The federal government has rejected a proposal to raise the upper age limit for the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination from 30 to 35 years and increase the number of permissible attempts from three to five, retaining the existing policy.
The Establishment Division set aside the recommendation, which had been put forward by a sub-committee of the Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, and informed the parliamentary committee of its written position on the matter.
The Establishment Division maintained that any decision on the age limit or number of attempts falls within the policy domain of the federal government, and that the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) is responsible only for implementing policy once it is approved.
It noted that the FPSC, during its 174th meeting, had already decided to retain the existing CSS examination policy.
The Division warned that raising the age limit could significantly increase the number of applicants, adding pressure to the examination process and increasing the workload of evaluating papers. It also argued that allowing more attempts could encourage candidates to repeatedly sit for the exam, causing them to lose productive years.
Additionally, the Establishment Division raised concerns that candidates entering the civil service at an older age would have shorter service careers, potentially affecting the long-term availability of experienced officers for senior positions.
As a result, the government has decided to retain the current policy of a 30-year age limit and three permitted attempts for the CSS examination.
