Provincial Management Services (PMS) Punjab

The PMS (Provincial Management Services) Examination of Punjab is an exam which is conducted by the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) to fill the positions of Grade-17 for the provincial administration of the Punjab province. It is a highly competitive examination with a rigorous process of selection starting from a detailed written examination to psychological tests and interviews. It is designed to recruit the most suitable candidates who possess problem-solving and critical and analytical abilities as well as good leadership qualities. The finally qualified individuals are designated as the PMS Officers.

Eligibility Criteria for PMS Punjab

The following general criteria are the foremost requirements to appear in the PMS Punjab:

Educational Qualification

A person who possesses a minimum graduation degree with 2nd division from a recognized university is eligible to apply.

Age & Age Relaxation

The candidate should be between 21 and 30 years of age. However, age relaxation is permissible for candidates having experience in government departments and for special persons.

Domicile

Only those candidates who are domiciled in Punjab can apply.

Written Examination Structure

The written exam of PMS follows almost the same pattern as the CSS examination. The written examination consists of 6 compulsory and 6 optional papers of 100 marks each making up 1200 marks in total.

Subjects Division

The charts below show the details of the subjects offered for PMS Punjab.

The compulsory papers of 600 marks are given in the chart:

Sr. No.	Subject	Marks
1	English Essay (up to 1500 words / 2 hours)	100
2	English (Précis, Comprehension & Translation)	100
3	Urdu (Essay, Précis, Comprehension & Translation)	100
4	Islamic Studies (Combination of Both Subjective & Objective) OR For Non-Muslim Candidates Ethics (Combination of both Subjective & Objective)	100
5	Pakistan Studies (Combination of Both Subjective & Objective)	100
6	General Knowledge (Objective)	100

In the chart below is listed the optional subjects for 600 marks. Only “3” subjects of 200 marks each are to be opted, and no 2 subjects can be opted from the same group:

Written Exam Qualifying Criteria

The qualifying criteria of PMS Punjab are also the same as the CSS exam. To qualify the examination to go further in the selection process, a candidate has to pass all the compulsory subjects with at least 40% marks and the 6 optional papers with 33% marks, and the aggregate of compulsory and optional papers should not be less than 50% marks, e.g. he/she should secure at least 600 marks in total to appear in the interview. Otherwise, he/she is considered failed the examination.

Post-written Examination Steps

The written qualified candidates have to go through two further steps for the final selections.

Psychological Tests

After the written exam come the psychological tests that can further be divided into two parts: first is the written part and the second includes group activities, a short speech, and an interview- based assessment in which a candidate has to appear before a panel of psychologists. This phase is designed to assess the cognitive and emotional strengths of the candidates.

Interviews / Viva Voce

The interview is the final phase in the process of PMS examination and election. The candidates present themselves before a board of interviewers, and the board asks questions from diverse areas of general and specific interests. The interview carries 200 marks, and the marks obtained in interview are aggregated with the written exam marks on the final merit list.

Declaration of the Final Result and the Appointments

After the declaration of the final result, the candidates are appointed as Gazetted Offers. They undergo training in the civil service academies, and on successful completion of the training they are posted to various posts of Grade-17. The training is designed to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to make them able to discharge their duties in an effective and efficient manner

Conclusion

Thus the PMS is a rigorous and very competitive examination designed to select the most suitable and talented individuals for a very crucial service of the province. It is, to a great extent, like the same examination as the CSS, in which individuals with great cognitive abilities and leadership personalities are taken out to work for the prestigious provincial civil service of Punjab.