ISLAMABAD: The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) has announced a major change in its recruitment process by ending traditional written exams for general recruitment and introducing a multiple-choice question (MCQ) based system.
The decision was taken in the commission’s 175th meeting and made public through an official notification on August 22, 2025. The new system will take effect from September 21, 2025.
According to the notification, the revised structure will apply to all general recruitment posts from Basic Pay Scale (BPS) 16 to 21.
Candidates applying for BPS-16 and BPS-17 jobs will attempt a single MCQ paper of 100 marks. For BPS-18 and above, applicants will have to take two separate MCQ papers.
— ALSO READ —
FBISE announces HSSC annual exam results 2025
The minimum qualifying marks will range between 40 and 50 percent, depending on the post. To discourage guesswork, the FPSC will also introduce negative marking, deducting 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.
FPSC Recruitment Exam Structure:
| Posts | Category | No. of Papers | Passing Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS-16 & 17 | All Posts | MCQ Based One Paper of 100 marks | 40% passing threshold in each paper with negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer |
| BS-18 & 19 | Doctors | MCQ Based Two Papers of 100 Marks each | 40% passing threshold in each paper with negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer |
| General Management posts | MCQ Based Two Papers of 100 Marks each | 40% passing threshold in each paper with negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer | |
| Teaching posts | MCQ Based Two Papers of 100 Marks each | 50% passing threshold in each paper with negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer | |
| Professional or Technical posts | MCQ Based Two Papers of 100 Marks each | 40% passing threshold in each paper with negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer | |
| BS-20 & 21 | All Posts | MCQ Based Two Papers of 100 Marks each | 50% passing threshold in each paper with negative marking of 0.25 per wrong answer |
CSS Exams to Remain Unchanged:
The commission clarified that this change does not apply to the Central Superior Services (CSS) exams, which will continue with the current system of descriptive written papers, interviews, and psychological tests.
Officials said the move aims to make recruitment more efficient, transparent, and faster, enabling the FPSC to meet staffing requirements on time.
However, education experts and candidates are likely to debate whether MCQs alone can measure the analytical and problem-solving abilities required for senior-level positions.
