Competitive Examination

TNEB TANGEDCO Recruitment 2016 exams postponed

2016-05-31T00:43:00.000-07:00

The preliminary offline examination conducted to fill various direct recruitment vacancies including typists, auditors, assistants and testers has been postponed recently due to model code of conduct. Earlier the exams were intended to be conducted by Anna university on 22nd May 2016. The revised schedule for each of the post is as given below:

Exam for recruitment of Typist post based on Notification Number 2 dated 29th February 2016 has been rescheduled to forenoon session of 19th June 2016
Exam for recruitment of Junior Auditor post based on Notification Number 2 dated 29th February 2016 has been rescheduled to afternoon session of 19th June 2016
Exam for recruitment of Assistant Draughtsman post based on Notification Number 1 dated 28th February 2016 has been rescheduled to afternoon session of 19th June 2016
Exam for recruitment of Junior Assistant/Accounts post based on Notification Number 2 dated 29th February 2016 has been rescheduled to forenoon session of 27th August 2016
Exam for recruitment of Tester Chemical posts based on Notification Number 2 dated 29th February 2016 has been rescheduled to forenoon session of 27th August 2016
Exam for selection of Field Assistant (Trainee) vacancy based on Notification Number 1 dated 28th February 2016 has been rescheduled to afternoon session of 27th August 2016
Exam for selection of Steno-Typist vacancy based on Notification Number 2 dated 29th February 2016 has been rescheduled to afternoon session of 27th August 2016
Exam for selection of Junior Assistant/ Administration vacancy based on Notification Number 2 dated 29th February 2016 has been rescheduled to forenoon session of 28th August 2016
Exam for selection of Technical Assistant/ Electrical vacancy based on Notification Number 1 dated 28th February 2016 has been rescheduled to afternoon session of 28th August 2016
Exam for selection of Technical Assistant/ Mechanical vacancy based on Notification Number 1 dated 28th February 2016 has been rescheduled to afternoon session of 28th August 2016

Further the venues for the exam has also been changed from 31 centers to the below mentioned 8 centers:

i) Chennai

ii) Coimbatore

iii) Vellore

iv) Villupuram

v) Erode

vi) Tiruchirapalli

vii) Madurai

viii) Tirunelveli

Click here to know the syllabus for Ordinance Factory LDC Group C Examination 2016

Ordinance Factory LDC Group C Syllabus 2016

2016-05-24T23:33:00.004-07:00

Ordinance Factory Chanda Maharashtra officially announced their recruitment for the Lower Division Clerk (LDC) in the Group C category. As there are exactly 14 vacancies are applicable with the recruitment, the applicants from India are requested to apply online before the last date.

Educational Qualifications:

(i) 12th Class or equivalent qualification from a recognized Board or University.

(ii) Skill Test Norms 'only on Computers'.

A typing speed of thirty-five words per minute in English or thirty words per minute in Hindi on computer.

(Thirty-five words per minute and thirty words per minute correspond to ten thousand and five hundred key depressions per Hour or nine thousand key depressions per-Hour on an average of five key depressions for each word)

Scheme of Examination for LDC Group C Jobs by Ordinance Factory:

Part	Subject	Questions and Marks	Time Duration (for General Candidates)	Time Duration (for PwD (visual))
I	General Intelligence	50 (50 Marks)	2 Hours	2 Hours & 20 Minutes
II	English Language (Basic Knowledge)	50 (50 Marks)
III	Quantitative Aptitude (Basic Arithmetic Skills)	50 (50 Marks)
IV	General Awareness	50 (50 Marks)

Note: All the questions will be available in bilingual i.e. both in Hindi and English, except part II i.e. English

Also, there will be a negative marks to each wrong answers i.e. 0.25 marks for each wrong answer.

Syllabus for Group C Lower Division Clerk Jobs 2016:

Part I: General Intelligence

1 Semantic Analogy

2 Symbolic/Number Analogy

3 Figural Analogy

4 Semantic Classification

5 Symbolic/Number Classification

6 Figural Classification

7 Semantic Series

8 Number Series

9 Figural Series

10 Problem Solving

11 Word Building

12 Coding and De-coding

13 Numerical operations

14 Symbolic operations

15 Trends

16 Space orientation

17 Venn Diagrams

18 Drawing inferences

19 Punched hole/pattern folding and unfolding

20 Figural pattern-folding and completion

21 Embedded Figures

22 Critical Thinking

23 Emotional Intelligence

24 Social Intelligence

25 Other Sub topic, if any

Part II English Language

1 Spot the Error

2 Fill in the Blanks

3 Synonyms/ Homonyms

4 Antonyms

5 Spellings/Detecting Mis-spelt words

6 Idioms and phrases

7 One word substitution

8 Improvement of Sentences

9 Active/ Passive Voice of Verbs

10 Conversion into Direct/Indirect narration

11 Shuffling of sentence parts

12 Shuffling of sentences in a passage

13 Cloze passage

14 Comprehension passage

Part III Quantitative Aptitude:

Arithmetic:

1. Number Systems: Computation of Whole Number, Decimal and Fractions, Relationshipbetween numbers

2. Fundamental arithmetical Operations: Percentages, Ratio and Proportions, Square roots,Averages, Interest (Simple and Compound), Profit and loss, Discount, Partnership Business,Mixture and Allegation, Time and Distance, Time and Work.

Algebra:

1. Basic algebraic identities of School Algebra (and their simple applications) e.g. Formulas for(a+b)2 , (a-b)2 , (a+b)3, (a-b)3, a3-b3, a3+b3, a2-b2, if a+b+c=0, then a3+b3+c3 = 3abc, etc.and Elementary Surds (simple problems)

2. Graph of Linear Equations

Geometry:

Familiarity with elementary geometric figures and facts:

1. Triangle and its various kinds of centres viz. Centroid, In-centre, Orthocentre,Circumcentre.

2. Congruence and similarity of triangles

3. Circle and its chords, tangents, angles subtended by chords of a circle, common, tangents totwo or more circles.

Mensuration:

Triangle, Quadrilaterals, Regular Polygons (sum of interior angles of a polygon), Circle, RightPrism, Right Circular Cone, Right Circular Cylinder, Sphere, Hemispheres, Rectangular parallelepiped,Regular Right Pyramid with triangular or square Base.

Trigonometry:

1. Trigonometry (for acute angles eo with 0°<e<900) Trigonometric ratios, Degree and RadianMeasures, Standard Identities like Sin2e+Cos2e=1 etc.

2. Complementary angles, Heights and Distances (simple problems only).

Statistical Charts:

Use of Tables and Graph: 1. Histogram, 2. Frequency Polygon, 3. Bar-diagram, 4. Pie-chart

Part IV: General Awareness

Questions are designed to test the ability of the candidate's generalawareness of the environment around him/her and its application to society. Questions are alsodesigned to test knowledge of current events and of such matters of everyday observation andexperience in their scientific aspect as may be expected of an educated person. The test will alsoinclude questions relating to India and its neighbouring countries especially pertaining to History,Culture, Geography, Economic Scene, General Policy and Scientific research.

Click here to know how to apply for United India Insurance AO Jobs 2016

United India Insurance Company Chennai 300 AO Jobs 2016

2016-05-08T22:08:00.001-07:00

Are you one among the Chennai candidates seeking employment with one of the top Insurance Companies in India? If yes, then make the most of the United India Insurance Company Limited (UIICL) recruitment for the Administration Officer (Scale I) Jobs. For your information, the United India Insurance Company is one among the top Public Sector General Insurance Company purely owned by Government of India with a gross premium of more than 12000 crores.

Name of the Job:Administrative Officers (Scale I)

According to the official notification from the recruitment of United India Insurance Company Limited, there are totally 300 Administrative Officers Job is available.

Educational Qualifications:

There are two category jobs available with the UIICL AO Recruitment 2016.

For Generalist: Degree from recognized university or any equivalent qualification recognized as such by Central Government.

For Specialist: Degree from recognized University in the relevant discipline or any equivalent qualification recognized as such by Central Government.

Age Limit:

The minimum age limit to apply for the UIICL Administrative Officer Recruitment 2016 is 21 years and the maximum age limit is 30 years.

Also, the reserved candidates can enjoy the Government of India age relaxation features.

Vacancy Classifications:

The 300 Administrative Officer recruitment is classified as follows,

General Category 165 jobs

OBC Category 77 vacancies

SC Category 37 Positions

ST Category 21 employment

Salary Package:

Basic pay of Rs. 32795/- in the scale of 32795-1610(14)-55335-1745(4)-62315 and other admissible allowances as applicable. Total emoluments will be Rs. 48000/- (approx.) in Metropolitan Centers.

Important Dates:

The online application submission starts from 06/05/2016

The last date for online application ends by 17/05/2016

The date of Competitive Examination is scheduled to conducted on 12/06/2016

Click here to Apply Online for UIICL Administrative Officer Recruitment 2016

Click here to checkthe syllabus of ASC Records Lower Division Clerk Exams 2016

ASC Records Lower Division Clerk (LDC) Latest Syllabus 2016

2016-03-25T23:44:00.000-07:00

Central Government Department under Ministry of Defense announced the recruitment of Civilian Group “C” Posts under the ASC Records (South) Bangalore. To clear the Lower Division Clerk (LDC) Recruitment, you have to prepare for the same according to the latest syllabus for sure. Just in order to help you in this regard, we have bring you the latest syllabus for the LDC Recruitment 2016, make the most of it.

Lower Division Clerk (LDC) Syllabus 2016:

General Intelligence:

It would include questions of both verbal and non verbal type. The test will include questions on analogies, similarities and differences, space visualization, problem solving,analysis, judgement, decision making, visual memory, discriminating observation, relationship concepts, verbal and figure classification, arithmetical number series, non-verbal series etc.

The test will also include question designed to test the candidate’s abilities to deal with abstract ideas and symbols and their relationship, arithmetical computation and other analytical functions.

English Language:

In addition to the testing of candidates understanding of English Language. Its vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, synonyms, antonyms and its correct usage, etc. his/her writing ability would also be tested.

Numerical Aptitude:

This paper will include questions on problems relating to Number systems,computation of whole number, decimals and fractions and relationship between numbers,fundamental arithmetical operations, percentages, ratio and proportion, Averages interest, profit and loss, discount, use of tables and Graphs, Mensuration, Time and Distance, Ratio and Time,Time and Work etc.

General Awareness:

The test will include questions relating to India and its neighbouring countries especially pertaining to sports, history, culture, Geography, Economic scene, General Policy including Indian Constitution and scientific research etc. These questions will be such that they do not require a special study of any discipline.

Stay with us for more reliable updates about the All India Entrance exams in real time.

To know about Indian coast guard Assistant Commandant recruitment 2016 kindly visit our previous blog at:

http://www.competitive.examsavvy.com/2016/03/indian-coast-guard-assistant-commandant.html

Indian Coast Guard Assistant Commandant Recruitment 2016

2016-03-17T00:35:00.001-07:00

Indian Coast Guard invites application for the post of Assistant Commandant in various branches. The last date for applying online is 22^nd March 2016.

Job Details:

Posts Name:

1. Assistant Commandant General Duty

2. Assistant Commandant General Duty (Pilots)

3. Assistant Commandant (Commercial Pilot License-SSA).

Pay Scale : Rs. 15600- 39100/-

Grade Pay : Rs.5400/-

Educational Qualification Required:

For General Duty & General Duty (Pilots):

Candidates Should hold a Bachelor’s degree of recognised university with minimum 60% marks in aggregate and Mathematics and Physics as subject up to intermediate or class XII of 10+2+3 scheme of education with 60% aggregate marks in Maths & Physics [Candidates not in possession of Physics & Maths in 10 + 2 (Intermediate) level are not eligible for General Duty(GD) & General Duty Pilot].

For (Commercial Pilot License-SSA) :

12th class pass with 60% marks in aggregate and should possess current / valid Commercial Pilot License (CPL) approved by DGCA on the date of Preliminary Selection.

Age Limit:

For General Duty :

01.07.1988 to 30.06.1995 for OBC & 01.07.1986 to 30.06.1995 for SC/ST

For General Duty Pilot :

01.07.1988 to 30.06.1997 for OBC & 01.07.1986 to 30.06.1997 for SC/ST

For Pilots (CPL) :

01.07.1988 to 30.06.1997 for OBC & 01.07.1986 to 30.06.1997 for SC/ST

Selection Process:

Selection will be based on outcome from following tests namely:

A) Mental Ability Test/ Cognitive Aptitude Test and

B) Picture Perception & Discussion Test (PP&DT).

Important Dates to remember:

Starting Date for Submission of Online Application :

11.03.2016

Last Date for Submission Of Online Application :

22.03.2016

To apply online in the official website click here:

http://www.joinindiancoastguard.gov.in/Default.aspx

To know about TANGEDCO Technical assistant recruitment 2016 please visit our previous post at:

http://www.competitive.examsavvy.com/2016/03/tneb-tangedco-recruitment-2016-for-2175.html

TNEB TANGEDCO Recruitment 2016 for 2175 Technical Assistant Posts

2016-03-16T04:28:00.002-07:00

TANGEDCO- Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited has recently announced the recruitment of 2175 Technical Assistant, Field Assistant, Typist, Tester Chemical and Other Posts to work in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) was formed on 01^st July, 1957 under section 54 of Electricity Supply Act 1948 in the State of Tamil Nadu as a vertically integrated utility responsible for power generation, transmission and distribution. The electricity network has since been extended to all villages and towns throughout the State. TNEB was restructured on 01.11.2010 into TNEB Limited, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited and Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Limited.

Important Details:

Name of Organization:

Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO)

Number of Vacancies:

2175 Posts

Posts Details:

A) Notification No. 01/2016:

Technical Assistant (Electrical & Electronic Engineering): 455 posts
Technical Assistant (Electronics & Communication Engineering): 15 posts
Technical Assistant (Computer Science/ Information Technology): 10 posts
Technical Assistant (Mechanical): 25 posts
Assistant Draughtsman: 50 posts
Field Assistant (Trainee): 900 posts

B) Notification No. 02/2016:

Tester Chemical: 100 posts
Junior Assistant/ Administration: 100 posts
Junior Assistant/ Account: 250 posts
Junior Auditor: 25 posts
Steno-Typist: 25 posts
Typist: 200 posts

Job Category:

Govt Jobs

Education Qualification:

Candidates how have completed Degree or Diploma in Engineering

Relevant qualification

Degree in finance department like B.Sc, B.Com or ITI from any recognized university.

Pay Scale:

Selected candidates will be eligible to grab salary of Rs. 10,100 To Rs. 34,800/- with grade pay of Rs 5100/-.

Age Limit:

Applicant should be aged between 21 years to 40 years as on date of the notification.

Important Dates:

Starting date for applying online:

07th March, 2016

Last date for submitting online application form:

21st March, 2016

Last date for fee payment through Canara Bank/ Indian Bank branch:

21st March, 2016

Exam Date:

03rd April, 2016 (Sunday, 10:30 A.M To 12:00 Noon)

You can download online application form on TNEB’s official website at:

www.tangedco.gov.in

For information related to RRB NTPC Exam 2016 please visit our previous post at:

http://www.competitive.examsavvy.com/2016/03/rrb-ntpc-exam-pattern-and-previous-year.html

RRB NTPC Exam pattern and Previous Year Papers

2016-03-15T03:24:00.001-07:00

RRB NTPC Exam 2016 which is conducted by the Indian Railways as per notification CEN 03/2015 is approaching thick and fast and we understand that many of you are eager to crack this exam by all means. This year nearly 18,200 vacancies in railway is going to be filled through this exam which is one of the largest hiring ever heard about. Here we the examsavvy team present you with RRB NTPC last year papers and sample model papers which will help you prepare well for the upcoming examination.

The RRB NTPC exam is for 100 marks with 100 questions spread across three sections namely General Awareness, Arithmetics and General intelligence & Reasoning. The duration allotted for the examination is 90 minutes. There are no sectional cut-offs but 1/3 mark shall be reduced for each incorrect answer as negative mark.

Previous year papers download links:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7b1BWai1EeFN2M00/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7OUhSOG44VUNjbVk/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7M0VBcFNzYnFZLTg/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7WlpiZHpPUHpTcXc/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7bmotWW5GNUhyRmc/view

Sample papers download links:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7RVBsTHpmMkJJVTg/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7czJMTENVNDE0Unc/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7cjNSREU1T2hfVzA/view

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SdlCaBU6f7d1NVYWtscndvQzQ/view

To know about the list of various competitive exams please visit our previous post at:

http://www.competitive.examsavvy.com/2012/01/list-of-competitive-exams-2012.html

List of Competitive Exams 2012

2012-01-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

Competitive Exams on January
● Rajasthan Stenographer Competitive Exam., 2011 (January)
● RPSC Accountant and Junior Accountant Combined Competitive Exam., 2011 (January)
● Bihar Staff Selection Commission Graduate Level First Elementary Combined Competitive Exam., 2010 (January)
● Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank Office Assistant (Multipurpose) Exam. (January 15)
● Andhra Pragathi Gramin Bank Office Assistant Exam. (January 15)
● Bihar Kshetriya Gramin Bank Office Assistant Exam. (January 15)
● Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank Office Scale I, II and III Exam. (January 22)
● M.P. Samvida Shala Techer Eligibility Test, 2011 for Category-3 (January 22)
● Rajasthan Gramin Bank Office Middle Management (Scale II) and Officer Junior Management (Scale-I) Exam. (January 22)
● SSC Food Corporation of India Assistant Grade II and Typist Exam., 2012 (January 22)
● Syndicate Bank Agricultural Assistant in Clerical Cadre Exam., 2011-12
● Rajasthan Gramin Bank Office Assistant (Multipurpose) Exam. (January 29)
● Rewa Sidhi Gramin Bank Office Assistant (Multipurpose) Exam. (January 29)
● U.P.S.C. Special Class Railway Apprentices Exam., 2012 (January 29)
● Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) Jan 2012 (January 29)
● South Indian Bank Clerk Exam. (January 29)

Competitive Exams on February
● SSC Food Corporation of India Assistant Grade III Exam., 2012 (February 4-5)
● Rewa Sidhi Gramin Bank Office Scale I, II and III Exam. (February 5)
● Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Entrance Exam. (Class VI) (February 12)
● Jaipur Thar Gramin Bank Office Assistant Exam. (February 12)
● Combined Defence Services Exam. (I), 2012 (February 12)
● Uttaranchal Gramin Bank Office Assistant Exam. (February 12)
● Madhya Pradesh Police Constable Recruitment Exam. (February 12)
● Karnataka Bank P.O. Exam. (February 12) (Online Closing Date : 13 January, 2012)
● Jaipur Thar Gramin Bank Officer Scale I, II and III Exam. (February 19) (Online Closing Date : 10 January, 2012)
● Uttaranchal Gramin Bank Officer Scale-I Exam. (February 19)
● Jharkhand Gramin Bank Officer Scale I, II and III Exam. (February 19)
● Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Post Graduate Teachers Recruitment Exam. (February 19) (Online Closing Date : 13 January, 2012)
● Madhya Pradesh High Court Assistant Grade 3 Exam. (February 19) (Closing Date : 23 January, 2012)
● Surguja Kshetriya Gramin Bank Scale I Officer Exam. (February 19) (Online Closing Date : 19 January, 2012)
● Chartered Accountants and Specialist Officers Recruitament Exam. (February 19) (Online Closing Date : 16 January, 2012)
● Army Religious Teacher Exam (February 26)
● Madhya Pradesh Assistant Grade 3/Lower Division Clerk/Registration Clerk Combined Selection Exam., 2011 (February 26) (Online Closing Date : 18 January, 2012)

Competitive Exams on March
● Jharkhand Gramin Bank Office Assistant Exam. (March 4)
● Madhya Pradesh Excellence School Entrance Test for Class IX (March 4)
● Surguja Kshetriya Gramin Bank Clerk-cum-Cashier (Office-Assistant) Exam. (March 4) (Online Closing Date : 19 January, 2012)
● Common Written Exam. (CWE) for Specialist Officers (March 11) (Online Closing Date : 21 January, 2012)
● State Bank of India Clerical Cadre Exam. for SC/ST/OBC (March 18) (Online Closing Date : 20 January, 2012)

Competitive Exams on April
● SSC Junior Engineer (Civil & Electrical) Exam., 2012 (April 8) (Closing Date : 10 February, 2012)
● Chhattisgarh Subedar/Sub-Inspector Cadre/Platoon Commander Pre. Exam., 2011 (April 8) (Closing Date : 20 January, 2012)
● Uttar Pradesh B. Ed. Joint Entrance Exam., 2012-13 (April 21) (Closing Date : 10 March, 2012)
● Recruitment of Constables (GD) and Riflemen (GD) in CAPFs 2012 (BSF/CRPF/CISF/SSB/ITBPF/Assam Rifles) (April 22)
● All India Engineering/Architecture Entrance Exam., 2012 (April 29)

Competitive Exams on May
● Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission State Services Exam., 2011 (May 6) (Online Closing Date : 9 February, 2012)
● Chhattisgarh Subedar/Sub-Inspector/Platoon Commander Main Exam., 2011 (May 13-14)
● SSC Sub-Inspector in CPOs and Intelligence Officer in NCB Exam., 2012 (May 27) (Closing Date : 16 March, 2012)
● SSC Combined Graduate Level (Tier-I) Exam., 2012 (July 1&8) (Closing Date : 20 April, 2012)
● SSC Stenographers Grade 'C' & 'D' Exam., 2012 (July 29) (Closing Date : 25 May, 2012)

Competitive Exams on September
● SSC Combined Graduate Level (Tier-II) Exam., 2012 (September 15-16)

Competitive Exams on October
● SSC Combined Higher Secondary Level (10+2) for Data Entry Oerator LDC etc. Exam., 2012 (October 21) (Closing Date : 10 August, 2012)

Competitive Exams on November
● SSC Junior Translators (CSOLS)/Junior Hindi Translator Exam., 2012 (November 18) (Closing Date : 5 October, 2012)

United States Postal Service Exams

2011-04-19T09:50:00.000-07:00

Applicants for all United States Postal Service entry-level career positions and for some part-time/temporary jobs are required to take employment exams. There are different exams used to fill different types of jobs. Thanks to recent sweeping revisions to the Postal hiring and testing program, applicants are no longer forced to wait for erratically scheduled test dates. Under the new system, those seeking Postal employment are able to apply for jobs and take exams virtually anytime. More specifically, the steps involved are (1) find an open job posting, (2) apply for that job, and (3) take the required exam within a limited number of days. All these processes are electronic under the new system. Applicants search for job postings online, apply online, and take most exams online.

Postal Exam 230/238/240
Even though the Postal Service calls them exams, these are not truly tests in the traditional sense. They are actually identical questionnaires that ask about an applicant’s driving record and experience. These exams/questionnaires are used to fill the below professional driving jobs:
Exam 230 - Motor Vehicle Operator, Exam 238 - Motor Vehicle Operator / Tractor Trailer Operator, Exam 240 - Tractor Trailer Operator

Postal Exam 473-E
This new electronic mega test replaced old exams 460, 470, 473, and 473C. It is used to fill over 90% of all entry-level career Postal jobs. In addition to the front counter clerk position, most jobs related to handling mail, sorting mail, and delivering mail are filled from this one exam. It is broken down into five sections as detailed below. Except for the first section, this exam requires applicants to perform obscure tasks at an exceptional rate of speed. Many applicants are able to enhance their performance on the exam via extensive practice with realistic electronic practice tests. Personal Characteristics & Experience Inventory: This self-administered section is taken first without supervision. There are 150 questions to be answered in 90 minutes. This section is used to build a profile of the applicant to determine his/her potential as an employee. Applicants who pass this section are scheduled to take the remaining sections at a designated facility under supervision. Address Checking: This section has 60 questions to be answered in 11 minutes. Each question is a pair of items consisting of an address (street/P.O. Box, city, and state) and a ZIP code. Applicants are to compare the items to determine if they are exactly alike, if the addresses are different, if the zip codes are different, or if both the addresses and the zip codes are different. Forms Completion: In this section applicants are shown various Postal forms and asked how they should be completed. There are 30 questions to be answered in 15 minutes. Coding: A Coding Guide for delivery routes is presented in this section. Applicants are required to answer 36 questions about the Coding Guide in 6 minutes. Since the Coding Guide is made available when answering the questions, this section is basically an open book test. Memory: In this section applicants have 7 minutes to answer 36 questions about the same Coding Guide described above, but the questions must be answered from memory. The Coding Guide is not made available. Applicants are given several minutes to memorize the Coding Guide before answering the questions. This section is generally viewed as the hardest part of the exam.

Postal Exam 710
This exam is typically used to fill only one specific job, Data Conversion Operator, which is available at only two locations - Salt Lake City, UT and Wichita, KS.

Postal Exam 916
This exam is used to fill custodial/janitorial jobs, and it is usually restricted to preference eligible military veterans.

Postal Exam 943/944
This exam is used to fill Automotive Mechanic/Technician jobs that require extensive prior training and/or experience.

Postal Exam 955
This new mega test replaced old exams 931, 932, and 933. It is used to fill highly technical maintenance jobs such as Building Equipment Mechanic, Maintenance Mechanic, Electronic Technician, Mail Processing Equipment Mechanic, Area Maintenance Technician, etc. This deeply technical exam demands very extensive prior training and/or experience in a number of different technical fields.

Defense Language Proficiency Test DLPT

2011-04-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

The Defense Language Proficiency Test (or DLPT) is a battery of foreign language tests produced by the Defense Language Institute and used by the United States Department of Defense(DoD). They are intended to assess the general language proficiency of native English speakers in a specific foreign language, in the skills of reading and listening. An Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is sometimes administered to Defense Language Institute students to establish the graduate's proficiency in speaking following training there, but it is not part of the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT). The Defense Language Proficiency Tests (DLPT) are meant to measure how well a person can function in real-life situations in a foreign language according to well-defined linguistic tasks and assessment criteria. Originally paper tests, they are increasingly delivered by computer. The Defense Language Proficiency Tests (DLPT) are used to assess the skill level of civilian and military DoD language analysts. Military language analysts are tested once a year in the skills of reading and listening. This yearly testing determines the level of Foreign Language Proficiency Pay (FLPP) that a language analyst receives. Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT) scores may also figure into the readiness rating of a military linguist unit. Scoring for the current (2007) series of tests, called DLPT5, are, like their predecessors, based on the guidelines of the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR), with the test results stated as levels 0+ through 3 or up to 4 for some languages. Military language analysts are required to maintain a L2/R2 proficiency. Exams are administered yearly, nominally immediately after language upkeep classes. FLPP does not apply to language analysts who do not score higher than the minimum. In order to receive extra pay, they must exceed the minimum in one or more categories without falling below the minimum in either. For example:

Listening	Reading	FLPP (Monthly)
2	2	$200
1	2+	$0
2	2+	$250
2+	2	$250
2+	2+	$300
2	3	$300
And So Forth

Each service maintains independent FLPP rates. FLPP is awarded in addition to base pay, other pay, and is subject to taxation, except within a war zone. DLI students, regardless of their course grades, may not graduate without achieving an L2/R2 on the DLPT. They must also pass a series of tests called FLO (Final Learning Objective) Tests, as well as achieve a minimum of 1+ on the OPI. Although there is a minimum standard for DLI graduation, military language analysts are not required to maintain speaking proficiency unless required in the performance of duties. Because of the subjective wording of the distractors (i.e., the "wrong" answers), the fact that many individuals take versions of the test numerous times and acquire a feel for its peculiarities while others lack that advantage, and the fact that it wasn't nearly challenging enough, the status of the DLPT IV as a proficiency test was controversial. These are among the reasons the DLPT5 was instated, with an emphasis on incorporating "authentic materials". The intention of the DLPT5 was to provide a more accurate idea of how proficient the test taker is; whether it accurately assesses proficiency is as much or more a source of controversy than the previous version. Because the net effect on military linguists was to cause an average drop of about half a point of proficiency across all skills and all languages, many believe the new version was intended as a cost-saving measure to reduce FLPP. While the format of previous DLPTs were consistent across languages, there are two distinct formats of the DLPT5--multiple choice (in Russian, Chinese, MSA and others) and constructed response (in some of the so-called "Less Commonly Taught Languages" like Hindi and Albanian). DLPT5 was initially slated to be a computer-based test, but during that version's infancy, it was proctored much like the previous exams, using scantron sheets, taped media, and test booklets. DLPT5 was taken in conjunction with DLPT IV during the trial stage of that version, and has since usurped it as the standard test, although some versions, such as those given to linguists in the field, abroad, or in other extraordinary situations, are still paper tests, while the CONUS facilities which house linguists use the computer proctored exams. DLPT is used to measure both government and military proficiency in the United States, whereas the ACTFL proficiency test are used in academic circles. An equivalency chart can be found below:

ACTFL	DLPT
Novice - Low	0
Novice - Mid	0/0+
Novice - High	0+
Intermediate - Low	1
Intermediate - Mid	1
Intermediate - High	1+
Advanced	2
Advanced - Plus	2+
Superior	3 and above

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

2011-04-04T03:08:00.000-07:00

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to determine qualification for enlistment in the United States armed forces. It is often offered to American high school students when they are in the 10th, 11th and 12th grade, though anyone eligible for enlistment may take it. The ASVAB was first introduced in 1968 and was adopted by all branches of the military in 1976. In 2002 it underwent a major revision. In 2004, the test's percentile ranking scoring system was re-normalized, to ensure that a score of 50% really did represent doing better than exactly 50% of test-takers. ASVAB scoring is based on an Item Response Theory (IRT) model. IRT is a theory that enables test questions and examinee abilities to be placed on the same scale, thereby allowing tests to be tailored to the specific ability level of each examinee and scores to be expressed on the same scale regardless of the combination of items that are taken. Examinees also receive a score on what is called the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT). AFQT scores are computed using the Standard Scores from four ASVAB subtests: Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Paragraph Comprehension (PC), and Word Knowledge (WK). AFQT scores are reported as percentiles between 1-99. An AFQT percentile score indicates the percentage of examinees in a reference group that scored at or below that particular score. For current AFQT scores, the reference group is a sample of 18 to 23 year old youth who took the ASVAB as part of a national norming study conducted in 1997. Thus, an AFQT score of 90 indicates that the examinee scored as well as or better than 90% of the nationally-representative sample of 18 to 23 year old youth. An AFQT score of 50 indicates that the examinee scored as well as or better than 50% of the nationally-representative sample.

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Categories
Current
The ASVAB currently contains 9 sections:

* Word Knowledge (WK)
* Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
* Mechanical Comprehension (MC)
* Automotive and Shop Information (AS)
* Electronics Information (EI)
* Mathematics Knowledge (MK)
* General Science (GS)
* Paragraph Comprehension (PC)
* Assembling Objects (AO)

"Assembling Objects" is new as of 2002.

Previous
* "Coding Speed" (CS) which was Morse Code.
* "Numerical Operations" (NO)
* "Space Perception" (SP)
* "Tool Knowledge" (TK)
* "General Information" (GI)
* "Attention to Detail" (AD)

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Standards for enlistment

AFQT required minimum scores for people with a high school diploma as of January 2009 (unless otherwise noted) are as follows:

* Air Force (AFQT) 50
* Air National Guard (AFQT) 31 (GED Graduate is 50)
* Coast Guard (AFQT) 40 (GED is 50)
* Navy (AFQT) 35 (or 50 with GED)
* Marines (AFQT) 32 (or 50 with GED)
* Army (AFQT) 31

GED holders who earn 15 college credits 100 level or greater are considered equivalent with those holding high school diplomas. This would result in only needing the minimum score to enlist.

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Information use

The information collected through the ASVAB is used by the United States Department of Defense for research purposes. Scores and personal information obtained during the test are released to the student's local school, and to United States armed forces recruiters, at the option of the school.

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Armed Forces Qualification Test

An Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) score is used to determine basic qualification for enlistment.

AFQT Scores are divided into the following categories:

* Category I - 93-99
* Category II - 65-92
* Category III A - 50-64
* Category III B - 31-49
* Category IV A - 21-30
* Category IV B - 16-20
* Category IV C - 10-15
* Category V - 0-9

The formula for computing an AFQT score is: AR + MK + (2 x VE) where VE = PC + WK.

The VE (verbal) score is determined by adding the raw scores from the PC and WK tests (i.e., how many questions the aspiring recruit got right on each) and using a table to get the VE score from that combined PC and WK raw score.

AFQT scores are not raw scores, but rather percentile scores indicating how each examinee performed compared with all other examinees. Thus, someone who receives an AFQT of 55 scored better than 55 percent of all other examinees. Maximum possible score is 99 as a person can do better than 99 percent of those who took the test, but he cannot do better than himself, so the high percentile is 99.

Law prohibits applicants in Category V from enlisting. In addition, there are constraints placed on Category IV recruits. Presently, all Category IV recruits must be high school diploma graduates. Further, the law constrains the percentage of accessions who can fall in Category IV (currently, the limit is 20%).

Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Composite scores

In addition to the ASVAB's AFQT, each branch has Military Occupational Specialty, or MOS, specific scores. Combinations of scores from the nine tests are used to determine qualification for a MOS. These combinations are called "aptitude area scores," "composite scores," or "line scores." Each of the five armed services has its own aptitude area scores and sets its own minimum composite scores for each MOS.

Army/Nat. Guard Composite Scores:

* CL — Clerical — VE+AR+MK
* CO — Combat Operations — AR+CS+AS+MC
* EL — Electronics — GS+AR+MK+EI
* FA — Field Artillery — AR+CS+MK+MC
* GM — General Maintenance — GS+AS+MK+EI
* GT — General Technical — VE+AR
* MM — Mechanical Maintenance — NO+AS+MC+EI
* OF — Operators and Food — VE+NO+AS+MC
* SC — Surveillance and Communications — VE+AR+AS+MC
* ST — Skilled Technical — GS+VE+MK+MC
o SF - Special Forces - GT+CO

Navy/Coast Guard Line Scores:

* GT - General Technical - AR+VE
* EL - Electronics - AR+EI+GS+MK
* BEE - Basic Electricity and Electronics - AR+GS+2*MK
* ENG - Engineering - AI+SI+MK
* MEC - Mechanical Maintenance - AR+AI+SI+MC
* MEC2 - Mechanical Maintenance 2 - AO+AR+MC
* NUC - Nuclear Field - AR+MC+MK+VE
* OPS - Operations Specialist - WK, PC, AR, MK, AO
* HM - Hospitalcorpsman - GS+MK+VE
* ADM - Administrative - MK+VE
o SEALs - GS+MC+EI>=165 or VE+MK+MC+CS>=220 (minimum for BUD/S)

Air Force Composite Scores:

Goes by Standard AFQT score AR + MK + (2 x VE)

* G - General: Verbal Expression (WK plus PC) and Arithmetic Reasoning (AR)
* M - Mechanical: Mechanical Comprehension (MC), General Science (GS) and 2 times Auto & Shop Information (AS)
* A - Administrative: Numerical Operations * (NO), Coding Speed * (CS), and Verbal Expression (WK plus PC)
* E - Electrical: Arithmetic Reasoning (AR), Mathematics Knowledge (MK), Electronics Information (EI), and General Science (GS)

Marine Corps Line Scores:

* CL — Clerical — VE+AR+MK
* EL — Electronics — GS+AR+MK+EI
* GT — General Technical — VE+AR
* MM — Mechanical Maintenance — NO+AS+MC+EI
* ST — Skilled Technical — GS+VE+MK+MC
o MARSOC - GT=105

Aviation Selection Test Battery

2011-04-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

The Aviation-Selection Test Battery is used by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard as one criterion used in making selection determinations for officer aviation program applicants. The most recent complete revision of the ASTB was completed by the Naval Operational Medicine Institute (NOMI) in cooperation with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, New Jersey in 1992. In 2004, three new parallel forms of this ASTB version were released by NOMI, and Forms 1 and 2, which had been in circulation from 1992 to 2004, were suspended.

The ASTB is used by the Navy Personnel Command (NPC) and the Commandant of the Marine Corps to select candidates for the Navy and Marine Corps pilot and flight officer programs. Portions of the test are also used by the Navy for selection into Officer Candidate School (OCS). The Coast Guard currently uses the ASTB to select pilot candidates for training, and uses a subcomponent score from the ASTB for its nonaviation officer commissioning program.

The ASTB is administered at Navy Recruiting Districts (NRDs), NROTC units, Marine Corps Officer Selection Offices (OSOs), and at numerous other permanent custody sites. The test is administered in a paper format, but at many sites it can be administered on a computer through a webbased system called APEX.NET. There are three versions of the test—Form 3, Form 4, and Form 5. Each version of the test contains different questions, but all three versions have the same format, subtests, and number of questions. The complete test battery requires approximately 2½ hours to administer.

The current version of the ASTB was constructed and validated to predict both performance and attrition through the primary phases of aviation training for Student Naval Aviators (SNAs) and Student Naval Flight Officers (SNFOs). The entire test battery consists of 6 subtests:

* Math Skills Test (MST), 30 items, 25 min - The math skills assessed by the Math Skills subtest include arithmetic and algebra, with some geometry. The assessments include both equations and word problems. Some items require solving for variables, others are time and distance problems, and some require the estimation of simple probabilities. Skills assessed include basic arithmetic operations, solving for variables, fractions, roots, exponentiation, and the calculation of angles, area, and perimeter of geometric shapes.
* Reading Skills Test (RST), 27 items, 25 min - Reading comprehension items require ASTB examinees to extract meaning from text passages. Each item requires the examinee to determine which of the response options can be inferred from the passage itself. This is pretty straightforward, although it is very important that examinees remember that incorrect response options may still appear to be ‘true’ – only one answer to each item can be derived solely from the information in the passage.
* Mechanical Comprehension Test (MCT), 30 items, 15 min - Items contained within the mechanical comprehension portion of the ASTB include topics that would typically be found in an introductory high school physics course and the application of these topics within a variety of situations. The questions in this portion of the test gauge examinees’ knowledge of principles related to gases and liquids, and their understanding of the ways in which these properties affect pressure, volume, and velocity. The subtest also includes questions that relate to the components and performance of engines, principles of electricity, gears, weight distribution, and the operation of simple machines, such as pulleys and fulcrums.
* Spatial Apperception Test (SAT), 25 items, 10 min - These items evaluate an examinee’s aptitude and ability to match external and internal views of an aircraft based on visual cues regarding its direction and orientation relative to the ground. Each item consists of a view from inside the cockpit, which the examinee must match to one of five external views. These items capture the ability to visualize the orientation of objects in three-dimensional space.
* Aviation and Nautical Information Test (ANIT), 30 items, 15 min - This section subtest assesses an examinee’s familiarity with aviation history, nautical terminology and procedures, and aviation related concepts such as aircraft components, aerodynamic principles, and flight rules and regulations. Of all the ASTB subtests, ANI scores are the most easily improved by study because it is largely a test of knowledge, rather than aptitude. Examinees can prepare for this subtest by reviewing general reference materials, such as encyclopedias, FAA and civilian aviation books, and handbooks and manuals that provide an overview of basic piloting, navigation, and seamanship. In addition to these sources, some examinees have used commercially available study guides. Even though NOMI does not endorse a particular study guide, books that are designed to prepare individuals for military aptitude flight tests and officer candidate tests often provide a good introduction to aviation and nautical related subjects.
* Aviation Supplemental Test (AST), 34 items, 25 min (may be less than 34; actual number of items depends on the form given) - the final subtest of the ASTB, it will typically contain a variety of items that are similar in format and content to the items in the preceding subtests.

Aviation Selection Test Battery Retest policy

Examinees that would like to improve their scores on the ASTB must wait until the 31st day following their initial attempts before taking different versions of the test. For example, an individual that takes Form 3 during their first administration must take Form 4 or Form 5 during their second testing session. A third and final attempt at Form 3, 4, or 5 is authorized on the 91st day following the first retest. These test interval requirements cannot be waived, so it is important that examinees are aware of the forms taken during previous administrations and the amount of time that has passed between administrations.

Aviation Selection Test Battery Three-test lifetime limit

A major change regarding the administration of the ASTB was the establishment of a three test lifetime limit in July 2004. An examinee may only take each version of the test (Form 3, Form 4, and Form 5) once, which means that an individual will only be allowed to take the ASTB three times during his or her lifetime. Examinees must take a different form during each retest, but the forms can be taken in any order. This limit only applies to Forms 3, 4, and 5. Therefore, if individuals took a previous version of the test (Forms 1 and 2, which are no longer in use), it is not counted in this limit.

Aviation Selection Test Battery Illegal testing

An examinee that retests too early or retests using a form that he or she has already taken will generate an illegal test. An illegal test means that the individual will not receive valid scores for the testing administration. On the other hand, the illegal test will still be counted against the individual’s lifetime limit.

Foreign Service Specialist

2011-02-27T09:37:00.000-08:00

Foreign Service Specialists are employees of the United States Department of State and other foreign affairs agencies. They are members of the Foreign Service system who provide technical, administrative, or security support and services at embassies and consulates worldwide, in Washington, D.C. or other locations in the continental United States.

* Facilities Maintenance Specialist
* Financial Management Officer
* General Services Officer
* Human Resources Officer
* Construction Engineer
* Information Management Specialist
* Information Management Technical Specialist
* Regional English Language Officer
* Information Resource Officer
* Printing Specialist
* Health Practitioner
* Regional Medical Technologist
* Regional Medical Officer
* Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist
* Office Management Specialist
* Diplomatic Courier
* Security Engineering Officer
* Security Technical Specialist
* Diplomatic Security Service Special Agent

Foreign Service Officer - FSO

2011-02-27T09:35:00.000-08:00

A Foreign Service Officer (FSO) is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic missions. Within the Foreign Service they are also known as Generalists. Foreign Service Officers occupy most of the top tiers of the Foreign Service and are distinguished from the other category of Foreign Service employees known as Specialists. There are five career tracks (called cones) for State Department Foreign Service Generalists:

* Consular Affairs
* Economic Affairs
* Management Affairs
* Political Affairs
* Public Diplomacy

FSOs of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Commercial Service, and Foreign Agricultural Service are selected through processes specific to the hiring agency, and follow career tracks separate from those of State Department officers. In 2009, there were about 6,600 FSOs working at the Department of State, 1,000 at the Agency for International Development, 220 at the Department of Commerce, and 180 at the Department of Agriculture.

The leadership roles at U.S. embassies are filled almost exclusively from the FSO ranks. Two-thirds of U.S. Ambassadors are career Foreign Service Officers. The remaining third are almost all political appointees. FSOs also fill critical management and foreign policy positions at the headquarters of foreign affairs agencies in Washington, D.C.

Foreign Service Officer Hiring process

The Foreign Service has unique status in the U.S. government. Applicants for FSO jobs go through a highly competitive written exam, oral assessment, and security investigation process before they are eligible to be hired. Of the more than 100,000 applicants for State Department FSO positions between 2001 and 2006, only 2,100 became Foreign Service Officers. Once a candidate has completed the application process, received a top secret security clearance, been medically cleared for worldwide deployment, and has passed a final suitability review, they will receive a score and be placed on a hiring register for their career track. New candidates are appointed from the top of the register (highest score), and candidates who are not appointed within 18 months will be removed from the register. Candidates may decline one offer; declining a second will strike their names from the register. Some candidates go on "do-not-call" status until they are ready to receive offers, however the 18 month timer still continues to toll. It is not uncommon for a candidate with a low score to simply expire from the register, thus making the process even more competitive. In the end, less than 2% of initial applicants will matriculate as Foreign Service Officers.

Foreign Service Officers are commissioned by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. New entrants are hired on a career-limited appointment, not to exceed five years. They must demonstrate foreign language proficiency and the ability to advance through the ranks of the Foreign Service before earning tenure.

United States Foreign Service

2011-02-27T09:30:00.000-08:00

The United States Foreign Service is a branch of the government of the United States under the aegis of the United States Department of State. It consists of approximately 11,500 professionals carrying out the foreign policy of the United States and aiding U.S. citizens abroad.

Created in 1924 by the Rogers Act, the Foreign Service combined all consular and diplomatic services of the U.S. government into one administrative unit. In addition to the unit's function, the Rogers Act defined a personnel system under which the United States Secretary of State is authorized to assign diplomats abroad.

Members of the Foreign Service are selected through a series of written and oral civil service examinations. They serve at any of the 265 United States diplomatic missions around the world, including embassies, consulates, and other facilities. Members of the Foreign Service also staff the headquarters of the four foreign affairs agencies: The Department of State, headquartered at Harry S Truman Building in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C.; the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Commerce; and the United States Agency for International Development.

The process of being employed in the Foreign Service is different for those applying for Generalist positions and those applying for Specialist positions.

Generalist candidates take the Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT), a written exam testing their knowledge of U.S. and world affairs. Those who pass the FSOT (25 to 30 percent of candidates) have their resume and life experiences screened by the Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP). After the screening process, less than 10% of those that pass the FSOT are invited to an oral assessment, administered in person in Washington, D.C. and other major cities throughout the United States. Approximately 3% of the original applicants at the written exam will ultimately pass the oral assessment.

Since the 1950s, Foreign Service Officer applicants who passed a full-day written exam were invited to an oral assessment. In mid-2007, the full-day written exam was shortened and information on a structured resume was also considered. The structured resume along with the Qualifications Evaluation Panel (QEP), which is composed of three current Foreign Service Officers, was one of the most significant changes to the Foreign Service hiring process in decades. To be invited to take the Oral Assessment an applicant must not only pass the FSOT but also the QEP interview. The Department of State's Board of Examiners can find some candidacies unacceptable despite the fact that they passed the FSOT.

Those candidates who receive official offers of employment must attend a 5-week training/orientation course known as A-100 at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Arlington, VA. Starting in March 2011 A-100 will be 6 weeks.

Foreign Service Specialist (FSS) candidates are evaluated by Subject Matter Experts for proven skills and recommended to the Board of Examiners for an oral assessment based on those skills. FSS positions are currently grouped into seven major categories: Administration, Construction Engineering, Information Technology, International Information and English Language Programs, Medical and Health, Office Management, and Security.

Even when a candidate passes all of the required examinations, several other conditions of employment must be met. Foreign Service candidates undergo a security background check for a TOP SECRET Security Clearance and must obtain a Class 1 (Worldwide Available) Medical Clearance. Failure to obtain a TS clearance or a Class 1 medical clearance can result in a candidate's eligibility being terminated. It can be difficult for a candidate to receive a TOP SECRET clearance if they have extensive foreign travel, dual citizenship, non-United States citizen family members, foreign spouses, drug use, "detrimental views of U.S. foreign policy", financial problems or a poor record of financial practices, frequent gambling, and allegiance or de facto allegiance to a foreign state. Additionally, it can be difficult for anyone who has had a significant health problem to receive a Class 1 Medical Clearance.

Previously, the Foreign Service automatically rejected anyone with HIV. However, the landmark case of Taylor v. Rice mandated that the Foreign Service cannot discriminate against applicants who have stable chronic medical conditions. Taylor v. Rice allows HIV-Positive applicants to become Foreign Service Officers, provided they meet the other criterion required for employment. Other conditions, such as mental illness and diabetes, are still considered severe enough to warrant rejection for the Foreign Service.

Once an applicant passes the security and medical clearances, as well as the Final Review Panel, they are placed on the register of eligible hires, ranked according to the score that they received in the oral assessment. There are factors that can increase a candidate's score, such as foreign language proficiency, Veteran's Preference, and Peace Corps service. Once a candidate is put on the register, they can remain for 18 months. If they are not hired from the register within 18 months, their candidacy is terminated. Separate registers are maintained for each of the five Generalist career cones as well as the 23 Specialist career tracks.

All Foreign Service personnel must be worldwide available-that is, they may be deployed anywhere in the world based on the needs of the service. They also agree to publicly support the policies of the United States Government.

Service terms and conditions

Members of the Foreign Service are expected to serve most of their career abroad, working at embassies and consulates around the world. By internal regulation the maximum stretch of domestic assignments should last no more than five years before resigning or taking a foreign posting. By law Foreign Service personnel must go abroad after eight years of domestic service. The difficulties and the benefits associated with working abroad are many, especially in relation to family life.

Dependent family members usually accompany Foreign Service employees overseas. The children of Foreign Service members, sometimes called Foreign Service Brats, grow up in a unique world, one that separates them, willingly or unwillingly, from their counterparts living continuously in the states.

While many children of Foreign Service members become very well developed, are able to form friendships easily, are skilled at moving frequently and enjoy international travel, other children have extreme difficulty adapting to the Foreign Service lifestyle. For both employees and their families, the opportunity to see the world, experience foreign cultures firsthand for a prolonged period, and the camaraderie amongst the Foreign Service and expatriate communities in general are considered some of the benefits of Foreign Service life.

Some of the downsides of Foreign Service work include exposure to tropical diseases and the assignment to countries with inadequate health care systems, unaccompanied tours of duty, and potential exposure to violence, civil unrest and warfare.

Attacks on US embassies around the world—Beirut, Islamabad, Belgrade, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Baghdad, among others—underscore the considerable danger these public servants face. FSOs stationed in nations with inadequate infrastructure risk injury or death due to natural disasters that would be relatively minor in the U.S.; for instance, an FSO was one of the first identified victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

For members of the Foreign Service, a personal life outside of the U.S. Foreign Service can be exceptionally difficult, especially when it comes to friends or relations that qualify as Foreign Contacts. Personal relationships with foreign nationals in countries that are considered high-level Human Intelligence threat posts are even more rigorously enforced by Diplomatic Security. In addition to espionage, there is also the danger of personnel that use their position illegally for financial gain. The most frequent kind of illegal abuse of an official position concerns Consular Officers. There have been a handful of cases of FSOs on Consular Assignments selling visas for a price.

Members of the Foreign Service must agree to worldwide availability. In practice, they generally have significant input as to where they will work, although issues such as rank, language ability, and previous assignments will affect one's possible onward assignments. All assignments are based on the needs of the Service, and historically it has occasionally been necessary for the Department to make directed assignments to a particular post in order to fulfill the Government's diplomatic requirements. This is not the norm, however, as many Foreign Service employees have volunteered to serve even at extreme hardship posts, including, most recently, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The State Department maintains a Family Liaison Office to assist diplomats, including members of the Foreign Service and their families, in dealing with the unique issues of life as a U.S. diplomat, including the extended family separations that are usually required when an employee is sent to a danger post.

Foreign Service career system

The Foreign Service personnel system is part of the Excepted Service and both generalist and specialist positions are competitively promoted through comparison of performance in annual sessions of Selection Boards. Each foreign affairs agency establishes time-in-class (TIC) and time-in-service (TIS) rules for certain categories of personnel in accordance with the provisions of the Foreign Service Act. This may include a maximum of 27 years of commissioned service if a member is not promoted into the Senior Foreign Service, and a maximum of 15 years of service in any single grade prior to promotion into the Senior Foreign Service. Furthermore, Selection Boards may recommend members not only for promotions, but for selection out of the service due to failure to perform at the standard set by those members' peers in the same grade. The TIC rules do not apply to office management specialists, medical specialists, and several other categories but most members of the Foreign Service are subject to an up or out" system similar to that of military officers.

This system stimulates members to perform well, and to accept difficult and hazardous assignments

Senior Executive Service - United States

2011-02-27T09:29:00.001-08:00

The Senior Executive Service (SES) is a paygrade in the civil service of the United States federal government, somewhat analogous to the ranks of general or admiral in the U.S. armed forces. It was created in 1979 when the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 went into effect under President Jimmy Carter.

From the Office of Personnel Management:

The Senior Executive Service consists of the men and women charged with leading the continuing transformation of government. These leaders possess well-honed executive skills and share a broad perspective of government and a public service commitment which is grounded in the Constitution. The keystone of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, the SES was designed to be a corps of executives selected for their leadership qualifications.

Members of the SES serve in the key positions just below the top Presidential appointees. For protocol purposes, SES positions correspond to flag officers (e.g., generals, admirals) in the military. In general, SES members are the major link between the Presidential appointees and the rest of the Federal (civil service) work force. At the executive level, they operate and oversee nearly every government activity in approximately 75 Federal agencies.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) manages the overall Federal executive personnel program. OPM Staff provides the day-to-day oversight of and assistance to agencies as they develop, select, and manage their Federal executives.

Career members of the SES ranks are eligible for the Presidential Rank Awards program.

Members of the Senior Executives Service are represented by the Senior Executives Association.

The Senior Executive Service (SES) was composed of non-presidentially appointed officials above the GS-l5 level of the general personnel schedule and below Level III of the executive schedule. The FBI, CIA, DIA, NSA, GAO, Foreign Service and government corporations' employees are exempt from the SES.
[edit] Pay Rates

Unlike the General Schedule, SES pay is determined at agency discretion within certain parameters, and there is no locality pay adjustment.

The minimum pay level for the SES is set at 120 percent of the basic pay for GS-15 Step 1 employees ($119,554 for 2010). The maximum pay level depends on whether or not the employing agency has a "certified" SES performance appraisal system:

* If the agency has a certified system, the maximum pay is set at Level II of the Executive Schedule ($179,700 for 2010).
* If the agency does not have a certified system, the maximum pay is set at Level III of the Executive Schedule ($165,300 for 2010).

Total aggregate pay is limited to the salary of the Vice President of the United States ($230,700 for 2010).

Senior Foreign Service

2011-02-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

The Senior Foreign Service (SFS) comprises the top four ranks of the United States Foreign Service. These ranks were created by the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and Executive Order 12293 in order to provide the Foreign Service with senior grades equivalent to general- and flag ranks in the military and naval establishments, respectively, and to grades in the Senior Executive Service. Like military ranks and other Foreign Service ranks, the Senior Foreign Service grade system assigns rank in person, not rank in position. The Senior Foreign Service pay system is an open-range, performance-based pay system that is linked to the Senior Executive Service (SES) pay system. SFS members, like SES members, are not entitled to automatic across-the-board increases and locality-based comparability payments. Instead, pay adjustments are based on a member’s individual performance and/or contribution to the agency’s performance.

As amended under 5 U.S.C. 5376, Executive Order 12293 prescribes three SFS salary classes linked to the Executive Schedule, ranging from 120 percent of the pay rate for a GS-15, step 1 to the pay rate for ES-II:

Career Minister (CM) with a pay cap equal to the rate of pay for ES-II (Note: Career Ambassador (CA) SFS members are also paid within the CM rate range);

Minister-Counselor (MC) with a pay cap equal to 1.07 times the rate of pay for ES-III; and

Counselor (OC) with a pay cap equal to 1.02 times the rate of pay for ES-III.

The Executive Order originally prescribed three SFS salary classes linked to the SES as follows:

Career Minister (CM) with a range from 94 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive Schedule to 100 percent of the rate payable to level II of the Executive Schedule;

Minister-Counselor (MC) with a range from 90 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive Schedule to 100 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive Schedule; and

Counselor (OC), with a range from 120 percent of the rate payable to GS–15, step 1 to 100 percent of the rate payable to level III of the Executive Schedule.

Prior to creation of the Senior Foreign Service (i.e., prior to implementation of the Foreign Service Act of 1980) Career Ministers were paid at the same rate as Class 1 Foreign Service Officers. In 1979, an FSO-1 earned from $61,903 to $65,750 per annum, with the caveat that civil service and Foreign Service salaries were capped at $50,112.50 per annum, equal to the pay rate for Level V of the Executive Schedule, per Section 5308 of Title 5 of the U.S. Code. The top theoretical annual salary, $65,750, was equal to that of a GS-18. In order to be promoted into the Senior Foreign Service, an FS-1 Foreign Service Officer or Specialist must "open his/her window", that is, must formally request in writing consideration for promotion into the Senior Foreign Service. This application starts a clock; if the officer is not promoted into the Senior Foreign Service within a specific number of convocations of Selection Boards (set by regulation in each foreign affairs agency), the officer is mandatorily retired.

Like the rest of the Foreign Service, as well as their military counterparts, Senior Foreign Service officers are subject to time-in-class provisions. If not promoted within a specific "time in class" for the rank encumbered, the officer is mandatorily retired. The time in class for each grade varies both by grade and by foreign affairs agency, and is established by agency regulation. Times in class are now cumulative, so that early promotion to higher grades no longer leads to rapid retirement of rapidly rising officers.

These stipulations ensure flow-through of the senior ranks of the service, a specific goal of the rank-in-person Foreign Service personnel system.

Foreign Agricultural Service

2011-02-27T09:23:00.000-08:00

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is the foreign affairs agency with primary responsibility for the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) overseas programs—market development, international trade agreements and negotiations, and the collection of statistics and market information. It also administers USDA's export credit guarantee and food aid programs and helps increase income and food availability in developing nations by mobilizing expertise for agriculturally led economic growth. In 2003, FAS began to return to a long-abandoned role in national security. The FAS mission statement reads, "Linking U.S. agriculture to the world to enhance export opportunities and global food security," and its motto is, "Linking U.S. Agriculture to the World."

USA Diplomatic Security Service DSS

2011-02-27T09:20:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is the federal law enforcement arm of the United States Department of State. The majority of its Special Agents are members of the Foreign Service and federal law enforcement agents at the same time, making them unique. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security, more commonly known as Diplomatic Security, or DS, is the parent organization of the Diplomatic Security Service. Both terms, DSS or DS, are used interchangeably outside the State Department to refer to the DSS. The DSS is structured as a federal law enforcement agency, primarily made up of U.S. Federal Agents mandated to serve overseas and domestically. DSS is the most widely represented U.S. law enforcement agency world wide. As federal agents, all DSS Special Agents have the power to arrest, carry firearms, and serve arrest warrants and other court processes. DSS Special Agents protect the U.S. Secretary of State and foreign dignitaries. The State Department's web site says that "The Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS) is the security and law enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of State. DS is a world leader in international investigations, threat analysis, cyber security, counterterrorism, security technology, and protection of people, property, and information.".[1]

When assigned to domestic field offices, DSS Special Agents are responsible for conducting investigations into passport and visa fraud as well as providing protection for the United States Secretary of State and others. Overseas, DSS Special Agents are called Regional Security Officers (RSOs), and are charged with the security and law enforcement duties at U.S. missions, embassies, and consular posts.

There are approximately 1,800 DS Special Agents. Special Agents are sometimes referred to as "DS Agents" or "DSS Agents". Both terms are used interchangeably within the agency and other organizations.

Unlike all other civilian federal law enforcement officers, DSS agents must serve multiple-year tours overseas as a condition of employment. When not at an overseas assignment, they serve domestically, in field offices and HQ positions. A minority of DSS agents are members of the State Department's civil service (GS-1811) and do not serve tours overseas; they focus on criminal work and dignitary protection within the United States. DSS agents are hired after an intensive evaluation process that includes a Foreign Service Board of Examiners writing evaluation, knowledge-based test, panel interview and situational judgment exercises carried out by veteran DSS agents. Those selected undergo a comprehensive medical examination needed for worldwide availability, as well as an exhaustive background investigation for security clearance at the level of top secret/sensitive compartmentalized information (TS/SCI). A final suitability review and vote by a Foreign Service panel evaluates a candidate's overall ability to represent the interests of the United States as a diplomat abroad. All agents have at least a four year university degree. Agent candidates must be under the age of 37 at the time of commissioning. However, due to the decision in Robert P. Isabella v. Department of State and Office of Personnel Management, 2008 M.S.P.B. 146, preference eligible veterans may apply after age 37. In 2009, the Office of Personnel Management issued implementation guidance on the Isabella decision: OPM Letter. After a new agent candidate is hired, he or she begins a six month training program that includes the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) (pronounced flet-see) in Glynco, Georgia; a Basic Special Agent Course at the Diplomatic Security Training Center, and courses at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in Arlington, Virginia. A new training facility that will consolidate DSS' far-flung training venues is currently under development. A new agent is usually assigned to a domestic field office for two years before taking on an overseas assignment, although an agent can expect to be sent on frequent temporary duty assignments overseas even when assigned to a domestic post. However, agents may be called overseas much earlier depending on the needs of DSS. As members of the Foreign Service, agents are expected to spend most of their career living and working overseas, often in hazardous environments or less developed countries throughout the world.

* Basic Special Agent Course (BSAC) (including FLETC): 7 months
* Basic Regional Security Office Course (RSO School): 3 months
* High Threat Tactical Training (HTT): 2 months
* Language Training: 2–12 months per language

A-100 Class

2011-02-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

A-100 is the colloquial name given to the introductory/orientation training class for incoming Foreign Service Officers. These courses are taught in the Foreign Service Institute at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center in Arlington, Virginia. The purpose of the class is to provide orientation to the United States Department of State, information on embassy operation and foreign affairs, intelligence collection and dissemination, State Department computer systems, and the roles different categories of personnel perform in the conduct of diplomacy. It is the basic job-orientation course for the United States Foreign Service before diplomats branch off into different career tracks or geographic specialties.

This class is currently five weeks long and typically has between 75 and 100 students. During the first day of the class, students learn about their fellow classmates and give presentations on them. The first week of the class is devoted to security briefings, the issuing of laptops and State Department identification cards, and indoctrination into the more classified aspects of the Foreign Service. The class is an opportunity to learn about the Foreign Service, not a discussion forum for foreign policy; as public servants, Foreign Service Officers, when acting in their official capacity, are obligated to defend publicly and to implement the foreign policy directives and objectives of the federal government of the United States, notwithstanding any personal or political reservations.

Subsequent weeks examine State Department organizational structure, drafting and editing, the organizational structure of an Embassy, public speaking, and protocol. While the majority of the class takes place at the National Foreign Affairs Training Center, there are some field trips to other U.S. Government foreign affairs agencies, as well as off site team-building training that lasts for two days and normally takes place at a resort in West Virginia.

Towards the end of the course, students are informed of their first assignments, usually overseas, during the 'Flag Day' ceremony, so named because they are presented with a small flag of the country to which the have been assigned. After A-100, additional training is personalized to the individual depending on his or her overseas posting and/or language ability and post requirements.

Members often maintain contact with each other throughout their entire careers, and regard A-100 classmates much like high school or college classmates. A-100 classes are numbered sequentially. The class numbers were restarted with the enactment of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, and several groups have shared numbers over the years.

Forthcoming Competitive Exams in 2011

2011-02-25T07:58:00.000-08:00

February
● Indian Air Force Airman Recruitment Test (Group ‘X’ Technical Trade) (February)
● S.S.C. Multi Tasking (Non-Technical) Staff Recruitment Exam. (February 27)
● Dena Bank Probationary Officers Exam. (February 27)
● LIC Assistant Administrative Officer (Generalists/Chartered Accountants/Company Secretary/Legal) Exam. (February 27)

● Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank Office Assistants Exam. (February 27)
● Baroda Rajasthan Gramin Bank Office Assistants Recruitment Exam. (February 27)
● Haryana S.S.C. Conductor (Transport Department Exam. (February 27)
March
● Rajasthan Gramin Bank Officers Recruitment Exam. (March 6)
● Dena Bank Clerical Cadre Exam. (March 6)
● Bank of India General Banking Officer Scale-I and II Examination for North Eastern States (March 6)
● Baroda U.P. Gramin Bank Officers (Scale-I) Exam. (March 6)
● Uttarakhand B.Ed. Entrance Exam. (March 6)
● Bank of India Clerk Examination for North Eastern States (March 13)
● Rajasthan Gramin Bank Office Assistant (Multipurpose) Exam. (March 13)
● Andhra Pradesh Gramin Vikas Bank Office Assistants Exam., 2010 (March 13)
● Baroda U.P. Gramin Bank Office Assistant Clerical Cadre Exam. (March 13)
● Bank of Baroda Probationary Officers Exam. (March 13)
● Junior Engineer (Civil and Electrical) Exam., 2011 (March 27)
● Indian Navy Senior Secondary Recruitment Exam. (March-April)
April
● C.B.S.E. All India Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Entrance Exam., 2011 (April 3)
● Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan Post Graduate Teacher (Mains) Exam. (April 8)
● Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan TGT and Librarian, Primary Teacher (Mains) Exam. (April 9)
● I.I.T. Joint Entrance Exam., 2011 (April 10)
● Ballia-Etawah Kshetriya Gramin Bank Officers Recruitment Exam. (April 10)
● Uttaranchal Gramin Bank Office Assistant Exam. (April 10)
● Bank of Baroda Clerical Cadre Exam. (April 17)
● Uttaranchal Gramin Bank Officer Cadre Exam. (April 17)
● Ballia-Etawah Kshetriya Gramin Bank Office Assistants Exam. (April 17)
● Allahabad Bank Probationary Officer Recruitment Exam. (April 17) (Online Closing Date : 1 March, 2011)
● Prathama Bank Office Assistant Exam. (April 24)
● Rajasthan Sub-Inspector Police Combined Competitive Exam., 2010 (April/May)
May
● C.B.S.E. All India Engineering Entrance Exam. (May 1)
● S.S.C. Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBPF) Constables (G.D.) Recruitment Exam. (May 1) (Closing Date : 4 March, 2011)
● U.P. Polytechnic Joint Entrance Exam., 2011 (May 1-3)
● Prathama Bank Officer Junior Management Scale-I Exam. (May 8)
● Andhra Bank Probationary Officers Recruitment Exam. (May 8)
● C.B.S.E. All India Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental (Mains) Exam., 2011 (May 15)
● Gurgaon Gramin Bank Office Assistant Group ‘B’ Exam. (May 15) (Online Closing Date : 24 February, 2011)
● Andhra Bank Clerical Cadre Exam. (May 15)
● Gurgaon Gramin Bank Officer JMG Scale-I Group ‘A’ Exam. (May 18) (Online Closing Date : 24 February, 2011)
● I.E.R.T. Entrance Exam., 2011 (Allahabad) (Engg./ Technology Diploma Course) (May 24) (Closing Date : 19 April, 2011)
June
● S.S.C. Central Police Organisation Constable Recruitment Exam. (B.S.F., C.I.S.F., C.R.P.F. & S.S.B.) (June 5)

Hong Kong Civil Service

2010-10-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Hong Kong Civil Service is managed by 12 policy bureaux in the Government Secretariat, and 67 departments and agencies, mostly staffed by civil servants. The Secretary for the Civil Service (SCS) is one of the Principal Officials appointed under the Accountability System and a Member of the Executive Council. He heads the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) of the Government Secretariat and is responsible to the Chief Executive (CE) for civil service policies as well as the overall management and development of the civil service. His primary role is to ensure that the civil service serves the best interests of the community and delivers various services in a trustworthy, efficient and cost effective manner. The CSB assumes overall policy responsibility for the management of the civil service, including such matters as appointment, pay and conditions of service, staff management, manpower planning, training, and discipline.
Appointments to the civil service are based on open and fair competition. Candidates have to go through competitive appointment processes and are appointed only if they possess the qualifications and capabilities required for the job. Vacancies can be filled by promotion from within the service. In the case of basic ranks or where promotion is not possible or where there is a special need, vacancies are filled by open recruitment. To achieve the target of reducing the civil service establishment, the Government implemented a general recruitment freeze to the civil service with effect from April 1, 2003, with exemption granted only on very exceptional circumstances. Entry requirements for civil service posts in general are set on the basis of academic or professional qualifications obtainable from local institutions or professional bodies (or equivalent), technical skills, work experience, language proficiency and other qualities and attributes as required. To achieve the aim of a civil service which is biliterate (Chinese and English) and trilingual (generally conversant in spoken Cantonese, English and Mandarin), language proficiency in Chinese and English is also required. From January 2003 onwards, for civil service posts requiring degree or professional qualifications, applicants should pass the two language papers (Use of Chinese and Use of English) in the Common Recruitment Examination before job application. For civil service posts with general academic qualifications set below degree level, applicants should attain at least Grade E in Chinese Language and English Language (Syllabus B) in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, or equivalent. In accordance with the Basic Law, new recruits appointed on or after July 1, 1997 must be permanent residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, save for certain specified exceptions.
The commission is an independent statutory body responsible for advising the CE on civil service appointment, promotion and disciplinary matters. In practice, the advice is rendered to the SCS and the CSB deals with the commission on individual cases. The chairman and members of the commission are appointed by the CE. The commission seeks to ensure the impartiality and fairness in appointments to the civil service and also advises on discipline matters. In accordance with the Public Service Commission Ordinance, advice of the commission has to be sought for appointment or promotion of officers to middle and senior ranking posts (excluding the disciplined ranks of the Hong Kong Police Force). The commission is also consulted on changes in appointment procedures applicable to civil service posts.

French Civil Service

2010-10-29T12:03:00.000-07:00

The French Civil Service is the set of civil servants working for the French government. Not all employees of the state and public institutions or corporations are civil servants; however, the media often incorrectly equate "government employee" or "employee of a public corporation" with fonctionnaire. For instance, most employees of RATP and SNCF (road and rail transport authorities) are not civil servants. The Civil Service is also sometimes incorrectly referred to as the administration, but, properly speaking, the administration is the compound of public administrations and public administrative establishments, not their employees. About half of the civil servants are employed in the French public education system. Most employment positions in the French civil service are open to citizens of the European Union. Others, especially in police and justice, are specifically reserved for nationals, while a minority are open regardless of citizenship. Most positions are open to citizens of the European Union. Certain positions involving the main powers of the state (e.g. Police) are open only to French nationals. Some rare positions, e.g. university professors and researchers, are open regardless of citizenship.

As an exception to the general rules concerning workers, civil servants do not sign contracts; their situation is defined by statutory and regulatory dispositions, most notably the General Statute of the Civil Servants. The general rule is that civil servants are recruited through competitive exams, either:

* external, reserved to competitors fulfilling certain conditions of diplomas and age;
* internal, reserved to civil servants in certain positions;
* external, reserved to competitors having certain professional experience and age.

The most common method is to organize written and/or oral exams in subjects pertaining to the tasks to be accomplished. For certain positions, such as professorships in universities, the exam, organized locally for each position or each set of similar positions, consists in the submission of a file listing the professional qualifications and experience of the candidate, followed by an interview. In all cases, a committee ranks candidates by order of preference; the positions are filled by the candidates accepting them called in that order of preference. For some top managerial positions, nominations are at the discretion of the executive. High level nominations are made by the President of the Republic in the council of ministers. The rest are by the head of the agency they belong to, or by a minister; in fact, they are in general appointed by some person who has received from the head of agency or minister the authority to do so.

Civil service of the People's Republic of China

2010-10-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

The civil service of the People's Republic of China consists of civil servants of all levels who run the day-to-day affairs in mainland China. Civil servants are found in a well-defined system of ranks. The rank of a civil servant determines what positions he/she may assume in the government or the military, how much political power he/she gets, and the level of benefits in areas such as transportation and health care. The State Administration of Civil Service (SACS) was created in March 2008 by the National People's Congress (NPC). It is under the management of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS), which resulted from the merger of the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security. The function of the administration covers management, recruitment, assessment, training, rewards, supervision and other aspects related to civil service affairs. The SACS also has several new functions. These include drawing up regulations on the trial periods of newly-enrolled personnel, further protecting the legal rights of civil servants and having the responsibility of the registration of civil servants under central departments. The SACS's establishment was part of the government's reshuffle in 2008. It aimed at a "super ministry" system to streamline government department functions.

Ceylon Civil Service

2010-10-29T11:59:00.001-07:00

The Ceylon Civil Service, popularly known by its acronym CCS, originated as the elite civil service of the Government of Ceylon under British colonial rule in 1833 and carried on after independence, until May 1, 1963 when it was abolished and the much larger Ceylon Administrative Service (CAS) was created absorbing all executive management groups, was to be established with five grades. It was renamed following the declaration of the republic in 1972 as the Sri Lankan Administrative Service which is now the key administrative service of the Government.

At the early days the CCS was staffed by Europeans, members of the British Civil Service and only later were Ceylonese admitted. Only six to eight (or in some years only one) out of a very large number of applicants were selected by open competitive examination from graduates with first class honors, between the ages of 22 and 24. The selected were classed as cadets and trained on public administration. They would receive job experience with rotation, serving in the districts, in public corporations, ministries and being part of ministerial delegations traveling abroad. This ensured that the top non-elected government positions were held by the best available candidates. This was very important since the appointments were permanent. The officers of the CCS therefore commanded a high level of respect, a situation which has continued into the early 21st century.

When the CCS was abolished its officers were taken in to the Ceylon Administrative Service, the successor to the Ceylon Civil Service.