One paper exams
One Paper Exams in Pakistan: CSS MPT, FPSC and PPSC
A one paper exam is a single MCQ screening test that a public service commission uses to screen candidates, with every subject in one sitting. The CSS MPT screens CSS aspirants with one 200-mark paper, and FPSC and PPSC test their advertised job posts the same way, each post with its own paper. Mock CSS covers all three.
What makes a test a one paper exam
One sitting, all MCQs
Every subject is in one objective paper, sat in one sitting. PPSC's own advertisements use the words "one paper MCQ"; FPSC calls its job-post test an "Objective Type Test (MCQ)".
A screening stage
The paper shortlists candidates. For CSS it decides who sits the written papers; for a job post it decides who goes on to the next stage, usually an interview, so ranking well matters more than just passing.
A paper per exam, or per post
The CSS MPT has one fixed paper. FPSC and PPSC set a paper for each advertised post, with its own marks, sections and, at FPSC, its own passing rule.
The three exams compared
CSS MPT
The first stage of the CSS Competitive Examination, held once a year by FPSC.
- Paper
- 200 MCQs in 200 minutes
- Subjects
- English, General Knowledge, General Abilities, Islamic Studies (or the alternative paper) and Urdu
- Negative marking
- None
- Passing
- 33% (66 of 200); qualifying only, not added to merit
- Past papers
- Real CSS MPT papers are on Mock CSS
FPSC job-post test
Federal job posts, tested advertisement by advertisement, each post with its own syllabus.
- Paper
- 100 marks in 100 minutes on most posts; 200 marks in 200 minutes on senior posts
- Subjects
- Set per post: often a professional part plus general ability, such as current affairs, Pakistan affairs and basic IT
- Negative marking
- 0.25 per wrong answer
- Passing
- 40% overall on most posts; 40% or 50% in each part on senior posts
- Past papers
- None published for job posts
PPSC job-post test
Punjab job posts, tested advertisement by advertisement, each post with a printed paper split.
- Paper
- 100 marks in 90 minutes
- Subjects
- The split the advertisement prints, such as general ability and qualification-related questions
- Negative marking
- 0.25 per wrong answer
- Passing
- 40% of the total marks
- Past papers
- None published for job posts
What the papers share
The general part of all three draws on the same ground. Mock CSS keeps one question bank for all of it, tagged to each exam's syllabus, so the work you do for one test carries over to the next.
- English
- General knowledge
- Pakistan affairs
- Current affairs
- Islamic Studies
- Basic mathematics and reasoning
- Everyday science
- Basic computer studies, on many job posts
Common questions
Short answers on how one paper exams work and how they are marked. Anything about Mock CSS itself is in the full FAQ.
Read the full FAQ