Introduction: The Civil Service Exam is an important step for individuals seeking employment in the civil service sector. To ensure a smooth and organized examination process, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) has established guidelines and reminders for examinees. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of these guidelines to help examinees prepare effectively for their exam day.
I. 😷Face Mask Policy
- Wearing face masks: Optional/Voluntary
- Exceptions: Recommended for certain individuals
- There may be CSC Regional Offices that may require the wearing of face masks.
- the following individuals are still recommended’ to wear face mask:
- elderly;
- individuals with comorbidities;
- immunocompromised individuals;
- pregnant women;
- unvaccinated individuals
- symptomatic
- Individuals.
II. 🪪No ID Card, No Exam Policy
- Importance of having a valid ID card or document during the civil service exam day
- Strict implementation of the policy
- Check here for the list of accepted valid I.D.
III. ⌚Timely Arrival
- Arrival time: Not later than 6:30 a.m. or as required by the CSC Regional/Field Offices concerned
- Gate closure time: 7:45 a.m.
- Late comers will not be allowed to take the exam.
IV. 🗺️Familiarize Yourself with the Venue
- VISIT AND CONDUCT AN OCULAR INSPECTION of the assigned school/testing venue at least one day before the examination day to be familiar with the school location and its route/direction, the available means of public transport, and the time and motion requirement of travelling from point of origin to the school/testing venue.
- DO NOT SOLELY RELY ON GPS NAVIGATION/ROUTE/DIRECTION APP TO LEAD YOU TO YOUR TESTING VENUE ON EXAMINATION DAY
V. 👕Dress Code
- Wear proper attire on examination day, preferably plain white shirt/tops
- Prohibited clothing attire during the civil service exam day
- SLEEVELESS SHIRT/BLOUSE
- SHORTS/SHORT PANTS,
- TOKONG PANTS
- RIPPED JEANS
- SLIPPERS
- Long hair must be tied.
VI. 👜Transparent Bags
- Examinees are ‘encouraged‘ to use transparent bag.
VII.📵 Prohibited Items
- Cellular phones and electronic gadgets not allowed in seats
- Smart watch, pens & eyeglasses with cameras are strictly prohibited.
- All recording devices are not allowed
- Analog watch is allowed.
VIII. 🛄Bag Deposit
- Mandatory bag deposit in front of the room with all their cellphones and gadgets before occupying assigned seats
- NO bags, or any personal belonging, shall be placed under the seat
IX. 🧮No Aids Allowed
- Prohibition on using aids during the examination like
- calculators
- watch calculators
- tablets
- books
- dictionaries
- other forms of printed materials
- and any other similar materials/items/gadgets
X. 📄Scratch Paper
- Examinees are not allowed to use any piece of paper, or any part of their body/skin or clothing for scratch work.
- DO NOT use as scratch paper, the side margins and the back page of the Answer Sheet.
- Examinees shall use ONLY the spaces on the pages of the Test Booklet for scratchwork.
XI. 📸No Photography or Recording
- Examinees are NOT ALLOWED to TAKE PHOTO/PICTURE/VIDEO of any part/section of the Test Booklet, Answer Sheet, or any examination related forms/materials, and/or of other examinees and the testing venue/room, and/or of “selfie”, BEFORE, DURING, or AFTER the examination and post them in the social media, including posting or publishing of any test questions in the social media, and other communication/info dissemination platforms.
XII. 📖Test Booklet Security
- Prohibition on taking the test booklet outside the venue
- The examination or test results of those found violating this rule shall be cancelled.
XIII. CSC Review Classes and Materials
- CSC’s stance on review classes and materials – Personal responsibility and accountability for availing such services
XIV. 📜Things to Bring on Exam Day
- 🪪 I.D. CARD (original)
- preferably the same I.D. card presented during the filing of exam application. In case of loss or unavailability, the examinee must present any of the other accepted I.D. cards for civil service exam (see Annex A), which is valid, i.e., not expired on exam day. See the list of accepted valid I.D.
- Note: Photocopy only of I.D. card, or cellphone photo of I.D., will not be accepted.
- All other I.D. cards not included in the list of accepted I.D. cards/documents for civil service exam shall not be honored.
- As a last resort, however, expired I.D. card may be presented for admission on examination day, provided that, the expiry date of the I.D. card is within the preceding month/s of the year reckoning the date of examination (or from 01 January 2024 to 02 March 2024).
- If I.D. card has no date of birth, examinees should also bring their original Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority, or the Local Civil Registry.
- preferably the same I.D. card presented during the filing of exam application. In case of loss or unavailability, the examinee must present any of the other accepted I.D. cards for civil service exam (see Annex A), which is valid, i.e., not expired on exam day. See the list of accepted valid I.D.
- 🖊️ BLACK BALL PEN/s
- (Note: Only BLACK BALL PEN shall be used in the examination.
- Pencils and any other kinds of pen such as gel pen, sign pen, fountain pen, friction pen,etc. including other colors of ball pen are not allowed.)
- 🧼PERSONAL ALCOHOL/HAND SANITIZER
- Not more than 100 ml in size
- 🍪FOOD & WATER
- Examinees may opt to bring water in clear/transparent container, and/or candies/biscuits, which shall be inspected by the Room Examiner/Proctor.
XV. ⌚Total Time and Items of the exam
| Reference | Professional Level | SubProfessional Level | |
| No. of Test Items | Test Proper | 150 | 145 |
| EDQ* | 20 | 20 | |
| Total | 170 | 165 | |
| Time Limit | 3 hours , 10 minutes | 2 hours, 40 minutes | |
| Test Proper | 8am to 11:10am | 8am to 10:40 a.m. | |
| Time Required for Pre and Post Examination Activities / Documentation | Approximately one hour before and one hour after the testproper | ||
Contact them if you are still unsure
You can contact them through phone or email. Just find the specific region/place you are located
Conclusion: By following to the guidelines and reminders set by the Civil Service Commission, examinees can ensure a smooth and successful experience on civil service exam day. It is essential to be well-prepared, familiarize oneself with the rules, and bring the required items. Following these guidelines will help create a conducive environment for fair and unbiased assessments, allowing examinees to showcase their abilities effectively. Good luck to all aspiring civil service professionals!
This is the official announcement of the civil service commission.