UNDOUBTEDLY the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) is a transparent and meritorious body. Every year it conducts Central Superior Service (CSS) examinations to recruit talented candidates against various bureaucratic posts.

Similarly for year 2016 the FPSC brought about some changes in the examination format and introduced a new schedule for all compulsory and optional papers.

I, along with many other candidates, prepared according to the requirements of the new syllabus to pass the CSS examinations.

However, it is unfortunate that the paper of English precis and composition was not according to the new syllabus.

The FPSC categorically had stated in the new syllabus that in 2016 English precis and composition paper the pair of words will be of 10 marks, the grouping of words of 10 marks, sentence correction of 10 marks and vocabulary, including preposition, punctuation and phrasal verbs of 20 marks..

Instead of following this new schedule the FPSC followed the old pattern and introduced idioms and direct and indirect in English composition paper which were not mentioned in the new syllabus.

Similarly, it allotted 20 marks for the vocabulary portion alone without adding preposition and phrasal verbs .

Moreover, it reduced the marks of the pair of words , grouping of words and sentence correction up to 15pc against the said current syllabus.

Why did the FPSC introduce a new schedule for English precis paper when it followed the old pattern?

Many candidates failed English precis and composition test for following the current syllabus of English composition paper. I got a total of 680 marks but failed the English composition test by 11 marks. It is quite unjust that I and many others failed in the English composition paper owing to the mismanagement on the part of the FPSC .

I request the FPSC chairman and other higher authorities to re-issue the marks in the 2016 English composition paper.l.

Dr Shahnawaz Mirani.

Hyderabad

Published in Dawn October 16th, 2016