How to Request a PPSC Examination Centre Change: 6 Grounds and a 7-Day Deadline
PPSC's January 2026 policy accepts six grounds for an exam centre change if asked 7 days before the test. See the documents each one needs and apply in time.
Short answer: PPSC will consider a change of examination centre only on genuine grounds with documents, and only if the request reaches the commission at least seven days before the written test. Its policy lists six grounds, from illness to floods. The decision comes within three to five working days, where feasible.
You applied in Lahore, got a centre in Lahore, and then a family wedding or a medical problem lands on the test week. Or the roll number slip shows a centre you cannot reach. The policy says what PPSC will accept, and the seven day limit is the part most candidates will miss.
We read the Punjab Public Service Commission's "Policy Regarding Change of Examination Centres", which is posted on its homepage. It is dated 19 January 2026. We did not file a request ourselves, and the policy does not name a form or an email address for it.
PPSC treats a centre change as a favour, not a right
The policy opens by saying requests are considered only on genuine grounds and with valid, verifiable documents. It adds that no request is entertained "as a matter of right". So a candidate who simply prefers a nearer centre should not expect a change.
The policy replaces two earlier instructions: a letter of 15 October 2024 and an order of 14 October 2020. If you saw an older rule on a social media page, the January 2026 policy is the one PPSC now lists.
| Ground | Documents the policy asks for |
|---|---|
| Medical | Certificate from a recognised medical institution naming the illness, with doctor's stamp and registration number, plus other reports if needed |
| Clash with another major exam | Roll number slip or admission letter of the other exam, plus its official schedule showing the overlap |
| Marriage or death of an immediate family member | Family Registration Certificate and supporting documents |
| Pregnancy | Certificate from a registered medical practitioner showing the stage, and travel advice where applicable |
| Natural calamity or law and order | Official notification or credible documentary proof |
| Other unavoidable emergency | Sufficient and verifiable proof, judged case by case |
The request must reach PPSC at least seven days before the test
The general conditions say a request must be submitted at least seven days before the date of the written test or examination. Late requests "shall ordinarily not be entertained". Count back from the test date on your admission letter, not from the day you remember.
That matters now for tests already announced. PPSC's MCQ tests on 17 and 18 October 2026 are listed in the PPSC test notice for 17 and 18 October. A request for those dates should have been in by 10 October for 17 October and 11 October for 18 October, so a candidate who is only now thinking about it should expect a refusal under the policy.
For tests later in the year, put the deadline in your calendar the day the date sheet appears.
Which grounds work and which do not
The policy accepts six grounds and says nothing about convenience, a job transfer after you applied, or a preference for a bigger city. The last ground, "exceptional and unavoidable emergencies", lists change of residence, transfer of the candidate and special persons whose centre is hard to reach.
Two points stand out. First, for natural calamities the proof must be an official notification or credible documents, so a news report alone is a weak basis. Second, PPSC's own employees must pick Lahore as their centre, and the policy says requests to move them from Lahore to a regional office will not be entertained.
For a clash with another exam, the policy names CSS and CCE as examples. Keep the admission letter of the other exam. PPSC asks for both the slip and the printed schedule.
How to ask for the change
The policy does not say whether to file through the portal, by email or in person. So start with the contact details on the PPSC site, and keep your papers ready as scans. Ask the commission, in writing, which channel it accepts for this request.
- Find your test date on your admission letter or on PPSC's public notice.
- Count back seven days. That is your last day to file.
- Pick the ground that fits and collect every document listed for it.
- Write a short request with your name, CNIC, case number, current centre and wanted centre.
- Send it to PPSC through the channel it confirms, such as ppsc@punjab.gov.pk, and keep proof of sending.
- Wait for the reply, due in three to five working days where feasible. Do not assume it was granted.
The email ppsc@punjab.gov.pk and the helpline numbers 042-111-988-722 and 042-99202762 are on PPSC's contact page. The policy itself names none of them for this request, so confirm before you send.
The Chairman can still reject a request that meets the rules
The policy gives the Chairman the right to reject a request if the grounds are insufficient or cannot be verified, or if the change would hurt the integrity, logistics or timely conduct of the exam. The decision of the commission is final under the policy.
So plan for a refusal. Keep your original centre in mind and the travel needed to reach it. If the admission letter is not yet available, see PPSC online application, fee and roll number slip shows where the slip appears. Before you send any document, confirm you are on the genuine site with how to check the real PPSC website.
A change of centre is also not a route to a new date. The policy covers centres only.
Common questions
How many days before the test must I ask PPSC for a centre change?
At least seven days before the written test. Requests received after that deadline will ordinarily not be entertained.
Is a centre change a candidate's right?
No. The policy says no request is entertained as a matter of right, and each one is examined on merit.
How long does PPSC take to reply?
The policy says the decision is communicated within three to five working days, where feasible.
Can a PPSC employee change from Lahore to a regional office?
No. The policy says employees of the commission must opt for Lahore and such requests will not be entertained.
Do I need a medical certificate for a health request?
Yes. It must come from a recognised medical institution, state the illness, and carry the doctor's stamp and registration number.
Where do I find the policy?
It is posted on the PPSC homepage at www.ppsc.gop.pk as "Policy Regarding Change of Examination Centres".
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on Sunday 11 October 2026 at about 6:15 pm PKT. We read the PPSC policy No. PPSC/Estt-1/2025/83 dated 19 January 2026, the public notice for the 17 and 18 October tests, and the contact page of the Punjab Public Service Commission. The policy does not state a filing channel. We did not file a request.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
