CSS 2019 – Gender Studies: Examiner’s Feedback and Student Guide

Introduction

Gender Studies is one of the most popular new CSS optionals because of its short syllabus, contemporary relevance, and perceived scoring potential. However, the examiner’s report for CE-2019 showed that while many aspirants attempted this paper, most underperformed. The main issue was the inability to distinguish Gender Studies from general women’s issues, along with weak theoretical grounding and lack of application to Pakistan’s context.

Examiner Feedback (2019)

The examiner noted:

• Overall performance was disappointing.
• Candidates wrote general essays on women’s rights instead of demonstrating understanding of gender theories and frameworks.
• Many confused Gender Studies with Women’s Studies, ignoring that gender includes men, masculinity, and broader social constructs.
• Very few applied gender concepts to Pakistan’s socio-economic and political context.
• Answers lacked data, reports, and contemporary examples.
• A small number of well-prepared candidates who used theories, case studies, and statistics performed far better【Examiner-Reports-CE-2019.pdf†L172-L179】.

Common Mistakes by Candidates

1. Confusing gender with women-only issues
   • Ignoring masculinity, LGBTQ+ perspectives, and structural gender relations.
2. Weak conceptual clarity
   • Poor understanding of Feminism (waves), Patriarchy, Gender Mainstreaming, and Intersectionality.
3. No Pakistan-specific examples
   • Answers rarely included cases like women in parliament, workplace harassment, or literacy gaps.
4. Over-reliance on rote notes
   • Many reproduced academy notes word-for-word.
5. No use of reports or data
   • Candidates ignored Global Gender Gap Index, UNDP reports, and Pakistan-specific gender statistics.
6. Poor analytical depth
   • Narrating problems without proposing solutions.

Practical Preparation Strategies

1. Understand gender theories clearly
   • Study Liberal, Marxist, Radical, and Postmodern Feminism.
   • Learn concepts like Gender Roles, Gender Mainstreaming, and Social Construction of Gender.
2. Apply theories to Pakistan’s context
   • Discuss gender inequality in literacy, workplace, politics, and health.
   • Use examples like Aurat March, workplace harassment laws, and women in civil services.
3. Incorporate global + local data
   • Quote Global Gender Gap Report, UN Women reports, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
4. Balance analysis and solutions
   • Always suggest reforms: education, economic empowerment, legal protections, cultural change.
5. Organize answers with clarity
   • Intro → theory/concept → Pakistan’s case → examples/data → way forward → conclusion.
6. Stay updated on debates
   • Follow issues like digital feminism, gender and climate change, and SDG-5 (gender equality).
7. Read authentic sources
   • Books: Judith Lorber – Gender Inequality, Sylvia Walby – Theorizing Patriarchy.

Encouraging Closing Note

The CSS 2019 examiner’s report shows that Gender Studies is scoring only if approached seriously and analytically. Those who treated it as a “women’s issues” paper failed, while those who applied theories and examples to Pakistan excelled.

Remember: Gender Studies is about power relations, social roles, and equality — not just about women. If you master theories, apply them critically, and support with data, this can be one of your safest scoring optionals.

Stay motivated: every concept you clarify, every statistic you memorize, every case study you analyze takes you closer to mastering this subject. With focused preparation, Gender Studies can become a paper where you secure high marks.