CSS and Urdu

E-Paper | June 12, 2026

THERE has been hue and cry over the recent decision of the Lahore High Court that directs the relevant authorities to hold the Civil Superior Services exam in 2018 in Urdu.

The objection to the high court decision seems ridiculous. Urdu is our national language and an overwhelming majority of the educated lot can better express their ideas in it as compared to English. Every year most candidates, who appear in CSS exams fail in the compulsory English essay paper only because English is a foreign language.

The decision to hold the CSS competition in Urdu will go a long way towards the gradual adoption of Urdu as the medium of instruction at schools and higher educational institutions thus paving the way for creativity in academics to replace the present system of rote learning.

No doubt English is an international language and it must be given due importance but not at the cost of our national language.

Irfan ullah North

Waziristan

(2)

I HEARD with shock the news that the Lahore High Court has ordered that the 2018 CSS examination be held in Urdu.

No doubt Urdu is our national language, but we cannot survive in the modern world without English which is the country’s seconda language and gave Pakistan an advantage over other countries in the early years of its existence.

I request the authorities and the honourable court that the aspiring CSS candidates should be allowed the option to sit the exam in either of the two languages.

Sidratul Muntaha

Islamabad

(3)

THE Lahore High Court recently ordered the Federal Public Service Commission to hold CSS examinations in Urdu. This depicts a narrow understanding of the scope of Urdu. This approach will not produce positive results.

Instead, reforms must start from schools. Urdu is a remarkable language. It has a rich vocabulary, literature, prose and poetry. We can switch over from English to Urdu in CSS examinations after reforms are implemented.

Abrar Daudpota

Pano Aqil

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2017

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Feb 27, 2017 05:25pm

Do we, the people of pakistan, need another 70 years to understand that major cause of under development in Pakistan is ENGLISH??. for the proponents of english language, People go and study in Germany, Japan, china etc.... do their PhDs etc from these countries. By adopting english as official language we actually declare 97% of pakistanis uneducated. English is also a strong reason for class difference.

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sajjad Kamran

Feb 27, 2017 05:53pm

It is utterly unrealistic to switch over from English to Urdu in CSS examinations in present circumstances. While I can cite many reasons in favor of my argument, suffice it to say that English is our official language. All services falling under CSS use English in day to day official communications. Even if some candidates pass CSS in Urdu with flying colors, what would they do when they are on active job? Unless Urdu is declared and promoted as our official language, it would be of no use switching over to Urdu in CSS examinations. Please remember English is no handicap in passing CSS examination. It is poor and casual preparation that fails most of the candidates. And note our Urdu is as poor as our English. I say this with firm conviction.

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Ijaz ahmad

Feb 27, 2017 07:33pm

If we want to compete in the world for jobs and others things than we have to know, read & write English which has become international language. if you go to Arab countries than you have to compete with Indian and Bangla Dash whose even unskiled workers can express themselves in English & get all good jobs and Pakistani are doing menial low paid jobs. Please Sir wakeup & do not take country back Intellecualy & financially.

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syed

Feb 28, 2017 03:45am

urdu must be adopted at levels is the only way pakistan can rise like china,japan,germany,france etc --english should also be taught but must not be official at any level--dont chinese,french,japanese etc work abroad--they do and learn english one in a country where english is needed--same expat pakistanis can do but in pakistan urdu must be the language to grow local talent in every field ,much of pakisatni brain is lost becuase of english and those who are dextrous in english are usually not genious since they consume their brain in adopting english thus lose their originality in every field--most science subjects books are already tranlated in urdu in usmania university and more work can be done in this respect---english has only produced immitators so far in pakistan hence very talented and gifted pakistani masses are lost becuase of this stupidity

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