History of Pakistan & India
History of Pakistan & India attracted 2,094 candidates in CSS 2025 and allocated only 12 of them, an overall conversion of 0.57% that places it among the harder subjects to convert. The paper sits right on the edge of difficulty, with a mean of 31% that falls just short of the passing line even as the median lands exactly on it. That fine balance means the subject filters heavily at the paper itself before merit is even considered.
Score Distribution
At 31% the mean falls two points under the passing threshold, yet the median of exactly 33% tells a subtler story, since it means half the candidates reached the line even though the average sits below it, with a tail of low scorers dragging the mean down. A standard deviation of 12 points places a candidate one deviation below the mean at 19% and one above at 43%, so the band of typical performance straddles the threshold. This is a high-risk paper to score in, because the average candidate falls just short and only those at or above the median cross into passing territory. The narrow gap between mean and threshold makes preparation that lifts a candidate a few points genuinely decisive here. This is the clearest case of why the skew matters: with the mean two points under the line but the median exactly on it, the left skew created by the low-scoring tail is the entire difference between an average that fails and a middle candidate who scrapes through.
Provincial Breakdown
Punjab took 8 of the 12 seats, two-thirds of the total, with KPK and Sindh Rural each securing 2 and the remaining provinces shut out entirely. In a field this small the distribution is inevitably coarse, but the concentration in Punjab is consistent with the broader pattern of where CSS preparation is densest.
Gender Distribution
The 12 seats split evenly, with women taking 6 and men 6, a 50% female share that effectively matches the CSS-wide rate of 50.7%. With a sample this small the parity is more illustrative than statistically firm, but it indicates no meaningful difference in conversion between men and women in this subject.
Subject vs CSS Average
History of Pakistan & India's mean of 31% trails the CSS optional-subject average of 43.5% by 12.5 points, marking it as one of the tougher papers to score in despite its familiar subject matter. Many candidates choose it expecting that broad general knowledge will carry them, and the figures suggest that expectation is misplaced. Because the subject sits below the field average, simply clearing 33% already lifts a candidate above most of the pack, but with only 12 seats against more than two thousand applicants, a bare pass is a long way from a secure outcome. The sensible target is to score clearly above the median rather than to hover at the line.
Candidate Pipeline
Of the 2,094 who appeared, just 33 passed the written stage at a 1.58% pass rate, and 12 of those were allocated. Because the mean of 31% sits below the 33% threshold, the dominant bottleneck is the paper itself, with the bulk of candidates failing to clear it before overall merit comes into play. The subsequent drop from 33 passers to 12 allocations adds a second filter at the merit stage, but the heaviest losses happen inside the paper.
History of Pakistan & India is a demanding choice that its accessibility tends to disguise, combining a sub-threshold mean with a very low allocation count. It rewards candidates with disciplined, analytical command of the material who can write a few points above the median under pressure, rather than those relying on general familiarity with the subject. Given how finely the paper sits against the passing line, the margin between preparation and its absence is unusually decisive here.
2,094 candidates sat History of Pakistan & India — a turnout close to fellow Group-4 subjects European History (1,915) and History of USA (3,140).
Want to see how History of Pakistan & India stacks up against the rest? Browse every CSS 2025 subject result →
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the pass rate for History of Pakistan & India in CSS 2025?+
In CSS 2025, 2,094 candidates appeared for History of Pakistan & India and 33 cleared the written exam — a written pass rate of 1.58%. Of those who passed, 12 went on to be allocated a group, an overall selection rate of 0.57% of everyone who appeared.
How well do candidates typically score in History of Pakistan & India for CSS?+
History of Pakistan & India candidates scored a median of 33.0% of the paper's marks in CSS 2025 (median 33 out of 100; mean 31.0%), rating it "Low Scoring".
How competitive is History of Pakistan & India for CSS allocation?+
33 candidates cleared the written stage for History of Pakistan & India in 2025, and 36% 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.