CSC lifts education requirement in civil service eligibility exams

CEBU, Philippines- All Filipino citizens who are at least 18 years old, regardless of educational attainment, are already allowed to take civil service eligibility examinations.

Proline Daclan, public assistance division chief of the Civil Service Commission-7, said they recently lifted the education requirement to allow undergraduate but “intellectual” people to take the exam.

“Giving the opportunity and chance for the best to have the eligibility at the possible earliest time. No need to be a college graduate or those with 72 units,” she said.

She said that this is also a way to support the “merit and fitness” of the recruitment agency.

“What the wisdom behind the eligible is that we want to hire the best for the bureaucracy,” she added.

Daclan said lifting the education requirement is one of the reasons why there is an increase in the number of takers.

“There (are) a lot of factors like government is very attractive to join with the standardization of salaries. Gone are the days that people will consider government as the last option for employment,” she added.

She said one vacant position at CSC-7, for instance, has an average of 60 applicants.

Further, she said passing the CSE entitles one to either a Professional or Sub-Professional career service eligibility, which is one of the basic requirements for permanent appointment to career positions in government, except for positions that involve the practice of profession or are covered by special laws. Passing rate for the career service examinations is 80.  Daclan clarified that passing the exam is not a guarantee for a person to be employed in a government agency.

She said one must also acquire education, experience and training – for permanent appointment in the career service.

“It does not say that it will give him the right to enter the government service. But, with the demand we just have to be flexible about it,” she said.

CSC will conduct eligibility examinations for career service on October 18, 2015.

It is a general ability test designed to measure an individual’s preparedness to enter government service.

Applications for the CSE-PPT may be filed at any CSC Regional or Field Offices until September 3, 3015.

CSC allows an individual to retake the same level of exam regardless of the number of times he or she failed. However, the same level of examination should not be retaken within three months. This three-month rule does not apply to applicants who wish to take a different level of exam from the one previously taken.

Daclan is reminding interested takers to file applications ahead of the deadline to avoid hassles.

“After that we could no longer accept applications so we would like to invite takers to please process application, which is only 20 minutes. Don’t process during the deadline to avoid hassles,” she said.  (FREEMAN)