In Conversation Muhammad Aamir Jalbani 55th in Punjab, PMS 2019-20

In Conversation

Muhammad Aamir Jalbani

55th in Punjab, PMS 2019-20

Jahangir’s World Times magazine proved instrumental in my success in PMS examination with its insightful articles related to current affairs. It helped me a lot in Essay and General Knowledge papers.

Jahangir’s World Times (JWT): First of all, please tell us about your educational background?
Muhammad Aamir Jalbani (MAJ): My education started from Government Primary School Basti Meer Jalbani. Later, I did matriculation from Boys High School Jhoke Uttra and FSc (pre-engineering) from Government College, DG Khan. Later, I did BSc Metallurgy & Material Engineering from the prestigious Institute of Advanced Materials, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU), Multan. I also earned a master’s degree in International Relations from University of Sargodha.

JWT: How much helpful did you find Jahangir’s World Times (JWT) in your preparation for PMS exam?
MAJ: Jahangir’s World Times magazine proved instrumental in my success in PMS examination with its insightful articles related to current affairs. It helped me a lot in Essay and General Knowledge papers also. I have been reading this magazine since the start of my preparation for this exam. I found it very helpful in all aspects of this prestigious competitive exam. It was especially helpful in building vocabulary, learning the techniques of writing and organizing paragraphs, and doing critical analysis; all these qualities are indispensable to getting through in compulsory as well as optional papers.

JWT: What, in your opinion, is the key to getting through compulsory papers of PMS exam, especially that of General Knowledge?
MAJ: Reading quality books and magazines like JWT and Foreign Policy is very important. One must read at least one book recommended by PPSC.
For General Knowledge paper, aspirants should follow the syllabus for this paper and read good MCQs books. For this paper, discussion is very important as I believe that during the preparation phase, discussion with knowledgeable friends will bring fruitful results, Insha Allah.

JWT: How answers should be written to get maximum marks in the written part of PMS exam?
MAJ: The answers you write must be brief yet brimming with critical thoughts. My technique for writing answers was:
1. Brief introduction
2. Body of answer with bold headings and paragraphs
3. Diagrams and facts and figures, where required
4. Conclusion

JWT: How did you structure your Essay?
MAJ: It is a very important question because most of the candidates fail this very paper. First of all, you should choose the topic very wisely. In my opinion, 5 to 10 minutes should be spent on making an outline in rough as it will give you a clear idea of the topic you have good command over. Then, write the outline of the topic you chose very efficiently. Write a brief outline with main headings and subheadings. Introduction of the essay must be brief and topic-oriented. Then, the main body of the essay should contain an analysis of the topic, but that must be in accordance with the outline. Make full analytical description of the topic with facts and strong references. At the end, conclude your essay on a positive note.

JWT: What was your strategy for the General Knowledge paper?
MAJ: I got through the syllabus given by PPSC. I read different MCQs books of World Times Publications. The science portion is critical in this paper, so I separately studied basic Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Geography. Although the actual paper was quite difficult, I passed it as my strategy worked well.

JWT: Should there be some word limit kept in mind while writing answers?
MAJ: In my opinion, an answer should be precise and brief, and it must also contain maximum number of facts and figures. I wrote answers in all paper in this style. I wrote six pages for each answer in all papers – be it a compulsory or an optional one. I think it was my strength that helped me fetch good marks in all papers.

JWT: Is it better to attempt optional papers in Urdu or one should go with English only?
MAJ: In my opinion, one should opt for attempting paper in Urdu or English according to one’s aptitude and capabilities. I took all papers in English language.

JWT: How one should choose Optional Subjects?
MAJ: Optional papers play a vital role in your success in PMS examination. So, you should choose your optional subjects very wisely. Three things should, however, be kept in mind while making the decision:
1. Your interest in a subject
2. Your academic background
3. Scoring trend of that subject

JWT: Who deserves the credit for your success?
MAJ: The credit for my success goes to my parents, my siblings, my teachers and my love belongings. I give credit, especially, to my friends in my village who supported me all through the journey.

JWT: As interviewers usually grill the interview candidates, how did you manage the situation?
MAJ: During the interview, I remained calm and confident. I remained simple yet impressive in my delivery of answers. I was positive, rational and relaxed while before the interview panel. I think one should not be overconfident and over-smart because panellists know everything and they have much more experience in judging a candidate’s personality and his/her suitability for the civil service. So stay simple and to the point during the interview.