116 Civil Service examinees ‘automatically failed’ in various tests

MANILA, Philippines — Over a hundred examinees in various tests have been automatically failed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) over statistical improbabilities since 2015.

Data obtained by The STAR showed that a total of 116 Civil Service examinees were failed by the CSC Examination, Recruitment and Placement Office (ERPO) over statistically improbable results even if they obtained passing grades during the test.

It was found that the examinees were given a failed rating without undergoing validating examination or due investigation following the statistically improbable findings, according to a source.

Covered by the automatic failure were examinees who took the professional level pen-and-paper test, sub-professional test, basic competency local treasury examination, fire officer examination and the penology officer examination throughout the four-year period. 

A CSC memorandum signed by the agency’s chairperson Alicia dela Rosa-Bala in May 2016 set the discontinuation of validating examinations for examinees that had a statistically improbable result.

It prescribed the giving of a failed rating to these examinees and would be applicable for all examinations administered by the CSC.

CSC Office Memorandum No. 34-2016, however, runs contrary to the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9416 that grants the CSC jurisdiction over cheating in examinations.

The IRR states that the ERPO should forward the list of identified examinees to the CSC Regional Office, depending on the venue of the examination.

It would then be the CSRO that would evaluate the examination record of the examinee and report its recommendation to the ERPO within 15 days.

The CSC would then declare the examination result as statistically improbable and would be treated as prima facie evidence of cheating.

Only then would authorized officers take appropriate actions against the examinees. 

The STAR has reached out to Bala for her statement but she has yet to respond on the matter.

The practice of automatic failing had also supposedly been undertaken even prior to Bala’s term. 

Under the IRR of RA 9416, statistically improbable results happen when there is a clustering of responses of either right or wrong answers. 

The condition will be met if there is a clustering of at least 50 percent of the passers in the same room in at least 90 percent of the total number of scored items or at least 90 percent of the passers in at least 50 percent of the total number of scored items. 

Statistical improbability will also be met if there is a clustering of responses, but the standard deviation of the room is at least 50 percent lower than the testing center.

It will also be met if there is an existence of identified pairs of passers seated close to each other with lopsided clustering of incorrect responses in at least 40 percent of the total number of scored items.

The existence of identified pairs, if passers with lopsided clustering of correct and incorrect responses in 75 percent of the total number of scored items, will also be deemed a statistical improbability.