Know which test you are actually sitting
NTS, PTS and OTS are testing services hired by departments. PPSC and FPSC are public service commissions that both recruit and examine. The paper pattern differs, and preparing for the wrong one is the most common wasted month in the whole process.
The standard screening pattern
Most screening papers are one hundred multiple-choice questions in about ninety minutes, split across English, general knowledge, current affairs, Islamic studies or ethics, basic mathematics, and a subject portion tied to the post.
The subject portion is where candidates separate. General sections are shared across every applicant; the subject questions are the ones your degree should already answer.
Negative marking and time
Check the advertisement for negative marking. Where it applies, an unattempted question costs less than a wrong guess. Where it does not, leave nothing blank.
Ninety minutes for a hundred questions is under a minute each. Practise against a clock rather than open-book — speed, not knowledge, is what most candidates run out of.
A study plan that fits around a job
Weeks 1–2: past papers for your target service, untimed, to find the gaps.
Weeks 3–6: the subject portion, one topic per session, with a short recall test at the start of each.
Weeks 7–8: current affairs and general knowledge, which go stale quickly — do these last.
Final week: two full timed papers, and nothing new.
Common questions
Is there negative marking in NTS tests?
It depends on the advertisement. Many NTS screening tests do not apply it, while several commission papers do. The notice always states the rule.
How much time should I give to preparation?
Six to eight weeks of consistent study is enough for a screening test if your subject knowledge is current.
Are past papers useful?
Yes — the general sections repeat patterns year after year, and past papers are the fastest way to learn the phrasing and the pace.