ISLAMABAD, April 3: Abolition of fraction while determining the quota of different provinces in vacancies filled through the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination would result in a loss of 25 positions this year, official sources told Dawn.

The Supreme Court had last year directed the Federal Public Service Commission not to consider the fraction in shares of provinces in jobs.

This means a province getting a share of, for example, 3.9 jobs would only be getting three, while the remaining would not be filled.

The directive is being applied for the first time on the candidates who have passed their examination this year. The situation is preventing the FPSC from allocating groups to the candidates.

The commission had sought guidance from the Establishment Division on the issue, which further referred the matter to the law ministry for opinion.

Results of the last CSS exam were announced last month. Normally group allocation was done immediately after the announcement of results.

There are some 169 vacancies to be filled this year. But, if the fraction was to be eliminated, only 144 would be filled. Additionally, there are some 16 leftover vacancies from last year. It is likely that these too would not be filled in the light of the Supreme Court decision.

The hardest hit due to the elimination of fraction from quotas are the smaller provinces like Balochistan and Sindh (urban and rural) each of whom would be losing up to 5 seats. Bigger province like Punjab would lose three.

Meanwhile, AJK is likely to end up with nothing. Four positions to be filled through merit would also be lost.

The impact for smaller provinces would be much more intense when taken in the context of their total allocation, which is already small.

FPSC officials disclosed that there was great unrest among the candidates who call them up several times a day to know their fate. Each time they were told to keep their fingers crossed.