The Federal Minister of Law and Justice, Azam Nazeer Tarar, announced that changes in the central higher services examination system (CSS) are expected next year while the government is heading for educational and administrative reforms.
Speaking during a Senate session on Tuesday, Tarar highlighted the growing number of students in Pakistan opting for the Cambridge education system, including O and A levels, and said that the government aims to ensure equal playground for all CSS candidates.
“It is our responsibility to implement a fair and standardized examination system across the country,” he said.
He revealed that a high -level committee, led by the Minister of Planning Ahsan Iqbal, worked on the revision of the CSS exam structure. The Committee has already completed most of its examination, and its final recommendations should shape up the coming reforms.
The CSS exam, a highly competitive recruitment process for Pakistan civil services, has long been criticized to be inaccessible to candidates from various educational horizons.
Many have argued that the current format promotes certain educational systems while placing others in a disadvantage. The government’s initiative aims to create a more level playground by responding to these concerns.
Tarar confirmed that the Committee has deprived the existing structure in depth, the criteria for selecting subjects and the examination process process.
“The objective is to introduce a system that adapts to all students fairly, whatever their academic experience,” he said.
The Senate session, chaired by President Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, has also seen debates on various governance issues. An important part of the meeting was devoted to discussions on parliamentary privileges and procedural disputes. Opposition legislators have raised concerns about legislative processes, in particular with regard to voting procedures on a bill.
Senator Mohin Aziz expressed his frustration in the face of the treatment of parliamentary affairs, while the law minister defended the government’s approach, declaring that all procedures were followed in accordance with constitutional directives. Despite tensions, Gilani assured legislators that parliamentary protocols would be confirmed and would respond to any concern about legislative transparency.
Although the government has not yet announced specific details on changing CSS to come, officials suggest that the reforms will be finalized in the coming months.
The proposed changes should modernize the examination process, ensuring that it reflects contemporary educational standards and promotes inclusiveness in the Bureaucratic system of Pakistan.
With the final report of the Ahsan Iqbal committee pending, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant government organizations will be consulted before implementing the new framework. If it is approved, the revised CSS exam structure could come into force in 2026.
