Now the time has come for the preparation of CSS-2013.
Candidates had better set their directions by improving their English language, opting for scoring subjects and taking proper guidance. In the past few years, I have noticed that the CSS aspirants usually spend this crucial time visiting different academies and switching from one academy to another without thinking about their future. In this regard, my advice is that they should first join a CSS English teacher who will help improve their basics like tenses, active & passive voice, direct & indirect, parts of speech, rules of correction, proper usages of English and afterwards, learn how to practice short essay, expansion of the ideas, precis and long essay. It is high time for the CSS aspirants to concentrate on CSS-2013 and stop wasting their time. I will suggest the students not to join any academy where there is only one English class just in a week and if we calculate the actual academic activity per month it comes that only 4 to 8 classes would be taken during the whole month. Moreover, in such academies the number of enrolled students is so high that it makes the testing and checking process of low quality.
Besides, practicing the basics of English grammer , the candidates should also start learning pair of words, idioms, GRE vocabulary, etc. It is a matter of fact that more than 70 percent candidates usually fail in English Essay or English Composition.
It is also very important that the candidates should opt for those subjects which are scoring. For this, they need to elect Islamic History and Culture, Geography, International Law, Punjabi, Journalism, Public Administration and Psychology. For such subjects, you do not need to have a background of these particular subjects. If I talk about International Law, one can easily prepare it within 10 to 15 days. For Islamic History and Culture, one can prepare it within 20 days with proper guidance. For geography, maximum time period is one month where one can grip on the maps of the world as well as on the maps of Pakistan. Punjabi, Journalism and Public Administration are very easy and scoring subjects. For each subject, you just need 10 to 15 days to prepare it completely.
It is a matter of fact that more than70 percent candidates usually fail in English Essay or English Composition.
It is also very important that the candidates should opt for those subjects which are scoring. For this, they need to elect Islamic History and Culture, Geography, International Law, Punjabi, Journalism, Public Administration and Psychology. For such subjects, you do not need to have a background of these particular subjects.
Sometimes, candidates opt for Arabic, Indo- Pak History, US History, British History, Sociology, Political Science, General Law, English Literature, Forestry and Constitutional Law but my advice is that opt for those subjects which you can easily handle in the exams. Besides, you need to see the scoring pattern of the subjects instead of looking that I have done masters in that subjects and I would choose that subjects. The pattern of such subjects is very difficult and sometimes, if there is a question out of syllabus as Arabic or British History, one cannot write even a single line because you do not have the idea of this subject. If you choose Islamic History and suppose there is a question out of syllabus, one can easily tackle it as we are reading the syllabus of Islamic History and Culture in each class from class one to graduation. So it is quite easy and convincing to opt for scoring subjects. Secondly, candidates keep switching their subjects after one or two attempt. My suggestion is that one should think over the subjects and see its pros and cons and once you have decided to opt for the subjects then do not change your subject combination.
Whereas the preparation technique is concerned, one should consult syllabus and past 5 years papers. Besides, read at least one recommended book of the CSS mentioned syllabus. This will help the candidates to gain marks in the exams as one will be quoting such books in the exams and the examiner will give you more marks because you have studied the recommended books of the CSS. After preparing the syllabus and past papers then make short notes. So for CSS, you just need to have clarity of the concept and then write in your own words though it is Islamiat, Pakistan Affairs, Geography or any other subjects.
Thirdly, take guidance of each subject and learn what is the technique to get higher marks in that particular paper? I quote an example and you will understand it. If there is Islamiat Subject then one should quote Ayats and Ahadith and the quotes of Prof. Khurshid Ahmad. If it is Pakistan Affairs then quote Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal and K.K. Aziz or I.H. Qureshi. Similar techniques should be applied in other subjects as it is the competitive exams where your are competing with hundreds and thousands of candidates. So your paper presentation, your material and your knowledge should be different from the rest of the candidates if you want to come in the top position of the CSS.