ISLAMABAD: The number of candidates registering for Pakistan’s Central Superior Services (CSS) examination has fallen by nearly 48 percent over the past four years, according to official data released by the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).
The figures show that registrations declined from 35,059 candidates in 2022 to 18,139 in 2025, reflecting a significant decrease in interest in the country’s premier civil service examination.
The number of candidates who actually appeared in the examination also dropped during the same period, falling from 20,262 in 2022 to 12,792 in 2025.
Despite the decline in applicants, the number of successful candidates remained limited. The number of nominees selected through the CSS examination decreased from 239 in 2022 to 170 in 2025.
FPSC data also indicates a similar trend in general federal recruitment, where applications for government jobs have declined considerably over recent years, although competition for available positions remains intense.
According to the commission’s analytical report covering the period from 2022 to 2025, applications declined not only for the CSS examination but also for general recruitment conducted by the FPSC.
In 2025, only 0.94 percent of registered CSS candidates were ultimately recommended for appointment. Among those who actually sat the examination, the success rate stood at 1.33 percent.
For comparison, in 2022, the recommendation rate was 0.68 percent of registered candidates and 1.81 percent of those who appeared in the examination.
General recruitment showed a similar pattern. Applications reached a peak of 436,757 in 2023 before declining sharply to 196,193 in 2025, representing a drop of more than 55 percent in just two years.
The number of candidates appearing in recruitment examinations also decreased significantly, falling from 199,234 in 2023 to 80,633 in 2025.
Despite fewer applicants, recruitment opportunities remained limited. In 2025, only 3,005 candidates were recommended out of 196,193 registered applicants. In comparison, 2023 saw just 1,436 recommendations despite receiving more than 436,000 applications.
The data also highlights a consistent gap between registration and actual participation in examinations.
For the CSS examination, approximately 45 percent of registered candidates appeared in 2023, while the participation rate increased to around 71 percent in 2025.
Similarly, the participation rate for general recruitment examinations rose from about 32 percent in 2022 to 41 percent in 2025, although the majority of registered applicants still did not sit for the tests.
The statistics suggest that while fewer people are applying for federal government jobs, securing a position remains highly competitive because the number of vacancies is far smaller than the number of applicants.
In 2025, around 18,000 candidates competed for only 170 CSS nominations, while nearly 200,000 applicants sought recommendation for just 3,005 positions under the FPSC’s general recruitment process, underscoring the continued competitiveness of Pakistan’s federal civil service recruitment system.
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