CSS 2026 exam schedule, eligibility & procedure

LAHORE: The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has announced the CSS 2026 exam schedule, marking an important landmark in preparing candidates to serve the government in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

The assessment examination will be divided into two phases: In phase one, the MCQ-Based Preliminary Test (MPT), and in phase two, the written examination will be conducted.

According to the FPSC, the public notice will be announced for MPT online applications on August 10, 2025, with applications accepted from August 11 to August 25, 2025. Applications will be accepted from August 11, 2025, and the last date to apply is August 25, 2025. The MPT exam will be conducted on November 09, 2025.

The qualified candidates in MPT will be eligible to appear in the written exam, following the Public notice issued on December 14, 2025, for online applications. The applications will be open from December 15, 2025, to December 30, 2025. The commencement of CSS 2026 written exam is scheduled on February 04, 2026.

The National Assembly has approved an increase in the age limit for CSS application from 30 to 35 years, following the major change in policy, effective from 2026 onwards.

Additionally, candidates will also be able to have one extra attempt, making the exam more comprehensive and accessible.

The FPSC highlighted that the CSS 2026 exam schedule is conditional and can change as well.
As the timeline, eligibility criteria and examination methodologies have been defined, candidates are encouraged to start their preparation and aim to triumph in Pakistan’s most respected examinations.

For updates and alterations, candidates are urged to check the FPSC official website regularly.

Read More: CSS officials reveal reasons behind 98% failure rate in Competitive Exams

Earlier, Officials from the Central Superior Services (CSS) disclosed the primary reasons for the high failure rate, up to 98%, in the most prestigious competitive exams of Pakistan.

Senator Rana Mahmood Ul Hassan, chairman Senate Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat presided over a meeting of the committee at the Parliament House.

The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) officials provided a detailed briefing on the CSS examination process.