Finally, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has issued on Monday its first update regarding the Career Service Examination for this year. This is in response to a lot of queries they’ve been getting about the conduct of Civil Service Exam 2021.
In a Public Service Announcement, CSC admitted that administering the Professional and Sub-professional level of Civil Service Exam amid the pandemic this 2021 is very challenging.
“We regret that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to make it difficult for the CSC to implement the conduct of examinations especially since public health measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, such as the prohibition of mass gatherings, are as necessary now as they were first imposed in March 2020,” CSC said in a statement released online.
The agency also added that they will make an announcement once they have ascertained the ‘modes of conduct of examination’.
“The CSC is carefully studying all possibilities regarding the conduct of examinations for 2021 and beyond, with utmost consideration for the public’s health and safety. With this, the announcement regarding the CSE–Professional and Subprofessional levels to be administered this year would be made once CSC has firmed up the different modes of the conduct of examination and the appropriate schedules thereof,” it added.
The CSE is previously administered through Paper and Pencil Test (PPT) twice a year in various testing centers around the country. Also, CSC is conducting computer-based examinations or COMEX in select Regional Offices. These modes of administration were suspended in March last year due to lockdowns and community quarantine measures brought about by COVID-19 crisis.
The cancellation has affected some 293,000 examinees who were supposed to take the CSE-PPT in 66 locations nationwide last March 15.
Late last year, Commissioner Aileen Lizada said that the CSC is looking to conduct Civil Service Exams online this 2021. The shift to an online exam will make it easier for the agency to administer the tests more frequently.
“For the safety of the examinees and proctors, and in line with the CSC’s mandate, we deem it best to restructure the pen and paper test and convert it to online exams,” Lizada said. The discussions for the administration of online civil service exam is still ongoing.
Civil Service Exam ‘exemptions’
Amidst this uncertainty, CSC pointed to alternative means of obtaining Civil Service eligibility by virtue of special laws and issuances. Those who fall under the following categories are deemed ‘exempted’ from taking the Civil Service Exam.
𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲
If you are qualified based on these eligibilities, you may submit application through CSC’s Regional Offices nationwide. For more information about the special eligibilities, please check it on CSC website at http://bit.ly/3jrZTvv. You may also inquire via the Contact Center ng Bayan at 0908-8816565 or email@contactcenterngbayan.gov.ph.