In Conversation with Ayaz Hussain (PSP) 45th in Pakistan, CSS 2017-18

In Conversation with

Ayaz Hussain (PSP)

45^th in Pakistan, CSS 2017-18

Catch line: JWT provides fundamental knowledge for Current Affairs, Pakistan Affairs and even for Islamiat in accordance with the needs of all competitive examinations.

Jahangir’s World Times (JWT): First of all, please tell us about your educational background?

Ayaz Hussain (AH): After matriculation, I did my intermediate from Government College University, Lahore. Subsequently, I earned an MBBS degree from King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Lahore.

JWT: As you have been allocated to Police Service of Pakistan (PSP), what was the feature of this service that attracted you most?

AH: The unique feature of Police Service of Pakistan is that you can provide justice immediately to the aggrieved and the oppressed. Secondly, by becoming a part of such a setup, you can also keep on pushing to bring reforms in criminal justice system which is anachronistic and requires reforms, I believe.

JWT: How much helpful did you find Jahangir’s World Times (JWT) during your preparation?

AH: JWT provides fundamental knowledge for Current Affairs, Pakistan Affairs and even for Islamiat in accordance with the needs of all competitive examinations.

JWT: What, in your opinion, is the key to making a difference in written part of CSS exam?

AH: First of all, aspirants should always keep with them the syllabus outline and past papers for each subject while preparing for written part of CSS exam. Then, consulting quality material, making short notes and finally doing extensive writing practice will definitely be helpful in scoring decent marks.

JWT: Generally, compulsory subjects are considered low-scoring, what was your strategy to get through these very papers?

AH: Almost all compulsory subjects are intertwined. For instance, preparation for Current Affairs is equally fruitful for other papers like Pakistan Affairs, English Essay and even Islamiat. Therefore, in order to secure very good marks in compulsory subjects, one must have understanding of key domestic as well as global socio-political, economic and religious problems. After getting acquainted with these core concepts, the candidate should connect these with each other and use them wisely as per requirements of each compulsory subject.

JWT: What was the key to your phenomenal success?

AH: I believe persistent action, positive motivation and psychological control on fear of failure are imperative to success.

JWT:  How the answers should be written to get maximum marks?

AH:  I would suggest that every question should be attempted in a creative and unique manner. For example, while answering a particular question, candidates must do critical assessment and relate the matter with contemporary affairs. Moreover, relevant references from authentic books, reports and journals, as well as quotes make the difference, for sure. Needless to say, excellent presentation yields excellent marks.

JWT:  Should there be some word limit kept in mind while writing answers?

AH: Generally, I would not suggest aspirants to be worried about some specific word limit. It depends on how much time a candidate has for each question. I strongly believe that time management is essential. A common mistake is that first question is answered very extensively without caring for time available for the last one. One must understand that both the first and the last questions carry equal marks. So, giving equal time to each question is more important than focusing on word count.

JWT:  How did you structure your Essay and what was your strategy for Précis and Composition Paper?

AH: Before responding to this question I want to convey a message to the candidates who failed English Essay paper in spite of putting in a great effort. I would suggest that instead of complaining about the assessment system, they should learn from the shortcomings of their previous attempt. There is always some fundamental flaw in essay of a failed candidate. The basic elements of an essay i.e. introduction, main body and a concrete conclusion must be in complete form.

Whereas my strategy for Précis and Composition Paper was that I extensively practiced précis writing and focused on every question asked in paper i.e. punctuation, narration, correction, preposition, translation, etc. The most important thing for aspirants to understand is that putting ideas in English language is a skill and a particular skill cannot be learnt overnight. It requires continuous practice.

JWT:  What areas should the new aspirants focus while start preparing for the CSS exam?

AH: Learning English-writing skills and keeping abreast of the contemporary affairs both national and international is the first and foremost thing the new aspirants should focus on while preparing for CSS exam.

My tips on:

Selection of optional subjects

While choosing optional subjects, aspirants must keep in mind the prevailing scoring trend instead of going for overlapping strategy. Remember, CSS is a competitive exam and shortcuts never payoff!

Notes-making

Always make short notes while preparing for each subject. This will save a lot of time during revision. Most importantly, make notes of your own.

My Advice for fresh aspirants

I believe everyone in his/her youth is intelligent. However, hard work and persistent action make the real difference.

My Interview Experience

My interview experience was excellent. I was asked questions on National Action Plan, terrorism and extremism in Pakistan. A detailed discussion on internal and external security challenges in Pakistan was also a part of the interview. Moreover, a few questions were from my optional subjects, e.g.  on social contract, International Court of Justice, reforms in United Nations Security Council and Sigmund Freud. I responded well.

The questions the panel asked were mostly opinion-based and I gave them 2-3 convincing arguments in support of my stance. Although I dropped a few “what questions,” I gave satisfactory answers to “why questions”.

From my interview experience, I am of the opinion that the commission always keeps suitability of a candidate for a certain group. They placed me in Police Service of Pakistan and I believe they decided it rightly.