April 5, 2025 — The federal minister for planning and development, Mr. Ahsan Iqbal, has recommended that Urdu should be an optional language for CSS (Central Superior Services) exams ,which will significantly change the civil service system of Pakistan. The idea was dropped during a recent meeting of the Civil Services Reform Committee, where the Minister stressed the point of making the examination process broader and fair.

From English to Urdu: A Bold Step in CSS Exam

The basis behind Iqbal’s argument about English as the sole medium of language for the assessment was that it removes most students a fair chance of performing well in tests, especially at the rural and the deprived levels. He said, “If English were the only criterion for professional skills, our bureaucracy would have been top in the world — but that’s not the situation.”

The primary urge to adopt that policy in the examination is that in addition to lifting the barrier between rural and urban education. In his announcement, the minister elaborated that the establishment of the system would lead to the access of all walks of life to the civil services department, guaranteeing that the procedure is fair.

According to the opening paragraph, the review of the submitted draft is still in process, while authorities are discussing its implementation and probable impacts on the system of exams’ quality and consistency. For the time being, the article has generated discourse among the public, with supporters seeing it as a move that promotes inclusivity and others who propose the permanent role of English in global communication and negotiation.

If this transition is applied, it could signal the bureaucratic system of Pakistan into a brand new era that may one day change the civil servants’ recruitment process and its training.