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ISLAMABAD: Just 2.09pc of the students who had sat the Central Superior Services (CSS) exams passed, with 92pc failing in English, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was told on Monday.
The committee directed the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) to submit a detailed report on the exams in a month.
During the meeting, FPSC representatives said that 9,642 students had sat the exams this year, of which only 202 had managed to pass. The committee was told that CSS results had been deteriorating over the past few years with 3.33pc students clearing the exam in 2014, 3.11pc in 2015 and 2.09pc this year.
The FPSC representative said this was a matter of concern and that it indicated that the quality of education in the country was deteriorating.
Parliamentary committee seeks report on the exams
“Most of the students were graduates of foreign universities and of A category universities but 92pc of those who appeared in the exams failed in English and 82pc failed in English essay writing,” the official said.
The committee was told that 114 students from Punjab had passed, 13 from rural Sindh, 16 from urban Sindh, 18 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 4 from Balochistan, 4 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and one from Gilgit Baltistan.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rana Akbar Hayat expressed concern over the deteriorating standard of education in Pakistan and directed the FPSC to submit a report regarding the exam in a month so that the committee can take appropriate action.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf MNA Asad Umar said that the exam results showed that the education system of the country was faulty and that the issue needs to be addressed.
A lecturer at a government college, Dr Iftikhar Ahmed said the results indicate that the quality of education needs to be improved.
“Unfortunately, the government focuses on developing infrastructure in educational institutions instead of concentrating on the syllabus, teaching methods and education standards,” he said.
The CSS exams are the most important in the country through which appointment are made in the foreign office, bureaucracy, lower judiciary, police, customs, secretariat staff and other offices and departments.
A large number of institutions and academies offer to help students prepare for these exams and make millions of rupees in the process.
Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2016
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Comments (34) Closed
Dec 06, 2016 08:45am
Don't forget, Pakistan national language is "Urdu", Parliamentary committee should also try to take Central Superior Services (CSS) exams in English, they will find out that 90% of MNA will not pass this test either.
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Dec 06, 2016 09:00am
Urdu + Arabic + English + Chinese + Mother tongue = 92pc CSS failure in English !
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Dec 06, 2016 09:08am
Nothing to worry about as there is a considerable space in between, desire & deserve...
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Dec 06, 2016 09:37am
This is what proves that we still measure our educational standards on behalf of the performance in ENGLISH.. Surely, we can't escape two things ie: our sheer ignorance towards real education according to our needs and the other factor is dependence only on English language .
However, one thing is crystal clear that we are still oblivious and we are not going to do something positive in spite of such shameful results.
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Dec 06, 2016 09:39am
Students enrolling in state universities in America must pass an English competency test in before admission. For those who enrolled in major American universities four semesters of English rhetoric are also required in any bachelor degree program. Perhaps these candidates' advanced degrees are not what they seem to be. Some candidates may be more fluent in Arabic than in English. Why not elect to take eight semesters of English along with one's other studies? They would be certain to pass the CSS with a double major that includes English at a Pakistan university. A candidate with 3rd and 4th year English would breeze through the English composition part of the exam. Spelling English is hell. I'll grant you that. English is not a phonetic language. It is not pronounced as written.
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Dec 06, 2016 09:52am
Why are the test in English? The English left Pak in 1947 .
Our language is Urdu ,If we want to learn Foreign language then learn Chinese
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Dec 06, 2016 10:04am
Now its time to make equal education system in all over Pakistan. We need to improve on single line education system.
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Dec 06, 2016 10:12am
Its not the matter of boffo standards of education. It is a moment of concerns about the checking criteria of fpsc !!!
This article makes me gloomy , realising that even our cerebrals have a shallow approach towards such a serious issue.
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Dec 06, 2016 10:15am
This is not problem of education system, but rater how CSS selection done. 1st of all Quota system stop lot of talented students to even take risk of there time to get waist in CSS, because even if they clear they got shortlisted due to Quota problem, Than most of the good students set there carrier path after intermediate, so if, they started Medicine, Engineering or Accountancy they continue with that, they don't wish to re-set there course for CSS. So CSS mostly get students which are already weak in there basic studies and were not able to get admission in good professional studies in 1st go. So result is obvious.
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Dec 06, 2016 10:22am
Education has been on the least priority by all the Governments. The overall standard of education has gone down considerable in last 10-15 years. Governments has take off their hands from its basic responsibility and left everything on the private sector mercy.
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Dec 06, 2016 10:40am
Nations are developed with their native languages
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Dec 06, 2016 10:45am
People with excellent GRE scores fail. People who have been studying abroad and fluent in Essay writing fail. And the excuse being given is that the education system needs improving. Can CSS stop intake till then? When I see the Nawaz-Trump transcript, I am nothing but fascinated that by which CSS qualified person was it proof read and released...yet only 2% are taken in by FPSC.
Generally speaking, the real gambit is the astronomically sky high culture of nepotism and bribery evident in all dept. Ensure smaller intakes so as to have wiggle room to set sons and daughters that can afford a BS17.
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Dec 06, 2016 11:26am
@sadia khan Please do not go there again. English is an international language and therefore lets stick to it for the time being. The fact is that the standards of education are going down because of governments focus on spending money on useless big projects and making money for themselves. The ruling elite is not educated themselves and see no value in education and thus are pushing the country towards destruction. Electorate and civil society should force these guys to appoint a capable educationists as Education ministers both in federal government and provinces.
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Dec 06, 2016 12:33pm
But these two percent are still more than the required strength. 202 candidates will be reduced more after an interview so don't need to worry at all.
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Dec 06, 2016 12:35pm
The students from private schools who are genius, do,not go for local jobs. They go to Europe for higher studies , never to return and work with government.
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Dec 06, 2016 12:44pm
But in matric exams above 80% is normal percentage, maybe problem in english start beyond matric
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Dec 06, 2016 01:40pm
Failed in English...That's Unpossible...
....Just Kidding
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Dec 06, 2016 01:51pm
please spme time try our national assembly members they will 100% fail....so no comments...
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Dec 06, 2016 01:49pm
First of all, standing committee members should be examined with regard to their qualifications and selection process which lead to the highest national institution. If fate changers of this nation are least qualified, No Change will ever occur in this country.
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Dec 06, 2016 02:50pm
And those who passed and likely to get jobs are planning how to make money after appointment in public offices:p
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Dec 06, 2016 03:29pm
Why is passing in English chosen as the "standard"of education, by that yard stick more than 95% students in Germany, Japan, France Italy etc will fail
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Dec 06, 2016 03:38pm
To much serious issue definitely raising finger over education standard in country. No doubt there is mushroom of private educational institutes increased in the dictatorial rule of rtd general pervaiz mushraf but no proper cheque and balance were kept upon them including public schools resulting both public and private sector schools is failed to give desired results display CCS exam 2016 outcome produced before national assembly. Prior to this many well wishers had indicated that deteriorated education standard needs utmost attention, if this issue is not given timely focus the country shall be despaired from the well educated class of society. The education standard is very poor in interior sindh and other areas of country is facing safe fate i.e south punjab, balochistan and KPK, whereas in some cities education is somewhat satisfactory not due to sincere efforts of state but due to vigilant watch of parent over children. Politician has been lucrative job in country.
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Dec 06, 2016 04:25pm
It's not the education system, rather it's the CSS examination methods that are archaic and illogical. I know people on international scholarships in the world's top universities who have failed the Essay paper this year. Also the pen and paper based testing in the 21st century is a joke.
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Dec 06, 2016 04:54pm
Well its not that the candidates doesn't know English but in CSS they have a heck of a lot of candidates so they try to flunk as many as possible, a topper of one year fails in the next attempt, does that even makes sense? When it comes to CSS luck plays an important role than the hard work ....
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Dec 06, 2016 05:00pm
@sana-1 no offense but I guess you are also included in those 98 percent who couldn't qualify. Isn't?
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Dec 06, 2016 05:13pm
@Philosopher (from Japan) My sister and cousin gave this exam so that's how i know...
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Dec 06, 2016 06:09pm
@JUSTICE, It is good to communicate officially in Urdu but let us not forget that all scientific and engineering journals & books are in English. Even though research is done in Chinese, German and French but all those are translated in English for international use. If ignore English we will lag behind further.
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Dec 06, 2016 07:36pm
Its not a matter of English poor educational standard rather its a matter of poor selection criteria on behalf of FPSC ,who have chosen specifically English and Essay to target students.Its a fact that mostly those appear in CSS exam who have good speaking and writing skills in English. It is still an enigma ,were people more talented &Intelligent few years back?of course not,as we have been facing this educational problem since decades....so its solely the wrong selection criteria which discard many talented candidates on the first stage. FPSC should have selected at least 3 or maximum 5 people for one post means round about 600 to 800 in written test.as it was the custom before.students suggestions should also be given due preference while forming new policy.
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Dec 06, 2016 08:29pm
These results indicate that Pakistan is in fact "dumb".....another evidence is our foreign policy failures....Parliamentarians are not capable and sincere in devising a qualitative education system.Afterall it does not suit their class.
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Dec 06, 2016 09:22pm
CSS is the examination , the passing of which depends on personal intelligence and efficiency . It is not pertained to university syllabus or educational standards .Selecting the best candidates for the service among the applicants is the basic criteria of FPSC . Those with extreme skills are recruited for the better serve of Pakistan .
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Dec 06, 2016 09:43pm
The education is fine as many graduates of world's best universities fail it. The problem is in the checking and marking which is extremely unreliable and unjust.
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Dec 06, 2016 09:45pm
I have a a top class engineering degree from UK and 7.5 in IELTS, 80% in O Levels English but I failed Essay. I spent many years abroad and even English people praise my English but FPSC gives me only 14/100 in Essay.
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Dec 07, 2016 12:25am
@sadia khan Respected Sadia khan...
your point of view is authentic...I would like to say that languages must not be hated ..Languages are simply medium of expression....We must promote urdu as a national language apart from conducting CSS Exams in English language....
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Dec 07, 2016 07:02am
What is the academic criteria for appearing in CSS examination? Aren't these candidates University Graduates with English Literature as Compulsory or Optional Subject!
How could these people render "Superior Services"!
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