Welcome to CSS Times English Grammar Lectures Series.
Improve your English Grammar for Competitive Exams with Sualeha Sahar.
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Category: CSS Tips
Precis Writing Rule 1
Read the given passage carefully at least three times in order to be able to grasp what the writer has said or grasp the main idea.
Precis Writing Rule 2
Underline the important points to be included in your précis. A point is important if it is intimately connected with the main subject and if it is essential for a clear exposition of the theme.
Precis Writing Rule 3
Use your own language in the précis. While words and phrases from the original may be used in the précis, whole sentences should never be left out of the original to be included in it.
Essay means ‘attempt’ to translate your ideas into words. There is a myth before writing actual essay we must be well versed in the hard-core knowledge of contemporary topics, but the reality is; it is skill which can be learned from practice only. Now the BIG QUESTION is how to practice it, especially in case of non-availability of evaluator, for this I recommend better to start from scratch through the 3-body essay, i.e. introduction, body and conclusion. You can find this sort of short essay on daily basis from daily diaries (DAWN, EXPRESS TRIBUNE or THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL) in form of editorials and opinions. The only way to learn it at your own is to paraphrase it on daily basis. I guarantee this will serve the purpose well. Through this regular exercise your expression will improve, you will learn new vocabulary words and the usage of words both in connotative and denotative. You must consult one basic English grammar book (I consulted ‘To the point English by Mian Aftab’ in the beginning later on I consulted ‘Exploring the world of English by Sadaat ), while practicing you must know the basic rules of grammar. The bottom line is; one paragraph on daily basis – the mixture of theory and practice- can be handy to horn your English writing skill.
Do’s in CSS / PMS Exams
◆ Follow a healthy schedule while preparing, i.e. a good balanced diet including fresh vegetables and fruits.
◆ Drink a lot of water to keep your body hydrated. A healthy body does possess a healthy mind.
◆ Plan every day according to the need and try to achieve the listed to dos.
◆ Have sufficient sleep; a tired brain cannot work productively. Try to have a sound 6-8 hours sleep.
◆ Read out some jokes or poems or short stories in between studies to give yourself a break from the monotonous routine studies.
◆ Play some games with friends sometimes to refresh you up.
◆ Watch a movie that at some point of time motivated you to do good in life.
◆ Indulge yourself into some light Yoga or Breathing Exercise. This way you will stay fit and you will not feel lethargic also.
◆ Be confident always. This is the best way to motivate self.
◆ Make revision more than one time so that you gain confidence and will surely motivate you constantly.
◆ Try to surround yourself with all positive energy. This will give you a good feeling all the time for a better and easier preparation.
◆ Always keep some time for any emergency situation. Flexibility must be there in your plan.
Educational Background
After doing O/A level from Lahore Grammar School, I acquired my Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore. Immediately after my graduation, I started preparing for the CSS 2017 examination.
Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS): Most Conspicuous Attracted Feature
Being a student of economics and having my own understanding of the ‘real’ issues that Pakistan faces, I have always been interested in the processes of policy formulation, and execution thereupon. Thus, being a part of PAS did offer me not only the much sought-after prestige, but it also meant that I could do what I had always wanted to, that is, making a positive contribution towards my country and its people.
Key to Making a Difference in Written Part of CSS Exam
Being comprehensive, yet to the point! The only thing that differentiates those who pass the written part of CSS exam from those who fail is the ability to mould and present one’s knowledge the way the question demands. In my opinion, it is important to first understand the question and then have a clear brain-map as to how to attempt that particular question in the available time. Also, good presentation (neat handwriting, use of markers, drawing of diagrams or flow charts, etc.) always gets one some extra credit.
Strategy to Get Through CSS Compulsory Subjects
I adopted a targeted approach; my principal focus was on making concise notes for each subject and then discussing them in a group. For Current Affairs, I mostly relied on online sources. Similarly, for other compulsory subjects, I preferred gathering information from different sources rather than relying on a single book.
CSS Exam 2019: Rules, Eligibility Criteria & Requirements:
Application Submission: 1st of Dec , 2018.
Closing date : 12.12.2018
Written Exam: 14th February, 2019.
Question: What is the required qualification for CSS Exam?
Answer:
(A) 14 years of Formal education recognized by the HEC is required. There is much confusion that 16 years Formal education is necessary, but it is not True. You must possess at least 14 years education to be eligible.
(B) A candidate can possess any Bachelors Degree (B.A, B.Com , BBA, B.Sc, LLB, MBBS etc.) from one of the Pakistani Universities or an equivalent degree or comparable educational qualifications of a foreign University recognized by Higher Education Commission, Islamabad.
FPSC Central Superior Services Exam (CSS) is not like other competitive exams you take – be it PPSC, NTS, one paper MCQ’s or anything of that sort. To clear CSS written part, just knowledge is not enough. You need to be familiar with the type of questions asked. You need to know how to avoid negative marks. You need to know how to increase your probability of marking right answers even for those questions which you are unsure.
And to acquire that skill, you need to practice the right mock tests. Yes, that skill can be acquired by practice! But only with the right kind of CSS mock test series.
Now, let us check the top 5 reasons why you should take more mock tests before appearing in CSS:
1. When a list of things is given in the original, a general word should be used to express the idea
for example: ” There were dogs, cats, hens, ducks, geese and pigs barking, squealing, crowing, quacking and growling all over the farmyard.”
In compressing this, we shall convey the idea in the following manner:
Different animals and birds were making various noises over the farmyard.
The number of words used here is more than one-third of the original, but that is because the original passage is too short to allow a précis one-third in length. This is only an illustration to convey the technique.
Keep Your Face towards the Sunshine and You Can’t See the Shadow
- An optimist sees an opportunim in every problem & pessimist sees a trouble in every opportunity
- Opportunim & pessimism are juxtaposed to each other
- Nelson Mandela 29 years of imprisonment & example of his life with full of optimism
- There is a silver lining after the dark clouds
- Old Man & The Sea with continuous effort to survive and sustain the roughness of sea
- Life is a combination of easy and hard patches with majority of rough rides
- Never give up and keep trying
- Success rests with continuous effort in any field of life rather than irregular patterns (Example of famous Tortoise & Rabbit)
- Concept of Sufi spiritualism (Mian Muhammad Baksh) Gardner keep watering the plants irrespective of result that rat rests with God.
- Optimistic people that exert hard work with bright idea of life always ends with positivity & success in life.
Planning For CSS?
(Guidelines for Students planning to appear in CSS after completion of their graduation)
Things to Focus During Graduation
Great goals are achieved with great focus and consistent efforts. CSS is a competitive exam and in order to secure top positions, you need to plan your attempt. The sooner you start planning, the better it is. Graduation period is very crucial in this regard. Those students who aspire to join the most prestigious service in Pakistan usually keep this goal in sight when they are at graduation stage and seek admission to University.