY WALON KO PASAND NAHI KARTA…. And if so, certainly secluding yourself form the normal routine of life is not commendable. You need to create the equilibrium where you do not lose anyway. I would not recommend you that you should not give time to those who are closed to your heart or you should not go for a walk or dinner, or you should not read magazines or poetry because it is not part of CSS syllabus. Remember your intellect and the soul need food the same way your body does. Create balance, the equilibrium where no one loses. I was doing my job, very pressing one and I know many of my friends doing the same while preparing for CSS and we Thank God today, have no regrets at all that we missed something in life for an examination. I wonder if the person who does so is not confused. For example relating to the above quoted motivational cause, you are doing it for your parents and you cannot sit with them and have a chat or they ask you to do something and you say a big NO believing that you are doing it for them and it is they who would be proud when you succeed. A bird in hand is better than two in bush. You are depriving the ones you care the most of the happiness you can give for something that is distant and uncertain too. Get focused not a maniac.

Never forget you are working for your ‘TAKMEEL’. Live a normal life with satisfaction and contentment, and without regrets of the present that would become of the past soon.

I finish with this deeply conceived short verse of Elizabeth Sewell:

I will drain
Long draughts of quiet
For purgation.

Remember
Twice daily
Who I am.

Will lie o’ nights
In the bony arms of Reality
And be comforted.

I Explain it like this:
Stanza 1= step 1: We need some spare time and silence to meditate about ourselves.
Stanza 2= step 2: The first step culminates here in self-actualization.
Stanza 3= step 3: Self- actualization enables a man to stand and face the bitter realities and coping with them he gets completed, i.e., TAKMEEL.

Rabbir hamhuma kma rabba yani sagheera. Ameen.

Regards.
__________________
"You interpret my heart, my nature, as you wish to believe it. In truth, I have no secret longing to be saved from myself." (Eugene Onegin – Alexander Pushkin)

Last edited by Last Island; Monday, July 21, 2008 at 04:43 AM.
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  #4  
Old Tuesday, July 22, 2008
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Constructive and Destructive forces


Constructive and destructive forces are always at work at one and the same time perhaps with the equal force that balances the world. We build and we destroy ourselves most of the time and put the blame on Satan. But it is not always we who willingly or consciously destroy ourselves but somehow we are responsible for that: our actions stimulate the reactions. We want to retain our self-respect but we still prompt others to do the otherwise. For example, Mr. / Ms A is a student who is punished by the teacher in front of the classmates for not doing his homework. Unjust! He didn’t care about his / her self-respect!

No. It is not so. He did him / her no harm. It is he / she who has done so. If someone cares so much about his / her self respect, he / she should have done his / her home work and had not provided the teacher - the callous teacher, according to the punished- with the opportunity to amuse himself by punishing him / her. But we tend to blame the teacher whatever, though exceptions are always there.

In this case an un-actualized self is working as a destructive force, and we do not even know that. It does not mean you rare not worth being human, the exalted creature. It is that you have not worked on yourself properly.
Yes, Self - the character, the person we have developed – works either as constructive or destructive force or both simultaneously. Now, please, do not give way to your complexes or prejudices that my parents or teachers did not do justice with my grooming or I am like that by nature. There are some of us who seem to believe, “Ay khuda ye damage teri amanat hai aur inshallah mai teri es muqaddas amant ko kharch kr k es main khyianat nahi kroon ga.untouch wapis kroon ga,” Yes, there are many who do not bother to work to develop their Self. You can engineer yourself and you can do that anytime, unconcerned of whether you are young or old; just the force you apply to mould yourself varies at different stages of life. Perseverance, patience, tolerance, generosity, austerity, moderation, and hard work are the constructive components of your Self that you can attain at any stage of your life if you get focused and work on it. On the other hand, insolence, gullibility, hopelessness, incorrigibility, unscrupulousness are the destructive components of the Self and you can attain them as well at any stage of your life. Our Self is at work, it is developing every moment and we do not even realize that. We abuse someone and do not even realize what irreparable harm it has done to our person and on the other hand, helping some one selflessly gives an immeasurable strength to your person too. The great economist Adam Smith put it very right in economic terms when he said, “ Wealth itself is not good or bad, it is how we use it that makes it good or bad.” Our Self -the character, the person, the soul- is as bright and polished as much we have put effort to make it so, or on the other hand it is as much dull and clumsy as we have made it so, consciously or unconsciously.

I object when some one says that I was intelligent by birth and I was not…it is about how much we have worked on our selves; we can engineer the Self; we can adopt and discard. So, please, do not ever put blame on your parents or teachers. They were the most ignorant and uneducated human beings. Fine. We have grown up now; let us prove that we can become what we want to.

Secondly, I have personally experienced that the stronger your affiliations are with your religion and family, the brighter Self you have. I have already mentioned in the previous article how The Cinderella Man gets energy from the family to become the Champ. Strengthen your bonds. Understand and act. Life would be worth living.

Thirdly, there are the people with whom we interact during the span of life and one way or the other they influence us BUT we always have the choice to digest or ooze this influence. No one can – as I have said earlier- can make or break you if you do not want. Many wars would not have been lost if only the inhabitants of those lands had not conspired with the enemy. We are conquered when our Self conspires with the one trying to make or break us. Some times our poor financial conditions obstruct our way to progress and that is the time when we must stand stead fast that I can be destroyed but not defeated. I have always believed that it is better die fighting instead of not fighting at all. Any one who struggles for good and is destroyed can take pleasure for treading the path of martyrs.

Now, it is true that attaining this Self is not an easy task. It requires steadfastness, perseverance and consistent hard work mingled with focused sincere efforts.

We are not here to play, to dream, to drift
We have work to do and loads to lift
Shun the struggle
It is god’s gift.

It is your time to say whatever you want to. But I hope you go through the posts thoroughly before putting any queries or comments. It would be a very naive question for me -no offence, please- to ask what subjects I should choose. I personally do not believe in Chemistries that this combination gives more marks and this other does not. There are ample instances where one got zero mark in one subject whereas some other one got 85 in the same subject. It is we who shape all these Chemistries. We know our aptitude better than any one else. It is we who know deep in heart, which are the subjects I am good at. Once you choose - whatever the subjects may be- work well on them, grasp the essence, and you can score great. There are many things we do for the first time and it does not mean we do not do them well always. Remember, once you were not able to write alphabets or you could not spell Elephant but can you do it now? You have the answer. It always matters how you take things and work on them. It is you who can make or break; God does not do injustice to any one …


“ Layesa lil insana illa ma sa-aa.”

Rabbir hamhuma kama rabba yani sagheera. Ameen.

Regards.
__________________
"You interpret my heart, my nature, as you wish to believe it. In truth, I have no secret longing to be saved from myself." (Eugene Onegin – Alexander Pushkin)

Last edited by Last Island; Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 05:07 PM.
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Old Friday, July 25, 2008
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SH Virk great work, you really have spent some time to put all these ideas together, excellent work, keep it up, taking inspiration from you I would like to share my experiences.

My experience of doing CSS has been a journey of self discovery, by the time I ended it I started to know my self better than ever before, it proved to be a real test for my abilities, I stretched myself to the maximum and I came to know about the possibilities that rests in my hand. I got my allocation in my second attempt. First time when I appeared way back in 2001 I cleared my written and interview but couldn’t get allocation, this time around when I thought about it, it was bit difficult for me because as there was a gap of 6 years, more over I was doing a full time job ( I’m working as Area sales Manager In DHL ). Most importantly I wasn’t in touch with the books , my writing speed had gone down considerably, in spite of all this I decided to go for it as it has been dream to be a CSP.

But all I got was my computer, no books no notes nothing, I selected Urdu, Islamic history, mass communication and b’ness administration as my optional subjects. I literally got nothing as far as books were concerned, nor I had any friends who can help and share related stuff with me.

One day I was searching for something on Google, one of the links took me to this forum, I went through it, it really impressed me it had everything that I was missing; books, notes, paper , discussions and most of all friends who can help me on this. Ever since when ever I connect to the internet first url that I type in my browser takes me to this forum, even now I’m done with this CSS thing , I still find enough of my interest on this forum. So I would like to thank all those sweet souls who are running this forum for their great work. This acknowledgement was due on me and I have been thinking of writing this stuff for some time but this post from S H Virk proved to be the right occasion to say all this. I don’t know who is runing this show but who ever has started this deserves a standing ovation. My thanks to them for making my job easy, May GOD bless you.

Now I would like to comment upon the detailed analysis done by SH virk, points highlighted are very valid, Usually the perception among masses is that only the super intelligent people can clear this exam, by no stretch of imagination I think I’m of that breed and I tell you that you don’t have to be. In my personal opinion If one can work on following , he/she can do it easily.

1 – Self expression, if you can write that well what you feel, you shouldn’t have any problem, you need not to go any where, just gather maximum info about the topics analyze it and give your opinion like an expert, you’ll get all the marks, write as much as you can, it’ll refine your expression and will improve your writing speed.

As some one said some where ( forgive I jumble up with the stanza )

‘ True ease in writing comes with practice, not by chance
As those move easiest, who have learned to dance ’

2 – You should have ability to form a logical opinion about everything, doesn’t matter negative or positive. If you can prove and explain your thoughts logically, there would be no stopping for you, if you cram notes and try to photo copy some else’s thoughts and ideas then I think person who is checking your paper would rate you as just another routine stuff ( crammer ), until unless you don’t offer anything fresh and different to the reader you wouldn’t get appreciation. When you genuine opinion mixes up with your very own writing style, there comes the winning recipe.

3 - Self belief is something that has no substitute, I read it some where “ Fear kills all the talents “, just shed off all your fear and don’t think about what is at stake. Just has firm belief in your abilities and hard work and keep on telling yourself that you can do it and Inshallah You’ll do it one day.

4 – Above all just ask you parent ( specially your mother ) to pray for you. Trust me on this a prayer from the heart of mother can make anything possible, lines of some poet are coming to my mind related to this .

Mein nikama tu do herf taak nahin likh sakta
Mayri maa mayra sara kalam tugh say ha
Mayri maa mayra sara makam tugh say ha

GOD bless you all

Last edited by Last Island; Friday, July 25, 2008 at 09:47 PM.
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  #6  
Old Saturday, July 26, 2008
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Dear S.H.Virk
Very well done, I must appreciate your efforts in posting such analytical views on causes that leads to failure in CSS and solutions to the same. In my view these are not only causes of failure in CSS but also in other fields of life. Hopefully these wonderful guidelines will helps us.
Life’s greatest tragedy consists of men and women who try hard and fail! The tragedy lies in the overwhelmingly large majority of people who fail, as compared to the few who succeed. There is something wrong with a civilization and system of education while permit most of the pupil to go through life as failures. It is not only the case of CSS, I am student of Cost and Management Accountancy (equivalent to Chartered Accountancy) and I suffered failure, but after analysis of my own weaknesses and by overcoming the shortcomings I am enjoying life and motivated enough to sit in CE – 2008.
After reading your posts and discussion I think your points about self actualization is worthwhile, I would like to enlist some more causes of failure and I will request you to please put some light on these.
1. Lack of well-define purpose in life
2. Insufficient Education
3. Lack of self discipline and self control
4. Procrastination [waiting for time to be right]
5. Lack of persistence
6. Superstition
7. Lack of concentration
8. Lack of enthusiasm
9. Guessing instead of logical thinking
a. While self analysis [SWOT]
b. While selecting the optional subjects

@ Muhammad Usman
Very well done bro…
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  #7  
Old Saturday, July 26, 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Usman Naseer
I would like to enlist some more causes of failure and I will request you to please put some light on these.
1. Lack of well-define purpose in life
2. Insufficient Education
3. Lack of self discipline and self control
4. Procrastination [waiting for time to be right]
5. Lack of persistence
6. Superstition
7. Lack of concentration
8. Lack of enthusiasm
9. Guessing instead of logical thinking
a. While self analysis [SWOT]
b. While selecting the optional subjects

@ Muhammad Usman
Very well done bro…
@ Usman Naseer
Thank u dear for stepping forward and sharing with us your experince and highlighting some more causes of failure - I, too, have made a humble effort to draw the aspirants' attention to the same in my post "Constructive and Destructive Forces" though I could not list them complete for sheer want of time - thanx anyway.
I completely agree when U say,"In my view these are not only causes of failure in CSS but also in other fields of life."

@ Muhammad Usman
Thank You buddy. You r stunning as alaways...Precise and brief...it could never be put in better words than urs : "My experience of doing CSS has been a journey of self discovery, by the time I ended it I started to know my self better than ever before...."

Regards.
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Old Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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A.O.A S.H.VIRK,

Not to mention, u've presented a marvelous piece of writing. And one of the best work done on this site that truly deserves a standing ovation!
Kindly do reply my questions...(I'm a bit confuse about them)... my ques r related to Essay paper n these r:

1.What exactly an examiner demands from an essay carrying 100 marks?
2.Does length of an essay in CSS exam really matter? or is it the material that matters?What's ur experience abt this particular paper?

Regards,
SABAH.
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Old Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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@ S.H.Virk
Sir you have produced a superb piece.This indeed would have demanded a lot of hard work.I also request other qualifiers of css to share their experience with us.
And i have a querry.Some people get good guidance, have great confidence in themselves and really work hard but unfortunately they cannot qualify....How would you reason it? Even some people pass it and then again fail in their later attempts(for improving their group)?
@Muhammad Usman
Great man!you indeed deserve to be CSP for hard work after initial setbacks.Hopefully i will be your Junior.My favourite service is the DMG.Pray for me
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Old Thursday, July 31, 2008
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@Sabah

1-In a nutshell,examiner demands following things :

a) Good writing skills: Grammar, well written structures and more importantly spelling mistakes

b) synchronization : Introduction , thesis statement , body and conclusion.

c) coherence : aesthetically consistent relationship of all parts(i.e paragraphs).

d) Examiner can ignore errors but not blunders.An error is a mistake made in ignorance: the person didn't know any better. A blunder is a repeated or stupid (as opposed to ignorant) error: a person knowledgeable enough to know better did something wrong.

2-Well,to be honest i just wrote 10 pages and got 45,(approx 2500 words)in CE-2007,whereas one of my friend as well as other people in examination centre had written more than 20 pages , but they got failed..may be 4000-5000 could be a trap,but u you should not compromise quality at the expense of quantity at any cost.Run of the mill type essay is not needed, particularly in CSS exam.


@ Malik Jehangir
Some people get good guidance, have great confidence in themselves and really work hard but unfortunately they cannot qualify....How would you reason it?

Very good question:

Brother, Will of Allah , yes, it is the most important thing, it does not matter how much u burn the midnight oil ,it could go all in vain. But remember one thing and it is my firm believe, if u have ur Mother's prayer behind u, then i could assure you fully that it can turn the tides and helps u in winning the warfare.

@VIRK : excellent work amigo

@Mohammad Usman : I liked your fourth point, which is indeed, the most important one.... bravo !!
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