The English Essay is a compulsory and one of the most decisive papers in the CSS competitive examination. Here, you will find the CSS English Essay paper 2026. I will also provide a complete and critical overview of the paper. Before moving on to the questions, this introduction explains the types of essay topics asked, the paper’s overall difficulty level, and what the FPSC was actually testing through these topics. This analysis will help CSS aspirants understand the paper trend and prepare more effectively for upcoming attempts.
CSS English Essay Past Paper 2026
The following topics are given in the English Essay Paper:
Q1. Youth Bulge: a demographic dividend or a demographic bomb?
Q2. Local Government System: the missing link in Pakistan’s governance structure.
Q3. Cyber Security as the new national security frontier.
Q4. Emerging Multipolar World Order: opportunities and risks for Pakistan.
Q5. The one who controls the sea, rules the world.
Q6. There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet an enemy.
Q7. Revitalising the agriculture sector of Pakistan.
Q8. Countering the growing menace of beggary.
Q9. Politicisation of sports – a new challenge.
Q10. Nations have no permanent friends and enemies; they have only permanent interests.
Paper of English Essay Paper 2026
Critical Analysis of CSS English Essay Paper 2026
Overall Impression of the Paper
The CSS English Essay paper 2026 was balanced, analytical, and trend-oriented. FPSC avoided purely philosophical or abstract essays and instead focused on current affairs, governance issues, security challenges, and Pakistan-centric themes. The paper tested not just knowledge but also the ability to think critically, build arguments, and connect global ideas to Pakistan’s context.
Overall, the paper can be rated as moderate to somewhat challenging, mainly because most topics required depth, clarity, and structured argumentation rather than memorized content.
Nature and Trend of Essay Topics
The topics can broadly be divided into four categories:
- Governance and Social Issues (Pakistan-focused)
- Youth Bulge
- Local Government System
- Agriculture Sector
- Beggary
- International Relations and Security
- Cyber Security
- Multipolar World Order
- Sea Power
- National Security and War Preparedness
- Political Thought and Realism
- Permanent interests of nations
- Contemporary Societal Challenges
- Politicisation of sports
This shows that FPSC clearly wanted candidates to connect theory with real-world developments, especially those affecting Pakistan.
Difficulty Level
- Conceptually: Moderate
- Analytically: Challenging for average candidates
- Language-wise: Manageable
None of the topics were unfamiliar, but writing a high-scoring essay required strong structuring, relevant examples, and balanced arguments. Candidates who relied on emotional or one-sided narratives likely struggled.
Scoring Potential of the Paper
This was a high-scoring paper for well-prepared candidates. Topics like:
- Youth Bulge
- Cyber Security
- Multipolar World Order
- Local Government System
offered wide room for data, case studies, and analytical depth. However, vague essays without direction or poor introductions could easily fall into the average or low-score zone.
What FPSC Was Actually Testing
FPSC was not testing:
- Fancy vocabulary
- Lengthy quotations
- Rote knowledge
Instead, it was testing:
- Clarity of thought
- Logical flow of arguments
- Relevance to Pakistan
- Ability to analyse causes, impacts, and solutions
How to Get Good Marks in This Paper
To score well in such a paper, aspirants should:
- Choose a topic they can fully justify, not just partially explain
- Write a clear, thesis-driven introduction
- Divide the essay into logical headings
- Use current examples, statistics, and policies, especially related to Pakistan
- Maintain balance, avoid extreme optimism or pessimism
- End with a forward-looking conclusion, not repetition
Key Points Aspirants Should Keep in Mind
- An essay is about thinking, not storytelling
- Always relate global concepts back to Pakistan
- Avoid emotional or slogan-based writing
- Time management is crucial outline before writing
- Simplicity beats over-complication
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