CSS exam 2027: MPT on 10 October, eligibility, age limit, fee and next steps

CSS exam 2027 in one line: the MCQ-based Preliminary Test (MPT) for CSS Competitive Examination 2027 is on Saturday 10 October 2026, moved from 27 September by FPSC notice F.2-2/2027(MPT)/CE-II of 19 August. You must pass the MPT to apply for, and sit, the CSS 2027 written exam. Registration for the MPT closed on 20 August 2026, so this guide covers what candidates who applied need to do now, and what everyone planning for CSS needs to know about eligibility, fees and the stages that follow.

CSS 2027 at a glance

Source: FPSC advertisement No. F.2/1/2026-CE of 2 August 2026 and the rescheduling notice of 19 August 2026.

Step 1: check you are eligible

Everything is judged on 31 December 2026, not on the test date.

1. Degree. You need at least a Bachelor's degree in second division. If your result is awaited, check the advertisement's wording carefully: FPSC admits candidates provisionally and can cancel a candidature at any stage if a condition was not met.
2. Age. You must be at least 21 and not more than 30 on 31 December 2026. Work out your exact age on that date with our age calculator: a candidate born on 1 January 1996 is 30 years and 364 days old on the cut-off and still eligible; one born on 31 December 1995 turns 31 on the cut-off date and is not.
3. Relaxation. A two-year age relaxation applies to the categories listed in Rule 6 of the CSS Competitive Examination rules (for example, certain government servants and candidates from specified areas). Check the rules on the FPSC site before counting on it.

Step 2: download your admission certificate

FPSC issues MPT admission certificates online at least 10 days before the test. With the new date, that means certificates should be on the candidate portal by 30 September 2026.

1. Log in to the FPSC online application portal with the CNIC and password you used to apply.
2. Open your CE-2027 (MPT) application and download the admission certificate.
3. Check your name, roll number, photo and test centre city. Report any error to FPSC at once, not on test day.
4. Print two copies. Carry one with your original CNIC.

If you applied but cannot see a certificate by 30 September, contact FPSC's CE wing through the numbers on its website. Do not rely on WhatsApp groups for roll numbers or centre changes.

Step 3: prepare for the test itself

The MPT is a screening test of multiple-choice questions. It is widely reported as a 200-mark paper with a qualifying mark of 33 percent (66 marks), and preparation providers describe it as covering English, general ability (basic maths and reasoning), general knowledge and current affairs, and Islamic studies. FPSC's own MPT syllabus on its website is the authority; download it and prepare to that list rather than to a coaching summary.

Three practical points:

• It is a pass or fail screen. The MPT score gets you into the written exam; it is not added to your CSS total.
• Its validity is for CE-2027 only. Passing the 2027 MPT does not carry over to CSS 2028.
• Plan the day. The centre list covers 19 cities. If you are travelling from another district, arrive the evening before: road closures in Islamabad already forced FPSC to postpone interviews and the CSS psychological assessment last week (our report).

Step 4: after the MPT

1. Result. FPSC publishes MPT results on its website by roll number.
2. CSS 2027 application. Qualifying MPT candidates are then invited to apply for the main CSS CE-2027 examination, with a separate fee and schedule that FPSC announces after the result.
3. Written exam. The main written exam has compulsory papers and optional subjects. Candidates who pass move on to the medical, psychological assessment and viva voce, and allocation to groups such as the Pakistan Administrative Service, Police Service and Foreign Service follows merit and group preferences.

Common mistakes that cost candidates a year

• Getting the age wrong. Count to 31 December 2026, not to the test date or today.
• Assuming the MPT is optional for repeat candidates. It is mandatory for everyone who wants to sit CE-2027.
• Paying through an agent. The Rs 250 fee was payable online through 1-Link only; FPSC does not collect fees through academies.
• Ignoring the degree division. A third-division Bachelor's degree does not meet the requirement.
• Trusting forwarded dates. The MPT has already moved once. Check fpsc.gov.pk before you travel.

Other FPSC tests this month

FPSC's Phase III testing programme begins on 12 October 2026, two days after the MPT. Some papers have been pulled from it, including tests for 17 Board of Investment posts (details). Current federal vacancies with closing dates are on our jobs board.