English has been the bedrock upon which the CSS, PMS examiners, judges an aspirant’s knowledge, viewpoints, and opinions. The better the English writing skills, the greater the chances to succeed. Thus, whoever gives his writing skills importance always qualifies for the exams.
How Much Is English Important for CSS, PMS Aspirants?
The relationship between English written communication skills and aspirants’ thoughts plays a focal role in deciding their fate and success in the CSS and PMS exams simply because English has been the primary vehicle transporting their ideas to the examiners. Unfortunately, despite hard work, systematic strategies, reading quality books and cramming facts and stats, thousands of competitive aspirants falter when it comes to expressing their viewpoints in the essay paper explicitly, coherently, relevantly, and grammatically correct. Undoubtedly, the only underrated tool for success in a competitive exam in Pakistan is English writing skills, which is often forgotten by many aspirants, resulting in failing English essays or precis papers. As an English lecturer serving in GIKI King Edward Medical College and other known universities, every one of my students, generally competitive aspirants, asks me the same question “Mam, why do lots of students fail in the CSS English papers?” So, in this article, I have thrown some light on the burning topic, “How much are English writing skills important for the CSS and PMS aspirants?”, “Why do many aspirants fail their essay papers?”, and “How can aspirants prepare themselves for the CSS and PMS exams?”.
You might be a creative and critical student, having stunning and great ideas, but without a good command of English writing skills, you can hardly do justice to yourself in the exam. Of course, as vocabulary alone cannot help you express yourself unless you come up with unique content, knowledge alone cannot help you crack the exam unless you learn and practice how to present your opinions, viewpoints, and ideas to the examiner. That is why dreaming of qualifying for the CSS and PMS exams has been a wish coveted by thousands but accomplished by a few. Therefore, nearly 98% of students fail to qualify for the written or get allocated despite preparing and cramming heaps of books and facts. It has become no less than a fact that whoever gives little importance to writing their ideas and focuses more on cramming readymade notes by every Tom, Dick, and Harry hardly qualifies for the CSS exam. The only thing that sits an aspirant atop or distinguishes him among thousands of aspirants is nothing but English writing and communication skills.
Being a competitive communication tool, English is essential in the CSS and PMS exams preparation because almost all study materials are in English, whether recommended by FPSC or PPSC or available online. Therefore, knowing English is beneficial for aspirants to understand, comprehend, and break down the questions asked in compulsory and optional papers. Unfortunately, a great many aspirants, not having English communication skills, can pass ten papers easily, but not the essay and precis papers. According to Sir Syed Kazim Ali, the CSS, PMS precis and essay papers are not set out to test grammar rules; they, instead, are set up to check the clarity of the written expression of an aspirant. So, for example, if you place a modifier in the wrong place, the sentence’s intended meaning becomes at odds. For instance, in the sentence, “Crossing the road, a motorbike almost struck me.”, the grammatical meaning of the sentence is that a motorbike was crossing the road. However, the intended meaning is that as I crossed the road, a motorbike almost struck me. Such unforgivable articulation and sentence structuring mistakes erode the future of thousands of competitive aspirants. Thus, learning English written communication skills is the only option for a competitive aspirant to qualify for the exam with flying colours.
Next to the importance of English in the CSS and PMS exams, now it is crucial to find out why students fail the English papers. Expressing your thoughts on the given topic coherently, fluently, and grammatically correct by supporting each of your stances through examples, facts, and illustrations is the key to cracking CSS, PMS Essay paper. But, unfortunately, although most students, with dedication and practice, learn the art of essay writing within months; despite knowing how to build an argument, introduction, the body of the essay, and analytical conclusion, a great number of aspirants in Pakistan fail to score the passing marks in the essay and precis papers. This situation baffles aspirants and keeps putting them into the vortex of confusion by making qualifying for essay writing and precis paper a Herculean task, if not to all but to a lot. Nevertheless, the CSS and PMS English, however, the most significant hurdle for thousands of aspirants, cannot be learnt by joining any CSP, lacking English skills, or an academy that lacks qualified and experienced English teachers. Thus, learning the art of communication skills requires qualified English teachers, not qualified CSS officers. Usually, new aspirants, not understanding the fact, join such officers and academies and, consequently, fail their essays and precis papers drastically. Therefore, in learning how to give their thoughts words, aspirants must take guidance from qualified teachers. By doing so, they can avoid the chances of failure in essay and precis papers.
Every time you put your thoughts or ideas into writing in a competitive exam: CSS or PMS, it must represent you at your very best. Your best dramatically depends upon the correct use of grammar, sentence structuring, preposition, punctuation, vocabulary, expression, translation, and how explicitly you put your precise thoughts relevantly and coherently to the examiner. That is why CSS and PMS exams have made English essays and Precis & Composition papers compulsory. So, you have to care much about sentence correction, spelling, punctuation, and mechanics errors. To learn written communication, you need to seek an English teacher who can help you give your ideas a motion in the exam.
Although there are only 4 to 5 known competitive English teachers among hundreds in Pakistan, Sir Syed Kazim Ali, the best English teacher in the country, sits atop because of his way of imparting communication skills to his students. For years, he has been the country’s top English coach who has helped thousands of aspirants, bloggers, professionals, and writers to have a successful future. His extensive writing skills sessions and courses help his students move their thoughts correctly, fluently, and confidently. However, apart from Sir Kazim, aspirants must start visiting universities for consultation or coaching from PhDs professors for English papers because the CSS, PMS English essay and precis checker is an English professor, not a qualified officer.
To conclude, aspirants who think only tips and tricks will help them qualify for the papers generally fail. However, CSS and PMS English essays and precis papers require aspirants to have a good command of English writing skills. In fact, from the essay’s outline and introductory paragraph to the conclusion, aspirants’ articulation, grammar, structuring, vocabulary, viewpoints, attitude, and tone are evaluated by an examiner. Thus, English writing skills are of great importance for the CSS and PMS aspirants. Unlike other aspirants who do not give English skills their due importance, aspirants who learn them from an experienced teacher usually have a higher chance of success.
About the Writer:
Ms Hira Ahad completed her post-graduate degree from Forman Christian College Lahore. She was awarded various certificates and honours, such as Cum Laude, one of the most prestigious titles awarded to scholars in recognition of their excellent academic performance. Additionally, her exposure to a purely intense research environment, national, and international conferences, talks, and interviews with eminent scholars has helped her department achieve a reputation for innovation. She began her career as an English instructor in 2016 at various institutes like Iqra National University, Benazir Bhutto University, King Edwards Medical College, and Ghulam Ishaq Institute. Moreover, she is an active member of three prestigious communities, the disciplinary committee, the Proctoral board, and the scheme of studies board. Moreover, she is keenly interested in creating creative spaces for her students for future career development by encouraging a vibrant research culture and e-learning, which will allow tremendous cross-fertilization of ideas.
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