Persian
Persian recorded no allocations in CSS 2025, with its pipeline ending at the written stage. Of the 16 candidates who appeared, none passed the written paper, so none could be considered for a seat. Combined with the very small field, that outcome makes Persian one of the riskiest optional subjects a candidate could pick.
Score Distribution
The mean of 38% clears the 33% passing threshold, and the median, noticeably higher at 43.5%, points to a distribution pulled upward by a few stronger scripts against a weaker lower tail. With a standard deviation of 19 points the spread is wide for such a small group, so the average rests on a handful of erratic results rather than any settled pattern. Despite that above-line mean, no candidate cleared the written stage, which underlines how little a flattering average means when it is drawn from sixteen people and a broad scatter. The figure describes the marks on this paper, not a candidate's genuine prospects in the subject. Statistically the gap between a 43.5% median and a 38% mean signals a left skew, where a few very weak scripts drag the average beneath what the middle candidate achieved, so the mean understates the typical performance even though the sample is too small to read much into either number.
Provincial Breakdown
No provincial allocation data recorded
No province secured an allocation, because the subject allocated no one. With all 16 candidates stopped at the written stage, geographic origin had no influence on a uniformly nil result.
Gender Distribution
No gender breakdown available — no candidates were allocated in this subject.
There is no gender breakdown, since not a single candidate was allocated. Persian provided no path to a seat in CSS 2025 for any candidate, irrespective of gender or preparation.
Subject vs CSS Average
Persian's mean of 38% sits a little below the CSS optional-subject average of 43.5%, which might read as roughly ordinary. That impression does not survive contact with the outcome, because the same cohort produced zero written passes and zero allocations. The average is a fragile number built on sixteen scattered scores, and the figure that actually defines the subject this year is the total absence of any successful candidate.
Candidate Pipeline
Every one of the 16 candidates who appeared failed the written stage, leaving no passers and consequently no allocations. The attrition was complete and it happened within the paper itself, well before the merit stage where aggregate scores decide seats, which means the subject closed off its entire field at the outset.
Persian is defensible only for a genuine specialist with deep command of the language and its literary canon, and even then the 2025 data argues for caution. Sixteen candidates attempted it, none cleared the written stage, and none were allocated. A small pool can suggest an easy run, but here it points to a subject that produced no successful outcomes at all.
At a 0.0% written pass rate, Persian tracks close to fellow Group-7 subjects Arabic (0.0%) and Geography (0.6%).
Want to see how Persian stacks up against the rest? Browse every CSS 2025 subject result →
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the pass rate for Persian in CSS 2025?+
In CSS 2025, 16 candidates appeared for Persian, but none cleared the written exam — a 0% written pass rate for the year. With no qualifiers, no candidate was allocated a group through Persian in 2025.
How well do candidates typically score in Persian for CSS?+
Persian candidates scored a median of 43.5% of the paper's marks in CSS 2025 (median 43.5 out of 100; mean 38.0%), rating it "Average Scoring".
How competitive is Persian for CSS allocation?+
No candidate cleared the written stage for Persian in 2025, so the subject produced zero allocations that year — the toughest possible outcome, independent of how the paper itself was marked.
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.
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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.