Zoology drew 245 candidates in CSS 2025 and allocated a single one of them. The paper sits a little above the passing line at 34%, below the field average, so the lone allocation reflects a thin written pass and a hard merit cut. Only four candidates cleared the written stage from the full field.
Zoology's mean of 34% trails the CSS optional-subject average of 43.5% by 9.5 points, placing it among the harder-scoring papers in the examination. Candidates with a biology background sometimes expect it to play to their training, but the low mean and single allocation suggest the paper is more demanding than that. Because it sits below the field average, clearing 33% already lifts a candidate above most of the pack, yet with only one seat the margin is non-existent. The realistic aim is to score well above the narrow margin the mean clears.
Of the 245 who appeared, 4 passed the written stage and 1 was allocated. With a mean of 34% just above the 33% threshold, the paper is marginally clear of being the principal barrier, but the low written pass count shows how few candidates reached a confident passing standard. The further drop to a single allocation completed the filtering at the merit stage.
The mean of 34% clears the passing line by only a single point, and with the median close behind at 33% the distribution sits right on the threshold. A standard deviation of 15 points places a candidate one deviation below the mean at 19%, well short of passing, which marks this as a moderate-risk paper sitting close to the line. Because the mean barely clears the threshold, a below-par showing easily drops into failing territory, so preparation that lifts a candidate a few points clear is directly decisive. The paper is passable but unforgiving of a weak effort.
The lone allocation went to a Punjab candidate, with no other province securing a seat. One allocation offers no distribution to read beyond recording the single successful candidate's province.
The one allocated candidate was a woman, making the female share 100% in a sample of a single seat. The figure records the outcome for one individual rather than any gender pattern.
Zoology suits candidates with a strong grounding in the biological sciences who can deliver accurate, complete answers under exam pressure, and even they should note how few succeeded in 2025. One allocation from 245 applicants is a slim record. The paper sits close to the passing line, which makes disciplined preparation that lifts a candidate clearly above it the decisive factor.