Assalam o Allikum..
My Exams got ended Yesterday..
That was a pleasant experience & honor for me to sit for CSS exams...
Papers went well but as pattern & ways have changed so cannot predict what going to happen next
Just praying & seeking prayers from everyone here
As per my Experience CSS is not tough.. rather its a smart study which need a lot of hard work.. then you can do it
Though it was my first try I wasn't prepared well.. Hardly 4,5 Months...
Its my advice to everyone.. start preparing for exams before 1 year at least then aap CSS ka pora haq ada kr saqty hain...
And make one thing sure.. prepare as you are going to have your exam without revision.. Make BULLETS which you can revise in ONE hour Because in exams you got so tired.. that you cannot study whole stuff.. even you have time still dill nahe krta ke parha jaye kuch.. So, 4,5 time revise kr lein take paper bagair book kholein dein Tbi you can feel satisfied or relaxed.. Paper main kuch nahe parha jata Chahe aap hercules he ku na hon
So, BE AWARE !!
Each and every paper is important so, prepare them by giving proper time...
For Essay
Write 4,5 Essays before exams and get them check from a good teacher who have a good command not over in English but he should be equiped with current affair knowledge.
In Examination Hall..
READ the Statements of ALL Topics VERY carefully..
Sometimes aap 1 word he pick kr k us pe essay likhna start kr dete hain like Education etc or bhool jate hain ke agy bhi kuch pocha gaya hai
So, Sab topic achi tarha parhein...
Then Select 1 .. and do your rough work by Brain stroming at page 25 (Last page of answer book, you can reserve 2 Pages;24,25)
Write whatever comes to your mind After this arrange them and make rough outline (whole process would take 30minutes)
Then start writing your essay 2 hours main Complete essay likhna hai Aap ny ZAROR.. after that 30min main First two pages pe Outline likhni hai NEAT and then 15min main essay parhna hai ghor se
Then hand over it to your invigilator (Jinn )
For Current Affairs
Read Dawn, articles from different news paper.. but NEVER collect them.. its better to read them and note down important points immediately after reading it.
(Material collect krne ka koi faida nahe hota so, Parhein & sath sath important points likhein) & along with them read a Good Book on Current Affairs (Chahe kloi kahe ke book na parhein Phir bhi PARHEIN to get hold on various bookish topics)

For EDS MCQ's
Recollect your OLD knowledge of 9,10 by preparing everyday sceience from Matric,O/A level Books.. And believe me aap ke MCQ bohat achy ho jayein ge without cramming different books of MCQ's

For Islamiat MCQ's

Buy Officers academy MCQ's notes It would help alot and along with a good MCQ book (free from errors,)

For Englisg general

Don't waste much time on vocabulary rather study good english book so you can LOCATE the meaning by recalling your old knowledge..
Make precis, very carefully .. you can consume 1 hour on it in paper.. and 1 and a half hour for Expansion, Comprehension and other paper..
I mean to say Chahe Precis kitni bhi mushkil ho sakoon se 10 dafa parhein & then bnayei.. Pareshan mat hon ke 1hr lag gya to time gya..

For Pakistan Affairs MCQ's
Prepare all topics of History thoroughly and Insha-Allah MCQ ho jayein ge..

Now come to Optionals

For Journalism

Bhool jayein K Ye Journalism hai Ab its MASS COMMUNICATION So, prepare it accordingly..
Prepare Recent issues regarding mass media.. Do your paper as you Love Mass Communication.. (lol)
Points khud ba khud aa jayein ge Mind main

For Sociology

Ban jayein Sociologist .. Be a true Society lover & prepare Social issues as they are happening around you..
For MCQ's
Read Sociological research, Methods & techniques very carefully.. and Theories as well...

For Geography

Remember.. you are reading GEO.. EARTH so, Never restrict yourself to ONLY Pakistan.. (Dunya main or bhi Log or Mulk hain lol )Open up your mind and jump into other countries as well.. Important updates regarding countries excellence, trade, and products should be kept in mind carefully...
Practice Maps.. as much as you can and draw it immensely on your paper...
For Geography MCQ's..
Improve your GK and prepare ALL topics carefully...(is k elawa koi Dunya ki taqat aap ko MCQ nhe krwa sakti )

For Psychology
Its a tipical paper but don't forget to READ Questions CAREFULLY... otherwise sometimes ata bhi ho to hum galat inteprete kr lete hain So, Be Careful ..

That's all about MY Experience.. Bohat se Blunders Ho jate hain in 1st attempt so, Cheers and Remember me i your Prayers...

P.S
Mere Reply ya experience agree hona zarori nahein You can Follow your or other's ways as well.. I tried my best to share everything.. Or kuch yaad aye ga to wo bhi share kr don gi.. Or Kuch batein already likhein gye hain Forum pe So, I tried kuch new bta don..
Kise ne kuch Pochna ho to Welcome

Regards,
Mahvish..

runner
Raheelejaz85
Abdussamad Chaudhary
MisbahMalik
UnImaginable
fortitude
samia fakhar

Best of luck to you guys and all others who appeared for CCE 2012.

Most of you people seem to be agree here that exam was not too difficult,which is really encouraging ( may be you people are controlling your nerves here instead of examination hall ).

My exam is not over yet, Saturday ko hai maths ka.
But yeah, i agree to these two thing, papers were not tough and cramming is totally out!

__________________
I am a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it .

@Mahvish shahid.
I hope you'll hit the target.
How did you prepare for Pak affairs & Islamiyat ?
Give detailed account of preparation. Time /sources etc.

Brother best of luck for maths ( the language of Ghosts).

Well My experience was really Good. In fact papers were very easy beyond my expectations (excluding optional s ) After my first attempt I have realized that Key for success in CSS exams is bundle of General knowledge and most important is relevancy. One should stick to topic and focus should be on writing precise and relevant rather then filling sheets...!!!
Another thing which i really want to mention here is that some people really surprised me during exams
One who were saying Hum nay kuch nai parha
second those who after 3rd or 4th paper didn't attempted further papers (why they lost hope??? )
I really hope that I will make it in my first attempt... Rest is up to ALLAH whatever he decides for me will be best in my favour...!!!
Best wishes for all...!

My css written exm BREATHED his last today, it was a very good experience and i did more than my expectations, best of luck to all.......

__________________
Mujhe Manzil Ki Talab Hai Na Hi Nakami Ka Dar
Muhjhe Safar Me Acha KHasa Lutf Aata Hai......(hamid)

they say, good judgement comes from bad experience., Since I couldn't even manage time to go to market and buy books let alone the possibility of preparation., therefore, I thought let it be the worst experience for the sake of best judgement

Honestly speaking just a couple of days before the Essay Paper on 22nd February, I took leave from office and here I was googleing the syllabus and appearing in exams.,
OMG that was fun., I must be a story-teller.,., just fictionally attempted all the papers., and now thinking only a couple of months preparation would have led me to graceful marks., so far., can't comment what sort of cat would come out of bag,.

As this time was at my worst, so next time even the slightest preparations would be encouraging,.

Best of luck to all of you., specially those who really worked hard this time

__________________
I don't mind going nowhere, as long as it's an interesting path.

I prepared Islamiat in Last Week (Its not good though, one has to prepare it by giving proper time..)
I studied two books
Ilmi Islamiat & Nazarya-e-Hayat (Took in islamiat)
And also read articles from net..
Maine Kissi bhi subject ki Bohat achi tiyari nahe ki thi.. Cz time kam tha...
For Pakistan Affair.. I have consulted Pakistan Affairs by Imtiaz Shahid.. 1 Urdu ki Book thi.. (concept clear krne k liye) & Mere teacher k notes thy Bas Wohe.... (I didn't prepare History so well except few questions.. So, I had attempted question from pre-partition period)
Don't know whats going to happen
Papers relax ho k diye Bohat achi ya bohat buri tiyari nahe thi.. Phir bhi Papers umeed se zaida achy ho gye..
Time management.. Kam tha time to raton ko jag k parha & din ko bhi.. Bohat buri routine thi
I am going to start preparation again..
Do pray
Good Luck to you as well..

__________________
The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen.

Comparing the 2012 attempt with 2011 for my own record

English Essay

Wrote 2400 words (2100 words) and a relatively more elaborate outline (relative to last year) but not happy with my expression or arguments this time around

English Paper II

Precis/Comprehension/Short Note went great. Not to sure about MCQs (hardly knew any). Overall similar to 2011 attempt

EDS

Def. worse compared to 2011. MCQs were tricky this time around (Should have prepped)

CA

Slightly better than 2011. Qs on China and Foreign aid were excellent. Gave headings. Energy crisis & corruption were like everyone else.

Islamiat

Slightly better than 2011. Quoted ayat/hadith in all questions except religion impact on human life. Gave liberal headings in first 2 Qs

Pakistan Affairs

Slightly better than 2011. Except for question on Objectives Res. couldn't have written any better on other Qs. Ok could have added some details in Sir Syed Q too but anyways

Geography

Paper I similar to 2011. Ok maybe 2011 was slightly better. Paper II worse. Should have prepped better for paper II.

Accounting

Much much better than 2011. Both papers went great.

Journalism

Similar to 2011. Could have written more analytically

Forestry

MCQs were tough. 2011 attempt was better

Note to self: Maybe practice writing. Last question in every paper was troublesome with respect to time (25 mins avg. instead of 40)

This time compulsory papers were quiet easy.But, some optional papers were quiet tricky.U.S history paper was a bit difficult as compared to last year.Objectives of sociology and forestry were also difficult.Most of the papers were opinion base.In sum, i will say that this time FPSC has made good papers.