The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has announced the CSS 2025 written examination results with only 354 candidates just 2.77 percent qualifying for the next stage.
The results were released on Friday, August 22, 2025 revealing once again the tough nature of Pakistan’s most prestigious competitive exam. Out of 18,139 applicants, 12,792 candidates appeared but only a fraction managed to secure a pass.
CSS 2025 Result at Glance
- Applicants: 18,139
- Appeared in exam: 12,792
- Passed written test: 354
- Pass percentage: 2.77%
This year’s outcome reflects a marginal increase compared to the CSS 2024 exam where 2.53 percent of candidates cleared the written stage.
Top Performers of CSS 2025
According to the FPSC list, Hisham Tanvir (Roll No. 000157) secured the highest marks in the written exam. The top 10 performers also include:
- Imama Khan (000163)
- Noman Babar (000304)
- Obaid Ullah (000310)
- Rizwan Alam (000325)
- Ahmad Hamza (000465)
- Aqsa Majeed (000490)
- Esha Iftikhar (000533)
- Hadiya Amjad (000547)
- Iram Bilal (000577)
These names will move forward to the next rounds of assessments.
Next Steps in Selection Process
The FPSC confirmed that successful candidates will be called for medical examinations, psychological assessments and viva voce interviews in the coming months.
An FPSC spokesperson said:
“The result of candidates with pending or rejected cases has been withheld in line with Rule 16 (6) of the CSS Competitive Examination Rules, 2019. Only those who qualify the written part will proceed to the next stages.”
The commission also noted that while care was taken to ensure accuracy, it reserves the right to make corrections to the results if required.
Comparison with Previous Years
The CSS examination has consistently maintained one of the lowest pass ratios among competitive exams in South Asia.
- CSS 2024: 15,602 appeared, 395 passed (2.53%)
- CSS 2025: 12,792 appeared, 354 passed (2.77%)
Despite a slight improvement in the pass rate, the exam remains an elite filter for Pakistan’s civil service, underlining the demanding academic and analytical standards required for selection.
Why CSS Exam Matters
The Central Superior Services (CSS) exam is considered the gateway to Pakistan’s bureaucracy leading to key appointments in the civil administration, police, customs, foreign service and other state institutions.
Each year, thousands of graduates compete, but only a handful manage to reach the final stages making CSS one of the toughest career pathways in the country.
Education analysts argue that the low success ratio highlights structural gaps in higher education as well as the demanding nature of the syllabus. Still, the exam continues to attract a record number of applicants each year.
What Happens Next
Candidates who cleared the written exam will be contacted individually by the FPSC with detailed schedules for their medical board examinations and psychological tests, followed by the final viva voce interviews.
The final CSS 2025 merit list is expected to be published in early 2026, once all recruitment phases are completed.
