Key Facts about the PMS Exam in Pakistan
PMS stands for Provincial Management Service, in Pakistan. It is held by the respective Provincial Government of Pakistan under its Commissions namely., PPSC, KPSC, SPSC, BPSC, and AJKPSC. PMS aspirants have to pass all three stages of the exams including:
- Written tests
- Psychological assessment
- Interview
Once you crack all these stages you are lucky enough to have a government job as a First Class Officer of Grade 17. And now you are designated as a PMS Officer.
Please check out our PMS Course page for further information about PMS Exam in Pakistan.
Read More: Top Resources and Guides for PMS Exam preparation.
Qualification Requirement for PMS Exam
Provincial Management Services is a Government service that aims to appoint government officers through a competitive PMS exam. Here are the qualification requirements for the PMS exam in Pakistan:
- Graduation in any field with no less than Second Division from an HEC-recognized University.
- Male, Female, or Transgender, withholding Punjab domicile are eligible to apply for the PMS exam in PPSC. The same is the case for other provinces.
- Fresh graduates, and private, or government sector employees can apply for it.
PMS Age Limit
For PMS applicants the age limit falls between 21-30 years on 1st January. However, age relaxation is applicable in the following cases:
1. Special Person:
10 years of upper age limit relation is practiced for Special Person under Punjab Civil Servants Recruitment (Relaxation of Upper Age Limit) Rules, 1976 act.
2. Government Employees:
Federal or Provincial Government employees having a 4-year service record would have an age relaxation of 5 years. It means their upper age limit is 35 years instead of 30 years.
3. Territorial Clause:
The age relaxation rule is there for you if you belong to the following areas and have proof of your residency:
- Balochistan
- Former Tribal Areas of the Mardan and Hazara Divisions
- Tribal Areas of D.I. Khan and Peshawar Divisions
- Baloch Area part of D.G. Khan and Rajanpur Districts
- Upper Tanawal Area of Hazara Division
The provisions do not apply to the posts requiring competitive exams held by PPSC followed by the notification issued by the Government of Punjab, S&GAD, and Punjab Delegation of Powers (Age Relaxation) Rules, 1961.
PMS Exam Criteria
The PMS exam in Pakistan comprises two evaluation stages. A written exam of 1200 marks and the second one is an Interview with having weightage of 200 marks. PMS exam criteria are mentioned below:
- Negative marking shall be practiced. It involves deducting an additional 0.25 marks for each wrong answer in MCQs of General Knowledge.
- Non-Muslim candidates have the freedom to choose between Islamic Studies or Ethics.
- Aspirants have to select optional and compulsory subjects mentioned in the PMS Guide designed by the PPSC.
Additional Information About PMS Exam
- The PMS exam question paper comprises Graduate-level questions as its minimal standard.
- The candidate must obtain 40% marks in each paper and 50% in the aggregate. So, to qualify for the interview you must have 600 marks in hand.
- Interview passing marks are 50% which makes you eligible for the final selection.
- There is a separate quota for Minorities, Special Persons, and Special zones.
- The examination centers are in Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Faisalabad, and Sargodha districts.
PMS Exam Schedule
Every year the written PMS exam is held in May or June. It consists of two papers:
A compulsory paper (English) and a General paper (Pak Studies, Current Affairs, and Mathematics). Candidates have to clear both papers to qualify for the interview.
Comparison between PCS and PMS
As you all are well aware the full form of PMS similarly PCS stands for Provincial Civil Service. These two are more likely to be similar as the PCS service has been merged into the PMS service. PCS comprises two tiers
- PCS-Executive
- Provincial Secretariat Service (PSS)
Candidates who scored higher on the merit list opted for PCS-Executive and the rest joined the Secretariat Service. In 2004, the two tiers of PCS were merged under the banner of Provincial Management Service (PMS) which sums up all posts previously held by PCS and PSS Officers. Moreover, the number of posts for PMS Officers has also increased.
PMS Allocation Groups
There are different groups of subjects that candidates can select for the PMS exam in Pakistan. PMS aspirants are free to choose any 3 groups of subjects from these groups. The subjects that they mark will decide their eligibility for various positions in the PMS. Following is the list of PMS allocation groups along with the subjects included in them:
| Sr No. | Groups | Subjects |
| 1 | A | English, Urdu, Pakistan Studies, and Current Affairs |
| 2 | B | Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science |
| 3 | C | Economics, Political Science, and Sociology |
| 4 | D | Physics, Chemistry, and Biology |
| 5 | E | History, Geography, and Philosophy |
| 6 | F | Law, Public Administration, and Accounting |
| 7 | G | Arabic, Persian, and Islamic Studies |
Job Scope of PMS Officer
A Freshly appointed PMS Officer must attend a six-month training session at the Management & Professional Development Department (MPDD), Lahore. After the accomplishment of this MPDD training, a PMS officer may be allocated the following job postings:
1. As an Assistant Commissioner / AC(UT) for 3 3-month period. It allows exposure to the tasks of AC in Tehsil.
2. Recently selected PMS officer has to work in the Civil Secretariat for the first 2 years of his/her service. It allows officers to experience the practical environment and seek official training in government departments. Following are the posts allocated to PMS officers in the Civil Secretariat:
- Section Officer General
- Section Officer Technical
- Section Officer Budget
- Section Officer Establishment
- Section Officer Litigation
- Section Officer Inquiries
- Section Officer Planning
3. Field posting for PMS officers are as under:
- Assistant Commissioner
- Special Judicial Magistrate
- Sub-Registrar
- District Monitoring Officer
- General Revenue Assistant
- Deputy Director Anti-Corruption
PMS Officer Salary
PMS officers get their salary of BPS-17 along with allowances and financial benefits. Generally, as a starter, PMS officers are appointed as Section Officers in any sector of the Civil Secretariat. A PMS Officer’s salary can be roughly calculated as follows:
| Pay Slip | Amount |
| Basic Pay (Minimum) | 45070.00 |
| Special Allowance 20% (2009) | 2,118.00 |
| Adhoc Relief Allowance 2022 15% | 4555.00 |
| Adhoc Relief Allowance 2023 30% | 13521.00 |
| Executive Allowance 150% | 67,605.00 |
| Utility Allowance | 15,000.00 |
| Civil Secretariat Allowance @50% | 15,185.00 |
| Convey Allowance 2005 | 5,000.00 |
| Medical Allowance 15% (16-22) | 2,396.00 |
| House Rent 45% (2008) (big city) | 4,432.50 |
| Gross Salary of PMS Officer(Approximate) | 172486.00 |
Conclusion
The selection criteria for PMS officers involve competitive exams and interviews. Preparing yourself for the PMS exam in Pakistan requires keen preparation and determination. The handsome salary and job scope make the Provincial Management Service appealing to all.
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