Lahore: 28 LUMS graduates passed the recently held Central Superior Services (CSS) examinations with 3 alumni securing top positions. Hafiz Ali Naeem Sheikh, a graduate of BSc Management Science (2017) has secured a top position and has been inducted into the Pakistan Administrative Services (PAS). Hafiz is joined by Ahsan Fraz Gondal, a graduate of BSc Accounting and Finance (2019), and Haroon Sahu, BSc Economics and Mathematics (2020), who have both secured the second and third positions in the CSS exam 2021, respectively.
Congratulating the alumni on achieving top honours in their Civil Services exams, Vice-Chancellor of LUMS, Dr. Arshad Ahmad said, “We are very proud of your hard work that has resulted in this well-deserved achievement! The Central Superior Service Exams are no small feat, and it takes months (and in some cases years) of study and preparation to pass them and then eventually be placed into various posts within Pakistan’s Civil Service. This year, we are thrilled that the highest number of people to receive top marks in the exam are from LUMS. Ali, Ahsan and Haroon are among twenty-eight LUMS alumni who will enter the Civil Service to give back to Pakistan and through their work contribute to making critical changes in the lives of others.”
When asked about how LUMS helped the students in preparing for these examinations, Ahsan remarked, “LUMS played a key role in equipping me with analytical and critical thinking tools. The courses helped me become a better writer and enabled me to pass the CSS essay in the first attempt.”
Hafiz Ali Naeem Sheikh is also a National Outreach Programme (NOP) scholar. The NOP is an initiative aimed at promoting cultural diversity and inclusion by imparting world-class education to talented students from across the country with funding of over 140% for tuition and other expenses.
Crediting his achievement at LUMS, Hafiz shared, “I actively participated in extracurricular activities at LUMS and connected with peers belonging to different academic and social backgrounds. That experience helped me to get selected for the Near East and South Asia Exchange Scholarship Programme to study in the US for a year and ultimately motivated me to join the Civil Service.”
Director of Advancement Office, LUMS, Ms. Nuzhat Kamran also commented on this achievement. “In the past few years, LUMS graduates have secured positions in the CSS exams. And this year, they took the top three places! They are joining a community of over 200 alumni, who have passed these exams to date. This group mentors and guides fellow Luminites aspiring to join the Civil Services. I hope this tradition of mentorship continues and our CSS alumni inspire the community as they serve our country,” she said.
In addition to Law and Humanities and Social Sciences students, this year many students from Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering at LUMS have passed and taken positions in the coveted exams. For the past few years, an increasing number of LUMS students and alumni are appearing for this competitive examination after graduation and have qualified. In line with the mission of the University, LUMS looks forward to its graduates contributing to the prosperity of the country through civil services.
