Criminology
Criminology attracted 7,610 candidates in CSS 2025, the second-largest field of any optional subject, and allocated 98 of them for an overall conversion of 1.29%. What makes it unusual among the high-volume subjects is that the paper is genuinely scoreable, with a mean of 57% that ranks among the highest in the examination. The competition here is intense because of the sheer number of strong candidates, not because the paper is difficult to clear.
Provincial Breakdown
Punjab claimed 59 of the 98 seats, just over 60% of the total, with Sindh Rural next on 15 and KPK on 9, and the remaining provinces sharing what was left in single figures. The pattern broadly mirrors population and the geographic spread of CSS preparation rather than pointing to any advantage specific to this subject.
Gender Distribution
Women took 50 of the 98 seats, a 51% share that lands almost exactly on the CSS-wide figure of 50.7%, which makes Criminology one of the more evenly balanced subjects at the allocation stage. Once candidates reach the written pass threshold, neither men nor women convert at a meaningfully different rate.
Subject vs CSS Average
Criminology's mean of 57% runs 13.5 points clear of the CSS optional-subject average of 43.5%, one of the strongest positive margins in the examination, which on paper makes it an appealing place to rack up marks. The catch is that a high average cuts both ways, because when nearly everyone scores well your own result has to be exceptional to lift you above the crowd chasing those 98 seats. In practice the subject rewards candidates who can land reliably in the mid-sixties and above, rather than those simply aiming to get past the line.
Candidate Pipeline
Of the 7,610 who appeared, 210 passed the written stage at a 2.76% pass rate, and 98 of those passers were allocated, which means a little over half of them were still cut once merit was applied. Since the mean of 57% sits comfortably above the 33% threshold, the subject is clearly not the obstacle; candidates clear Criminology with ease and then lose their seats on the strength of their overall CSS aggregate. A strong showing in this paper is necessary but a long way from sufficient, because the real filtering happens at the merit stage.
Score Distribution
The mean of 57% clears the passing threshold by a full 24 points, and with the median of 61% sitting above it the distribution leans to the left, carried by a solid body of high scorers with a thinner tail of weaker ones dragging the average down. A standard deviation of 16 points puts even a candidate one full deviation below the mean at 41%, still well clear of 33%, which tells you that essentially the whole field is passing. The consequence is that a passing score distinguishes nobody, since almost everyone manages it. To be genuinely competitive in Criminology you have to score not merely above the line but in the upper reaches of a cohort that is already scoring well. In statistical terms the four-point gap between a 61% median and a 57% mean confirms a left-skewed distribution, where the weak minority pulls the average below the centre, so the typical candidate scores higher than the mean alone indicates.
Criminology is a sound choice for candidates who can genuinely place in the top tier of a high-scoring, high-volume field, since its accessible paper and balanced allocation make it a rational bet for the well-prepared. It is a far weaker choice for anyone hoping that a merely passable score will be enough, because in this subject it simply is not. With more than seven and a half thousand candidates and a generous mean, what separates the allocated from the rest is excellence rather than adequacy.
At a 2.8% written pass rate, Criminology tracks close to fellow Group-6 subjects Law (2.0%) and Constitutional Law (3.8%).
Want to see how Criminology stacks up against the rest? Browse every CSS 2025 subject result →
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the pass rate for Criminology in CSS 2025?+
In CSS 2025, 7,610 candidates appeared for Criminology and 210 cleared the written exam — a written pass rate of 2.76%. Of those who passed, 98 went on to be allocated a group, an overall selection rate of 1.29% of everyone who appeared.
How well do candidates typically score in Criminology for CSS?+
Criminology candidates scored a median of 61.0% of the paper's marks in CSS 2025 (median 61 out of 100; mean 57.0%), rating it "High Scoring".
How competitive is Criminology for CSS allocation?+
210 candidates cleared the written stage for Criminology in 2025, and 47% of them were allocated a group — a "High Competition" level for the available seats. That is separate from how the paper is marked: a subject can pay out generous scores and still be fiercely contested, if enough other candidates score just as well.
How many marks are CSS optional subjects worth, and how are they chosen?+
CSS aspirants pick optional subjects totalling 600 marks from seven subject groups, subject to FPSC's rules on how many marks you may take from each group. Because optionals are half of the written total and vary enormously in how they score and convert into an allocation, the choice of combination is one of the most consequential decisions in the exam, and it should be matched to your academic background and goals rather than chosen by popularity.
Where should I start my CSS preparation?+
Start with CSSNorthStar. Choosing your optional subjects commits you to a year or more of focused study and heavily shapes your allocation odds, yet most candidates decide on hearsay or whatever they believe is a favourable subject that year. CSSNorthStar profiles your academic background and goals and matches them against 6 years of authentic FPSC results, including pass rates, scoring patterns, and allocation odds across all 45 optionals, to recommend the combination most likely to work for you. Settle your subjects first, then prepare with conviction. Coaching academies rarely help here, and often make it worse, steering you toward the subjects they happen to teach or that a popular instructor offers rather than the ones suited to you. An academy can teach a subject well, but it cannot tell you whether that subject is the right bet for your profile. Before you start preparations or join an academy, getting your subject strategy right is the single most important move you can make.
Start with the free CSSNorthStar assessment →
Sheharyar Ahmad
Founder, CSSNorthstar
Sheharyar Ahmad graduated from LUMS with BSc. (Hons.) in 2010 and topped the CSS Exam 2012 on his first attempt. He is an officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, having served in Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab, and Federal governments. He was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship to pursue a Master in Public Policy and Data Analytics from USA in 2022.