In the PMS examination, Mass Communication is an optional paper. Here is the PMS Mass Communication Paper-II for 2024. PPSC conducts this Provincial Management Services (PMS) examination frequently. The paper II on Communication was held on January 26, 2025. Find its past paper below to understand what topics were given. If you are an aspirant and preparing for the PMS, this Mass Communication paper will help you better prepare. This way you can better understand the paper and the questions.
PMS Mass Communication Paper-II 2024
Q1. Define the drawbacks of Lasswell’s model of communication with justifications.
Q2. Psychological barriers to communication are core reasons for miscommunication. Discuss it and suggest measures to eliminate these barriers.
Q3. How development communications is used to bring social change for a higher quality of life?
Q4. Do you think in a developing country like Pakistan the Development Support Communication (DSC) is more effective in bringing change in the society, or it can be more effective than the Development Communication (DC)?
Q5. What is a Public Relations Campaign? Suppose you are a Public Relations Officer, for a particular organization, how would you prepare an effective campaign for building a positive image of your organization?
Q6. What are important characteristics to evaluate the credibility and authority of opinion leaders?
Q7. Why audience research before the launch of the campaign is of vital importance to save resources?
Q8. Define the drawbacks or shortfalls of newspaper advertising with logical reasoning.
Analysis and Summary of the Paper
This paper revolves around communication theories, development communication, public relations, audience engagement, and advertising. It analyzes a candidate’s ability to critically analyze communications models, understand barriers, and apply strategies for effective campaigns and social change.
The following topics are covered in this paper:
Lasswell’s Model of Communication (Q1): The question checks if the candidate has understood the weaknesses of the model, which is linear, devoid of feedback, and does not pay enough heed to the situation of communication.
Psychological Barriers in Communication (Q2): Candidates have to identify these barriers: Prejudice, stress, emotion, and reluctance to change. Solutions suggested: Active listening, empathy, and noise in the communication channels.
Development Communication and Social Change (Q3): This question asks how communication strategies are used to enhance living standards, focusing on education, health awareness, and poverty alleviation programs.
DSC vs. DC in Pakistan (Q4): Candidates should evaluate the comparative impact of Development Support Communication (DSC) and Development Communication (DC) on societal change in a developing country like Pakistan, with emphasis on participatory approaches and context-specific solutions.
Public Relations Campaign (Q5): This is a very practical question that requires the candidate to outline steps for creating a PR campaign, including setting objectives, audience analysis, crafting messages, selecting media, and evaluating success.
Credibility of Opinion Leaders (Q6): The question focuses on the traits that make opinion leaders influential, such as expertise, trustworthiness, communication skills, and relatability.
Audience Research Importance (Q7): Candidates should be able to argue the importance of audience research in maximizing resources, developing relevant messages, and verifying campaign success.
Limitations of Newspaper Advertisement (Q8): This question evaluates the candidate’s capacity for criticism of the disadvantages of newspaper advertisements including low readership, anemic content, and uninteractive. Reasonable arguments supporting such criteria should also be provided.
Opinion on the Paper:
The paper is well-structured, focusing on the theoretical as well as practical aspects of communication studies. It provokes candidates to critically assess models, analyze barriers, and come up with strategies for real-life scenarios. The questions of Pakistan-specific issues enhance relevance, especially when discussing communication in social change and development. A balance between theoretical knowledge and application will ensure a complete assessment of the candidate’s understanding and problem-solving skills.
Also read:
- PMS Past Papers: Get PMS Past Papers for All Subjects
- CSS Notes: All Compulsory and Optional Subjects
