FPSC confirms October exam schedule: CSS screening test on October 10
ISLAMABAD: The FPSC October exams will go ahead as scheduled, the Federal Public Service Commission has confirmed, with the CSS screening test set for October 10.
The MCQ-based Preliminary Test for the CSS 2027 cycle will be held on Saturday, October 10. Phase III of the General Recruitment Tests will follow from October 12 to 19.
Candidates have been told to reach their examination centres 45 minutes before the start time, as gates will close 15 minutes before the paper begins. Each candidate must bring a printed admission certificate along with the original CNIC or passport. Mobile phones are strictly prohibited inside the centres.
What the FPSC October exams calendar holds
The October 10 screening test is the gateway to the CSS written examination: only candidates who clear the MCQ-based preliminary test move forward in the 2027 cycle.
The General Recruitment Tests, running October 12 to 19, cover appointments to various federal posts. The commission runs these in phases through the year, and Phase III is now locked in.
Why the screening test matters
The CSS examination remains the most competitive route into Pakistan’s civil service, with thousands of graduates competing each year for a few hundred allocations across groups like the Pakistan Administrative Service, the Police Service and the Foreign Service.
The MCQ-based preliminary test was introduced as a screening stage to manage the volume of applicants, filtering the field before the written examination. Clearing it does not guarantee allocation, but failing it ends the attempt for the year, which is why the October 10 date is circled on every serious aspirant’s calendar.
Advice for candidates
The 45-minute early arrival rule is strictly enforced, and latecomers risk being turned away once gates close. Candidates should also double-check their centre allocation on the admission certificate a day before, and keep the original identity document, not a photocopy, ready for verification.
With thousands competing for a limited number of seats, the screening test rewards preparation across the compulsory subjects, and the commission’s notice leaves no room for ambiguity on the logistics.
FAQ
When is the CSS screening test?
Saturday, October 10. It is the MCQ-based Preliminary Test for the CSS 2027 cycle.
When are the General Recruitment Tests?
Phase III runs from October 12 to 19.
What must candidates bring?
A printed admission certificate and the original CNIC or passport. Mobile phones are banned.
