Secrets of Success in CSS

Secrets of Success in CSS

What CSS demands?

CSS is an examination of nerves, stamina, devotion and determination. This exam not only checks your ability to cope difficult and different situations but also judge your analytical skills to handle these circumstances. So one must develop habits of continue book reading, making notes out of them, drawing mind map and derive different perspectives and angles on certain topics and also follow the following strategies for increasing chances of success in CSS. .

CSS in not General Knowledge

It is the test of your cognitive skills that how you understand, comprehend and present your thought into a piece of paper. This is not the requirement of CSS examination that one must know each and every corner, personality, natural and manmade objects of the world, universe and day after tomorrow.  CSS needs that kind of knowledge on which one must have best command on it. It means one must have knowledge on few topics but with every perspective.

Decide Topics from Each Paper with different Angles

There are only fifteen to twenty questions or topics in every paper’s syllabus which are repeated every year but these topics have variety of different scenarios. A question asked in a year may be asked in other year but with different meanings, style and demand. So one must keep in mind while answering the question that one does not give answer as much as one knows but give answer according to questions asked. And you must read the complete statement and note at the top of paper in order to know that what examiner demand, either he wants comprehensive detail or argumentative approach or explanatory attitude.

So answer the question as asked not as you know. Don’t try to dodge the examiner, they are professional and experienced and learner personalities.  You can also ask your mentor in this regard who could help you and give suggestions the way examiner ask in the paper.

Follow Recommended Books and self made notes

Disciplined your life, set a study plan, newspaper reading time frame, memorizing the things, collecting figurative data and put them into respective subject’s respective topic’s registers. Try to make your own notes instead of wasting time on gathering notes of other seniors, teachers, academies etc.

I personally know number of students who have large number of notes with excellent material in them but the person who spent time in collecting them did not have time to read them which resulted into wastage of time, money and energy and in the end failure. Study authentic and recommended books only. Don’t follow internet blind source because internet is the biggest tool of deviation of students thought and approach.

But it does not mean without group study one could not qualify. Every one study according to his own comfortably. And also does not mean group have three levels of students only. It depends on your own feasibility and approach. If you all are talented enough to discuss then it’s ok. The purpose is study and confidence on knowledge, which way suits you go ahead.

Group Study of Multitalented Students

Develop a group which is the mixture of all type and caliber of students like genius, average and mediocre. The reasons behind this is that a genius will mature and firm its knowledge while teaching others and average can improve more and get confidence on himself while seeing below level persons and discussing with intelligent students and mediocre take challenge to go high while working hard and reach at set standard of upper level students.

While handling different mindset is the key of success of CSPs in their practical field. So why not start practicing here. Secondly discussion on certain topics from different mindset help a person to grab the material more better then a single minded person. Thirdly while sharing knowledge, one must improve its knowledge delivering and presentation style which enhance the confidence level and helps in examination too.

Subject Selection Tips

The biggest problem students face is the selection of optional subjects. So one must follow these tips

·         Adopt those subjects which have overlapping and similarities in topics

·         Adopt those subjects which you have been studied during your academic career

·         Don’t follow the myth of marks giving subjects or not.

·         Adopt those subjects which you have confidence enough to answer better than others. And the best way is that you must study its past papers and take lectures or study one authentic book of that particular subject. If you feel comfortable to comprehend and understand the topic then go ahead otherwise by using this strategy take another subject, but don’t waste much time on this.

·         Mostly students spent even months to decide which subject is better and which is not which give marks and which does not. And after wasting much time they came to know that exam is at hand. So once you finalize the subjects after great analysis and discussion than don’t go back.

Appear in Test Session is Mandatory

In order to make yourself perfect and fully command over knowledge and your abilities you must appear in test session of at least four tests for each paper. I believe that without giving tests it would be a miracle to qualify any examination and what about CSS which is the toughest examination in Pakistan. Why I am recommending this because after appearing in test you know you SWOT Analysis yourself. So one must remove its weaknesses and drawbacks and improve its strengths and abilities by giving tests that helps to achieve success in CSS examination.

Develop one year Study Plan

Here is a tip for every aspirant of CSS regarding study plan. If a person start his preparation in February or March then he has at least twelve months for preparation and that man has good academic record, excellent book reading habits, library lover, and strong determination then till the month of September or October he has to finish his preparation of every paper i.e. make notes, take number of lectures, make outline of every question, making MCQs while studying etc. than in October to December he must appear in test session. After that in the month of January he or she remove his mistakes and make his material as part of his mind. By adopting this strategy he or she not only minimize its blunders but also improve his writing, presentation and handling the questions techniques in the examination even to bear the burden and manage the stress.

Don’t watch talk shows of Dirty Politics of Pakistan’s Politicians

I always recommend to my students that they don’t watch talk show of those politician and anchor that put biased and wrong information and deviate the viewers from certain facts and make their mind as they demanded in order to increase their TRP. Mostly media generalist exploit the situation instead of nationalist approach. They highlight the problem, which they consider as problem, instead of solution.

Students of CSS must watch authentic documentaries, interviews of renowned personalities who talk about solutions instead of blaming other political parties and government and information of reliable source. CSS demands analytical approach not aggressive and fighting on personal interest. CSS officers are nationalist and work for their homeland in a neutral way for the betterment of their country. So they must aloof from any kind of biasness and media influence. Pakistan media does not train you to be analytical but to be critic in negative sense.   

Techniques during Examination for Success

·         Before answering the question, comprehend and understand the “Note” written at the top of paper and then statement of the Question.

·         After this if possible make rough outline of each question at the end of your answer sheet.

·         Use proper headings, paraphrasing, pectoral and graphical representation where possible and even highlight the important points of your answer. It means make examiner convenient to understand what you want instead of examiner find out the crux of your answer. Don’t decorate your answer by using multiple colors of pen, marker etc.

·         During the whole tenure of your examination you must follow your proper healthy diet plan.

·         Get up early in the morning even develop this habit during whole of study tenure so that during examination you did not feel pressure.

·         Take sufficient sleep for better working of neurons of your mind.

·         While answering the question if you don’t have confidence on information you want to quote, ignore this.

·         Write introduction and conclusion very carefully because examiner sometimes make thought from these two headings about your point of view that whether your understand the question and answer accordingly or not.

·         Give reference of such statement which you think harsh or might take you at extreme level.

·         Don’t take any kind of internal and external stress elements and keep yourself aloof from all the affairs of life and forget what, why and where the world is going on especially during the examination.

·         Focus on your target.

·         Say your prayer regularly.

·         Obey your parents and get prayers from them.

·         Don’t allow your mind to think that you have three chances for the success of CSS. Think that you have only one chance and you must qualify this by believing on your abilities and Almighty.

·         If you could not attempt any question as you want than don’t panic and focus on other one. It will cover up you deviancy of that question which you think not answer properly.

Conclusion

So at the end I would like to conclude that CSS examination is a serious activity which decides your future direction. It is not a part time job, it is full time task. Secondly Man does not know what is better for him and what is not. Allah Almighty knows well. So if a person could not succeed in CSS Examination it does not mean life is end here. There are lot of opportunities are waiting you. Might be you don’t suit here but Allah have vacant space for your valuable contributions in the world. But every student must pass through this type of examination because its preparation make you perfect person and even cover up the deficiencies of education system of Pakistan. Whether one appear in CSS or not chance is gone so why not avail it and get some excellent experience.

“So Tighten Your Seatbelts, Get Training and Drive Towards Your Destiny of Brightest Career in Pakistan”