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Probation in Pakistan is the trial period at the start of a government job. You are appointed, but you are not yet confirmed. For one year, the department watches your work, your conduct and your training. At the end of that year, three things can happen: you are confirmed, your probation is extended, or your services are terminated.
This guide explains the rules that govern probation for Pakistan civil servants: how long it lasts, what can end it early, what confirmation means, and what happens if no order is issued at all.
Probation at a Glance#
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Length | One year |
| Extension | Up to one more year |
| Removal | Without notice during probation |
| Confirmation | By specific order, against a permanent post |
| Waiver | Cannot be waived |
The rules come from the Civil Servants Act, 1973 and the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion and Transfer) Rules, 1973. The Establishment Division publishes them at establishment.gov.pk. Your appointment letter states your own probation period in clear terms. The period varies according to the nature of the post, and once fixed, it is rigidly adhered to.
How Long Is Probation in a Government Job in Pakistan?#
One year. Persons appointed by initial appointment, promotion or transfer are on probation for a period of one year. That is Rule 21 of the Appointment, Promotion and Transfer Rules, 1973. The same rule applies to a civil servant appointed by promotion or transfer: that appointment can also be on probation.
It can be extended by up to one year. The appointing authority can extend the period, if considered necessary, for a period not exceeding one year, as specified at the time of appointment. So the longest probation under the general rule is two years: one year, plus one year of extension.
It can be curtailed. The period can be shortened for good and sufficient reasons, which must be recorded in writing. But it cannot be waived altogether. The Establishment Division has held that the competent authority can curtail the probationary period at his discretion, but he cannot waive it.
The period is stated in your appointment order. Where the appointment is on probation, this must be clearly stated in the order, along with the probationary period in clear terms. Whether your services are to be terminated, or your period extended, or you are to be confirmed should be examined and decided sufficiently in advance of the completion of the current period of probation. Our offer letter vs appointment letter guide explains what the appointment letter must contain.
Can You Be Removed During Probation?#
Yes. Your services can be terminated without notice during the initial or extended period of your probation. That is Section 11 of the Civil Servants Act, 1973. A probationer has no right to the post. The department does not need to hold an inquiry or give a reason, because probation is a trial period.
The same rule appears in appointment letters. The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority’s probationer appointment letter states that during probation, employment can be terminated without notice by either side, with no compensation. A contract appointment can also carry the same term: a three-year contract with the first year as probation, terminable at any time without assigning a reason if performance is not satisfactory, with one month’s notice or one month’s pay in lieu.
Failing a required test or training ends the appointment. Where satisfactory completion of probation includes passing a prescribed examination, test or course, or successful completion of training, a person who fails before the expiry of the original or extended period is discharged, if appointed by initial recruitment, or reverted to his former post, if appointed by promotion or transfer.
Character and antecedents must be verified. In the case of an initial appointment, a civil servant is not deemed to have completed his probation satisfactorily until his character and antecedents have been verified as satisfactory in the opinion of the appointing authority. That is why the police verification matters: the department checks your record before it confirms you.
What Happens After Probation Ends in Pakistan?#
Confirmation, by a specific order. On the successful completion of the probation period, the appointing authority shall, by specific order, terminate the probation. A person appointed on probation is then eligible for confirmation in the service or post. Confirmation takes effect from the date of occurrence of a permanent vacancy, or from the date of continuous officiation, whichever is later.
Confirmation is only against a permanent post. There is no confirmation against a temporary post. No confirmation is made against a post vacated on dismissal, removal or compulsory retirement until the appeal against it is finally decided.
Your lien follows you. A confirmed civil servant who joins another service, post or cadre on a regular basis holds lien only during the period of his probation on the new service or post. If he does not confirm in the new post, he can revert to the old one.
What If No Order Is Issued?#
If no order is issued on the successful completion of probation, the rules deem the probation extended. On the expiry of the first year, the period is deemed to have been extended. On the expiry of the extended period, in the absence of an order, it is deemed to have been successfully completed.
The courts have enforced this. The Supreme Court held that where a probation period of two years passed with no letter served, the probation was deemed extended for another year, and on completion the civil servant was treated as a regular employee. The appointing authority cannot extend a probation period with retrospective effect after it has expired. It must pass its orders by the day the maximum period of probation expires. If it fails to do so, the civil servant stands confirmed by force of law.
But do not rely on silence. Retention after the maximum term of probation is most undesirable, and the Establishment Division tolerates it only in the most exceptional circumstances. If your probation period has passed and you have no confirmation order, ask your department in writing. A written record protects you.
Mistakes That Cost Probationers Their Job#
Assuming probation ends by itself. Probation does not end by itself. It ends by a specific order, or by the expiry of the extended period. Check your status in writing.
Failing the required training or test. If your post requires a prescribed examination, test, course or training, failing it means discharge for a fresh appointee, or reversion for a promoted officer. Complete the training on time.
Ignoring the character verification. Your probation is not complete until your character and antecedents are verified as satisfactory. An FIR or a false statement in your application can end the appointment even after joining.
Thinking you cannot be removed. During probation, your services can be terminated without notice. You have no right to the post until you are confirmed. Act like a probationer: on time, careful, and within the rules.
Joining another service without keeping your lien. If you are confirmed and you join another service, your lien holds only during your probation in the new post. If you do not confirm there, you need the lien to return. Keep it in writing.
Missing the joining date. The appointment letter states the date by which you must join. If you miss it, the appointment can lapse. Our joining letter guide explains the format: quote the office order number and date, and state forenoon or afternoon.
Frequently Asked Questions#
How long is probation in a government job?
One year, under Rule 21 of the Civil Servants (Appointment, Promotion and Transfer) Rules, 1973. The appointing authority can extend it by up to one more year, so the longest probation under the general rule is two years. The period can also be curtailed for good and sufficient reasons, but it cannot be waived altogether. The exact period for your post is stated in your appointment letter.
Can you be removed during probation?
Yes. Under Section 11 of the Civil Servants Act, 1973, your services can be terminated without notice during the initial or extended period of your probation. A probationer has no right to the post. Failing a required examination, test, course or training also ends the appointment: a fresh appointee is discharged, and a promoted officer is reverted to his former post.
What happens after probation ends?
On successful completion, the appointing authority issues a specific order terminating the probation, and you become eligible for confirmation. Confirmation is only against a permanent post, and it takes effect from the date of a permanent vacancy or from the date of continuous officiation, whichever is later. If no order is issued, the probation is deemed extended, and on the expiry of the extended period it is deemed successfully completed.
Can probation be extended?
Yes, by up to one year, if the appointing authority considers it necessary. The extension must be specified at the time of appointment. It cannot be extended with retrospective effect after the period has expired: the authority must pass its orders by the day the maximum period expires, or the civil servant stands confirmed by force of law.
Can probation be waived?
No. The Establishment Division has held that the probationary period can be curtailed by the competent authority at his discretion, but it cannot be waived altogether. Every initial appointment, promotion or transfer to a post is on probation for the prescribed period.
