CSS MPT Paper Pattern 2026
CSS MCQ-Based Preliminary Test is a paper of 100 MCQs to be attempted in 200 minutes, set by Federal Public Service Commission, with no negative marking. It covers 9 subjects: English, Analytical and Logical Reasoning, Mathematics, Islamic Studies, Urdu, Pakistan Studies, Pakistan Current Affairs, Everyday Science and General Knowledge.
100
MCQs
on the paper
200
Minutes
total time
120
Seconds per MCQ
if paced evenly
No
Negative marking
guessing is free
CSS MPT subject weightage 2026
How many MCQs each subject contributes to the CSS MPT paper. This is the order to revise in. English is worth 20 MCQs against General Knowledge's 5, so an hour spent fixing a weak chapter in English is worth more marks than the same hour anywhere else on the paper.
| Subject | MCQs | Share | Free MCQs here |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSS MPT English MCQs | 20 | 20% | 10,318 |
| CSS MPT Analytical and Logical Reasoning MCQs | 15 | 15% | 2,435 |
| CSS MPT Mathematics MCQs | 10 | 10% | 1,551 |
| CSS MPT Islamic Studies MCQs | 10 | 10% | 1,394 |
| CSS MPT Urdu MCQs | 10 | 10% | 368 |
| CSS MPT Pakistan Studies MCQs | 10 | 10% | 2,759 |
| CSS MPT Pakistan Current Affairs MCQs | 10 | 10% | 4,116 |
| CSS MPT Everyday Science MCQs | 10 | 10% | 1,934 |
| CSS MPT General Knowledge MCQs | 5 | 5% | 4,796 |
| Total | 100 | 100% | 29,671 |
CSS MPT marking scheme 2026
Every CSS MPT MCQ carries one mark, for a total of 100 marks, one per question. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so an unanswered question and a wrong answer score exactly the same: zero. That makes leaving anything blank a pure loss. Attempt all 100 MCQs, and in the last few minutes fill in every remaining bubble even if you are guessing outright.
CSS MPT time per subject
200 minutes across 100 MCQs is about 120 seconds a question. Split by weightage, that is the time each subject is worth. Going over on one subject is borrowed from another, not from spare time, because there is none.
| Subject | MCQs | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| English | 20 | 40 |
| Analytical and Logical Reasoning | 15 | 30 |
| Mathematics | 10 | 20 |
| Islamic Studies | 10 | 20 |
| Urdu | 10 | 20 |
| Pakistan Studies | 10 | 20 |
| Pakistan Current Affairs | 10 | 20 |
| Everyday Science | 10 | 20 |
| General Knowledge | 5 | 10 |
How to prepare for the CSS MPT 2026 pattern
The pattern tells you where the marks are, not where you are losing them. Start with English, because it carries 20 percent of the paper and a weak chapter there is the most expensive weak chapter you can have. Inside each subject, work chapter by chapter and stay on a chapter until you are consistently above 80 percent before moving on.
Then practise at the real pace. Untimed revision hides the problem that actually costs marks in the hall, which is spending three minutes on a question worth 120 seconds and running out of paper before you run out of time. Sit full papers under the clock, and mark them honestly.
CSS MPT paper pattern: common questions
What is the CSS MPT paper pattern 2026?
CSS MCQ-Based Preliminary Test is a 100 MCQ paper of 200 minutes set by Federal Public Service Commission, with no negative marking. It is split across 9 subjects: English 20, Analytical and Logical Reasoning 15, Mathematics 10, Islamic Studies 10, Urdu 10, Pakistan Studies 10, Pakistan Current Affairs 10, Everyday Science 10, General Knowledge 5.
How many MCQs are there in CSS MPT?
100 MCQs in total, to be attempted in 200 minutes. The heaviest subject is English at 20 MCQs, which is 20 percent of the paper.
Is there negative marking in CSS MPT?
No. CSS MPT has no negative marking, so a wrong answer costs you nothing more than an unanswered one. Never leave a question blank: attempt every one of the 100 MCQs, even the ones you are guessing on.
How much time do you get per MCQ in CSS MPT?
200 minutes for 100 MCQs works out at about 120 seconds per question. That is the pace to practise at, and it is why timed practice matters more than untimed revision in the last month.
Which subject has the most weightage in CSS MPT?
English, at 20 of the 100 MCQs, which is 20 percent of the paper. A weak topic in the heaviest subject costs you more marks than a weak topic anywhere else, so the weightage order on this page is the order worth revising in.