The Board of Examiners consists of a Chairperson, group conveners, group members and the Minister. The board observes the Examination Affairs Act and resolutions of the Examination Yuan in performing the duties of question formulation, marking, and setting the criteria for qualification and passing standards. Parallel to the Board of Examiners is the Department of Examination Affairs, which governs the Secretariat, the Departments of Question Bank Management, Exam Paper Management, Exam Hall Management, Information Management, General Affairs and Accounting and their respective tasks.
The Junior Examination
The Junior Examination is an entry-level examination for prospective civil servants who have not pursued tertiary education.
Since an Examination Yuan resolution of 1998, the Level Three Senior and the Junior Civil Service Examinations are held independently. This policy is implemented to ensure the quality of first-time civil service personnel in that they may possess a broad perspective on and solid knowledge of their professional fields.
The policy also aims to improve grading of the essay questions in the second stage of the two-stage Examinations. The top 50% of candidates in the first examination qualify in the various categories for advancement to the second examination. The second stage is then administered according to the annual needs of employing agencies for a number of in-quota qualifiers. Examination scores are also used to further identify a number of extra-quota qualifiers that are placed on a reserve list for possible additional appointments.
Under the amended Civil Service Examinations Act of December 16, 2001, candidates may apply for the examination at the next higher level only after holding a lower level examination qualification for a specified number of years.
Accordingly, the eligibility requirements for the Junior Examination are: persons who are graduates of a public or an accredited private senior high school or above, or who have held for at least three years an Elementary Examination qualification in the relevant category.
In addition, more flexibility is provided for the preservation and extension of a candidate’s qualified status. Under paragraph 3 of Article 2 of the Civil Service Examinations Act, any in-quota qualifier who is unable to immediately accept the allocation of a post may present evidence to that effect and make application to preserve his or her qualified status. This extension of status is subject to the following conditions and time limits: 1) for qualifiers currently performing their compulsory military service, extension is permitted only until the legal term of said service; 2) for qualifiers currently studying towards a Master’s Degree, a maximum extension of three years is permitted; qualifiers preparing a Doctoral Degree are permitted a maximum extension of five years; and 3) for qualifiers who are impeded by circumstances beyond their immediate control, such as illness, pregnancy, childbirth, parental illness et cetera, a maximum extension of two years may be granted.
Levels One and Two Senior Examinations for Civil Service Personnel
These Civil Service Senior Examinations are administered at two levels: Levels One and Two. Candidates who hold a doctoral degree, or who have held for at least four years a Level Two Senior Examination qualification may apply for the Level One Senior Examination. Those candidates who have successfully passed the Level One Senior Examination will be certificated and appointed to a post at grade nine of a junior rank. Candidates who hold a master’s degree, or who have held for at least two years a Level Three Senior Examination qualification may apply for the Level Two Senior Examination. Those candidates who have successfully passed the Level Two Senior Examination will be certificated and appointed to a post at grade seven of a junior rank.
The qualifications and eligibility and the test subjects for the written examinations of the 2004 Levels One and Two Senior Examinations for Civil Service Personnel are based on the examination regulations for Levels One and Two Senior Examinations for Civil Service Personnel, amended and promulgated on May 13, 2004 by the Examination Yuan order Kao-Tai-Zu-(1)-Yi-Zih No. 09300041191.
The Civil Service Level Three Senior Examination
The Level Three Senior Examination addresses college graduates seeking positions in the Civil Service.
Since an Examination Yuan resolution of 1998, the Level Three Senior and the Junior Civil Service Examinations are held independently. This policy is implemented to ensure the quality of first-time civil service personnel in that they may possess a broad perspective on and solid knowledge of their professional fields.
The policy also aims to improve grading of the essay questions in the second stage of the two-stage Examinations. The top 50% of candidates in the first examination qualify in the various categories for advancement to the second examination. The second stage is then administered according to the annual needs of employing agencies for a number of in-quota qualifiers. Examination scores are also used to further identify a number of extra-quota qualifiers that are placed on a reserve list for possible additional appointments.
Under the amended Civil Service Examinations Act of December 16, 2001, candidates may apply for the examination at the next higher level only after holding a lower level examination qualification for a specified number of years.
Accordingly, the eligibility requirements for the Civil Service Level Three Senior Examination are: persons who are graduates of a public or an accredited private institution of college grade or above, or of an overseas institution of college grade or above recognized by the Ministry of Education, or who have held for at least three years a Junior Examination qualification in the relevant category.
In addition, more flexibility is provided for the preservation and extension of a candidate’s qualified status. Under paragraph 3 of Article 2 of the Civil Service Examinations Act, any in-quota qualifier who is unable to immediately accept the allocation of a post may present evidence to that effect and make application to preserve his or her qualified status. This extension of status is subject to the following conditions and time limits: 1) for qualifiers currently performing their compulsory military service, extension is permitted only until the legal term of said service; 2) for qualifiers currently studying towards a Master’s Degree, a maximum extension of three years is permitted; qualifiers preparing a Doctoral Degree are permitted a maximum extension of five years; and 3) for qualifiers who are impeded by circumstances beyond their immediate control, such as illness, pregnancy, childbirth, parental illness et cetera, a maximum extension of two years may be granted.
