Contents of the file
The PDF is the compulsory Urdu paper from the Civil Services (Main) Examination of 2014, preserved from the commission’s archive. It is about 0.2 MB and holds only the paper, with no answers. Because it is the compulsory language test, it should not be mixed up with the two papers of the Urdu optional subject, which are separate files from other years on this site.
Compulsory versus optional, explained
People often confuse the two. The compulsory language paper checks everyday competence: can you understand a passage, write a short piece, and translate with accuracy. The optional is a deep literary subject with history of the language, poetry and criticism. A candidate might clear the first in their sleep and still struggle with the second. This page is only about the first kind.
Readers it suits
Candidates who studied in Urdu-medium schools, graduates in other subjects who grew up speaking Urdu at home, and teachers of the language will all find the paper familiar. Those who learnt only a spoken form should note that written Urdu uses a formal register and the Nastaliq style of script, which takes time to read quickly.
A week-long plan
On day one, attempt the paper cold and record your time. On day two, correct it with the help of a competent reader. Days three and four are for translation drills in both directions, using newspaper editorials as the raw material. On day five, write a short essay on a social topic in Urdu and have it checked. On day six, retake the paper and compare. Day seven is for resting and for fixing leftover slips in spelling.
Relation to the syllabus
The language paper sits at the head of the Main examination along with the paper on English. For the years this paper was in use, it only needed to be passed, and the marks did not count for ranking. Check the latest scheme to see what applies now, since the structure of Main has been revisited several times.
Vocabulary habits
Urdu borrows freely from Persian, Arabic and local speech, so a single idea can be written in several ways. Keep a notebook with three columns: the plain word, the formal word and the literary word. Reviewing it for ten minutes a day makes translation passages feel far less intimidating.
Printed material
Competer stocks printed previous year question compilations for the Civil Services examination if you want a bound reference alongside this single paper.
