The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has announced the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) 2026 to recruit candidates for 48 BS-17 positions across various Punjab government departments. According to PPSC Advertisement No. 12/2026, the vacancies consist of 45 Provincial Management Service (PMS) positions, one Excise and Taxation Officer position, and two Assistant Director Local Fund Audit positions. Selected candidates for these roles may receive postings anywhere in Punjab.
The Services and General Administration Department holds the 45 PMS vacancies. The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department has advertised the single Excise and Taxation Officer vacancy, while the Finance Department has advertised the two Assistant Director Local Fund Audit positions.
To be eligible, candidates must hold at least a second-division bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. The commission has set this same minimum educational qualification for all three categories. The PPSC stated that male, female, and transgender candidates can apply, provided they hold a Punjab domicile and meet all relevant eligibility requirements. The commission will calculate candidates’ ages as of January 1, 2027.
The Punjab government has implemented a special one-time relaxation for the 2026 and 2027 Combined Competitive Examinations by increasing the upper age limit from 30 to 32 years. Under these revised rules, general candidates must be between 21 and 32 years old. Additionally, the government has increased the maximum number of examination attempts from three to four. Eligible government employees may apply up to the age of 35, subject to prescribed service requirements, while persons with disabilities can receive age relaxation up to a maximum limit of 45 years under applicable rules.
The 2026 examination will consist of 11 written papers totaling 1,100 marks. Candidates are required to attempt ten compulsory papers and one optional subject, with each paper worth 100 marks. The compulsory subjects are General Knowledge, Mental Ability and Reasoning Test, English Essay, English Precis and Comprehension, Urdu, Islamic Studies or Ethics, Pakistan Studies-I, Pakistan Studies-II, International Affairs, and Economy and Development. Candidates may choose one optional subject from 30 available disciplines, including Computer Science, Economics, Business Administration, Mathematics, Political Science, Sociology, and Agriculture.
The commission will conduct an interview and viva voce worth 300 marks, making the overall examination total 1,400 marks. To qualify for the interview, candidates must secure at least 33% marks in the Mental Ability and Reasoning Test, at least 40 marks in each remaining written paper, and a minimum of 550 marks out of 1,100 in the written examination. To qualify for the final merit list, applicants must then score at least 50% in the interview. The commission will deduct 0.25 marks for each incorrect answer in the General Knowledge multiple-choice paper.
Interested candidates can submit applications online through the official PPSC website at www.ppsc.gop.pk until November 30, 2026. Applicants must provide personal details, educational qualifications, and domicile information, and pay the prescribed fee via ATMs, mobile banking, internet banking, JazzCash, Easypaisa, or 1Link member banks. The PPSC stated it will not accept applications submitted by hand or through the post. Government employees must also meet applicable departmental permission requirements.
