CSS Exam registrations in Pakistan have fallen sharply over the past four years, according to official data from the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), signalling a decline in interest in federal government careers despite fierce competition for limited vacancies.

FPSC statistics show that 18,139 candidates registered for the 2025 CSS examination, down from 35,059 applicants in 2022, representing a decline of nearly 48%.

The number of candidates who sat the examination also dropped significantly, falling from 20,262 in 2022 to 12,792 in 2025.

Although fewer candidates are applying, competition remains intense. The FPSC nominated only 170 successful candidates in 2025, compared with 239 nominations in 2022.

The CSS examination remains one of Pakistan’s most competitive recruitment processes for the federal civil service. Successful candidates join various occupational groups after completing the selection process.

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FPSC data also shows a similar decline in applications for general federal government recruitment.

Registrations for general recruitment examinations reached 436,757 in 2023 before falling to 196,193 in 2025, a decline of more than 55% in two years.

The number of candidates who appeared in those examinations also dropped from 199,234 to 80,633 over the same period.

Despite the lower number of applicants, recruitment opportunities remained limited.

In 2025, the FPSC recommended only 3,005 candidates from 196,193 registered applicants for general recruitment positions. In 2023, only 1,436 candidates secured recommendations from more than 436,000 applicants.

Selection rates also remained low in the CSS examination. In 2025, only 0.94% of registered candidates and 1.33% of candidates who took the examination secured nominations. In comparison, the nomination rates stood at 0.68% and 1.18%, respectively, in 2022.

The data also highlights a gap between registrations and actual participation.

For the CSS examination, about 45% of registered candidates appeared in 2023, while participation increased to approximately 71% in 2025.

In general recruitment examinations, the appearance rate improved from nearly 32% in 2022 to 41% in 2025, although many registered candidates still did not sit the examinations.

The latest figures suggest that fewer Pakistanis are pursuing federal government careers, but the demand for secure public sector jobs continues to far exceed the number of available positions.