Comprehensive Scheme and Syllabi for CSS Competitive Examination 2016

Revised Scheme and Syllabus for CSS Competitive Examination

• Organization: Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), F-5/1, Aga Khan Road, Islamabad.
• Revision Date: Updated on 7th July, 2015.
• Examination Context: Competitive Examination (CE-2016).
• Structure: The examination comprises a Main Examination totaling $1200$ marks.

Main Examination Scheme (1200 Marks)

A: Compulsory Subjects (600 Marks)

• English Essay: $100$ marks.
• English (Precis and Composition): $100$ marks.
• General Science & Ability: $100$ marks.
• Current Affairs: $100$ marks.
• Pakistan Affairs: $100$ marks.
• Islamic Studies OR Comparative Study of Major Religions (For Non-Muslims): $100$ marks.

B: Optional Subjects (600 Marks)

Candidates must select subjects from the following groups ensuring the total marks do not exceed $600$ marks.

• Group I (Select one subject, 200 marks):
  • Accountancy & Auditing: $200$ marks.
  • Economics: $200$ marks.
  • Computer Science: $200$ marks.
  • Political Science: $200$ marks.
  • International Relations: $200$ marks.
• Group II (Select subjects totaling 200 marks):
  • Physics: $200$ marks.
  • Chemistry: $200$ marks.
  • Applied Mathematics: $100$ marks.
  • Pure Mathematics: $100$ marks.
  • Statistics: $100$ marks.
  • Geology: $100$ marks.
• Group III (Select one subject, 100 marks):
  • Business Administration: $100$ marks.
  • Public Administration: $100$ marks.
  • Governance & Public Policies: $100$ marks.
  • Town Planning & Urban Management: $100$ marks.
• Group IV (Select one subject, 100 marks):
  • History of Pakistan & India: $100$ marks.
  • Islamic History & Culture: $100$ marks.
  • British History: $100$ marks.
  • European History: $100$ marks.
  • History of USA: $100$ marks.
• Group V (Select one subject, 100 marks):
  • Gender Studies: $100$ marks.
  • Environmental Sciences: $100$ marks.
  • Agriculture & Forestry: $100$ marks.
  • Botany: $100$ marks.
  • Zoology: $100$ marks.
  • English Literature: $100$ marks.
  • Urdu Literature: $100$ marks.
• Group VI (Select one subject, 100 marks):
  • Law: $100$ marks.
  • Constitutional Law: $100$ marks.
  • International Law: $100$ marks.
  • Muslim Law & Jurisprudence: $100$ marks.
  • Mercantile Law: $100$ marks.
  • Criminology: $100$ marks.
  • Philosophy: $100$ marks.
• Group VII (Select one subject, 100 marks):
  • Journalism & Mass Communication: $100$ marks.
  • Psychology: $100$ marks.
  • Geography: $100$ marks.
  • Sociology: $100$ marks.
  • Anthropology: $100$ marks.
  • Regional/Classical Languages (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Persian, Arabic): $100$ marks each.

General Rules and Examination Conduct

• Language Requirements:
  • Question papers in Urdu, regional languages (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi), Persian, and Arabic must be answered in their respective languages.
  • Islamiyat/Comparative Study of Major Religions can be answered in either English or Urdu.
  • All other papers must be answered in English unless specifically directed otherwise.
• Paper Breakdown:
  • Subjects with $200$ marks consist of two papers of $100$ marks each.
  • Subjects with $100$ marks consist of one paper.
  • Duration for each paper: $3$ hours.
• Examination Format (MCQs):
  • Strict ratio of $20$ MCQs per paper (excluding English Essay and Mathematics subjects).

Compulsory Subject: English Essay (100 Marks)

• Task: Write one or more essays in English from a wide choice of topics.
• Evaluation Criteria:
  • Reflection of comprehensive and research-based knowledge.
  • Articulation and expression.
  • Technical treatment of the style of English Essay writing.

Compulsory Subject: English Precis and Composition (100 Marks)

• I. Precis Writing ($20$ marks): Précising a given passage and suggesting a title. Score breakdown: $15$ for text compression, $5$ for the title.
• II. Reading Comprehension ($20$ marks): Five questions based on a provided passage ($4$ marks each).
• III. Grammar and Vocabulary ($20$ marks): Usage of Tense, Articles, Prepositions, Conjunctions, Punctuation, Phrasal Verbs, Synonyms, and Antonyms.
• IV. Sentence Correction ($10$ marks): Correcting structural flaws in sentences.
• V. Grouping of Words ($10$ marks): Grouping $20$ words into pairs of similar or opposite meanings.
• VI. Pairs of Words ($10$ marks): Explaining the difference between seemingly similar words and using them in sentences (5 out of 10 pairs).
• VII. Translation ($10$ marks): Translating $10$ short Urdu sentences into English.

Compulsory Subject: General Science and Ability (100 Marks)

Part-I: General Science (60 Marks)

• I. Physical Sciences:
  • Structure: Universe, Galaxy, Solar System, Sun, Earth, Astronomical Units (e.g., $Light Year$).
  • Natural Processes: Eclipses, Rotation vs. Revolution, Weather variables (Temperature, Pressure, Precipitation, Humidity).
  • Hazards: Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Tsunamis, Cyclones, Drought.
  • Resources: Renewable energy ($Solar$, $Wind$, $LED$) vs. Non-renewable.
  • Chemistry: Atomic Structure, Bonding, Electromagnetic Radiations.
• II. Biological Sciences:
  • Basic Life: Cell organelles (Nucleus, Mitochondria, Ribosomes).
  • Biomolecules: Proteins, Lipids, Carbohydrates, Enzymes.
  • Health: Human Physiology and common diseases (Polio, Diarrhea, Malaria, Hepatitis, Dengue).
• III. Environmental Science:
  • Spheres: Atmosphere, Hydrosphere (Water Cycle), Biosphere, Lithosphere (Plate Tectonics).
  • Pollution: Types (Air, Water, Land), Acid-rain, Ozone Depletion, Global Warming (Montreal and Kyoto Protocols).
• IV. Food Science: Balanced diet concepts (Vitamins, Fats, Fiber, Bioavailability), food preservation, and adulteration.
• V. Information Technology: Hardware/Software fundamentals, Networking, Internet, Artificial Intelligence, and Telecommunications (GPS, Fiber Optic).

Part-II: General Ability (40 Marks)

• VI. Quantitative Ability: Basic Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry ($Average$, $Ratios$, $Percentage$, $Angles$, $Equations$) and Random Sampling.
• VII. Logical & Analytical Reasoning: Systematic steps to conclusions; visualizing and solving complex problems.
• VIII. Mental Abilities: Measurement of verbal, mechanical, numerical, and social abilities.

Compulsory Subject: Current Affairs (100 Marks)

• I. Pakistan’s Domestic Affairs ($20$ marks): Political, Economic, and Social dynamics.
• II. Pakistan’s External Affairs ($40$ marks): Relations with Neighbors (China, India, Afghanistan, Russia), Muslim World, USA, and International Organizations (UN, SAARC, OIC, WTO, GCC).
• III. Global Issues ($40$ marks):
  • International Security and Economy.
  • Environment: Global Warming, Kyoto/Copenhagen.
  • Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism.
  • Nuclear Proliferation and South Asian Politics.
  • Human Rights and Globalization.
  • Regional Conflicts: Palestine, Kashmir, Middle East.

Compulsory Subject: Pakistan Affairs (100 Marks)

• Ideology: Definition, historical renaissance (Ahmad Sarhindi, Shah Waliullah, Aligarh Movement), and the views of Iqbal and Jinnah.
• Geography and Resources: Land, people, agriculture, industry, and education trends.
• Specific Challenges: Nuclear program safety, Regional cooperation (SAARC, SCO), Civil-Military relations, War on Terror post-9/11, Ethnic issues, and National integration.
• Water Issues: Hydro-politics in domestic and regional contexts.
• Current Framework: Recent constitutional amendments (18th Amendment), legal debates, and the role of higher courts.

Compulsory Subject: Islamic Studies (100 Marks)

• Concepts: Meaning of Islam, Din versus Religion, Islamic Beliefs and impact of worship (Spiritual/Social).
• Prophetic Sirah: Muhammad (PBUH) as a model for individuals, diplomats, educators, military strategists, and peacemakers.
• Governance and Administration:
  • Quranic guidance on Good Governance.
  • Structure: Shura, Legislation, Sources of Law.
  • Pious Khilafat: Governance under Hazrat Umar (R.A) and Hazrat Ali (R.A).
  • Accountability system ($hisbah$).
• Civilization: Elements and characteristics (Tawhid, Equality, Rule of Law), and interaction with Western civilization.

Compulsory Subject: Comparative Study of Major Religions (For Non-Muslims) (100 Marks)

• Hinduism: Historical background (Indus Valley, Aryans), Scriptures (Vedas, Upanishads), Doctrines ($Dharma$, $Karma$, $Moksha$), and the Caste System.
• Buddhism: Life of Gautama Buddha, The Three Jewels ($Buddha$, $Dhamma$, $Sangha$), Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path.
• Judaism: History from Abraham to Moses, Scriptures ($Torah$, $Talmud$), Ten Commandments, and Jewish Sects (Zionism, Orthodox).
• Christianity: Life of Jesus and Paul, Scriptures (Old and New Testament), Doctrines ($Trinity$, $Incarnation$, $Atonement$), and major sects (Catholicism, Protestantism).
• Islam: Concept of Universality, Five Pillars, and specific doctrines ($Tawhid$, $Risalah$, $Akhirah$).

Optional Subject: Accountancy and Auditing (200 Marks)

Paper-I (100 Marks)

• Financial Accounting ($50$ marks): Principles, Accounting Cycle, IASB/IFRS frameworks, Financial Statements for Sole-proprietorships and Partnerships, Cash Flow Statements, and Ratio Analysis.
• Cost and Managerial Accounting ($50$ marks): Inventory valuation, Payroll accounting, Factory Overheads (FOH) allocation via Algebraic method, Production Reports (CPR), and Break-even Analysis.

Paper-II (100 Marks)

• Auditing ($40$ marks): Audit risk assessment, Computer-assisted Audit Techniques (CAAT), Fraud, Professional rights and liabilities of auditors.
• Business Taxation ($30$ marks): Income Tax Ordinance 2001 (Heads of Income, Tax Credits), Sales Tax principles (Input/Output tax, Determination of liability).
• Business Studies and Finance ($30$ marks): Time Value of Money (Annuities, Perpetuities, Mixed streams), Capital Budgeting (NPV, IRR), and Financial Markets.

Optional Subject: Applied Mathematics (100 Marks)

• Vector Calculus ($10$%): Gradient, divergence, curl; Green’s, Stokes’, and Gauss’s theorems.
• Statics ($10$%): Coplanar forces, centre of mass, equilibrium in 3D.
• Dynamics ($10$%): Simple harmonic motion, central forces, Kepler’s laws.
• Ordinary Differential Equations ($20$%): First order equations (Bernoulli, Riccati), solving in series (Bessel, Legendre).
• PDEs and Fourier Series ($20$%): Separation of variables, Wave and Heat equations.
• Numerical Methods ($30$%):
  • Roots: Bisection, Newton-Raphson.
  • Linear systems: Jacobi, Gauss-Seidel.
  • Differentiation/Integration: Trapezoidal and Simpson’s rules.
  • ODEs: Euler and Runge-Kutta methods.

Optional Subject: Physics (200 Marks)

Paper I (100 Marks)

• Mechanics: Newtonian laws, Special theory of relativity ($Lorentz transformation$, $m=e/c^2$).
• Waves and Optics: Forced and damped oscillations, Resonance, Interferometer, Lasers.
• Thermodynamics: Van der Waals equation, Laws of Thermodynamics, Statistics ($Maxwell-Boltzmann$, $Bose-Einstein$, $Fermi-Dirac$).

Paper II (100 Marks)

• Electricity and Magnetism: Poisson and Laplace’s equations, Ampere’s law, RLC circuits, Maxwell’s equations.
• Modern and Quantum Physics: De Broglie’s Hypothesis, Schrodinger equation ($time dependent/independent$), Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, Zeeman and Raman effects.
• Nuclear Physics: Radioactivity and $decay (α, β, γ)$, Nuclear Fission and Fusion, Mass Spectrometer.

Constitutional Law (100 Marks)

• Concepts: Rule of Law, Due Process, Separation of Powers, Judicial Review.
• Country References: UK, USA, France, Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Turkey.
• Pakistan Legal History: Landmark cases including:
  • $Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan v. Federation of Pakistan$
  • $State v. Dosso$
  • $Asma Jilani v. Government of the Punjab$
  • $Zafar Ali Shah v. General Pervez Musharraf$
  • $Sindh High Court Association v. Federation of Pakistan$

Suggested Reading List Summary

• English: English Grammar in Use (Raymond Murphy), Write Better, Speak Better (Readers Digest).
• Science: Asimov's New Guide to Science (Isaac Asimov), Food Science (Norman N. Potter).
• Current Affairs: Pakistan Foreign Policy 1947-2005 (Abdul Sattar), International Relations (Joshua Goldstein).
• Pakistan Affairs: Modern South Asia (Aisha Jalal), A Brief History of Pakistan (James Wynbrandt).