EXAMINATIONS

800. (a) The following are the examinations prescribed for Officers in the Public Service. All Officers will be required to pass the appropriate examination within the prescribed time.

A,B,C,D : Police Department Duties,
E : Public Administration for Administrative Officers.
F 1,2,3 : Law for Police Officers.
G : Police duties for Police Officers.
H (1) : Basic Clerical/Accounting Procedures for Clerical Officers.
H (2) : Advanced Clerical/Accounting Procedures for Clerical Officers.
J(1)& J(2) : Customs duties for Customs Officers.
L(1)& L(2) : Printing Duties,
O(1) &O(2): Inland Revenue Duties,
P : Audit Duties.
Q(1) & Q(2): Meteorological Observing Duties.
S : Public Administration for Executive Officers,
T : Labour Duties.
TT(1),(II), (III) Supplies Department Duties.
U : Accounting for Assistant Accounts Officers
V : Co-operative Duties.
W(1), (2), (3), (4) Archives Duties,
X(1), X(2),X(3) Judicial Department Duties.
X, Y, Z Police Department Duties,
R1 : Agriculture Assistant duties for Agriculture
R2 : Agriculture Assistant (Livestock) duties for Agriculture
R3 : Technical Assistant Duties for Fisheries Division.

(b) Agriculture & Fisheries

Agriculture Assistant: R1 before promotion to Senior Agriculture Assistant (NS06)
R2 before promotion to Senior Agriculture Assistant
(Livestock) (NS06) R3 before promotion to Senior Fisheries Assistant (NS06)

(b) Schedule of Examinations :-

DEPARTMENT/POST EXAM PRESCRIBED REMARKS

ARCHIVES

Archives Asst. Cl. II W(1), H(1) before confirmation
(AD07)

Archives Asst.Cl.II W(2) before passing bar point
(AD07)

Archives Asst. Cl. II W(3) before promotion to C1.1
(AD07) (AD06)

Archibes Assit. Cl. 1 W(4) before passing bar appoint and
(AD06) promotion to Asst. Archivist
(AD06)

AUDIT

Assit. Examiner of Acct. H(1) before confirmation
(AD07)

Examiner of Accounts P before promotion to Asst. Co-op
Officer 1 (AD05)

CO-OPERATIVES

Asst. Co-op Officer II V before promotion to Senior Asst
(AD07) Coop Officer (AD05)

Assit. Co-op Officer 1 V before promotion to Senior Asst.
Co-op Officer (AD05)

CUSTOMS
Asst. Customs Officer J(1) before confirmation
(AD07)

J(2) before promotion to Customs
Officer (AD06)
LABOUR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Labour Inspectors (AD06) T before confirmation

Assit Labour Officer (AD05) T before promotion to
Labour Officer (AD03)

INLAND REVENUE

Asst. Tax Officer (AD06) O(2) before promotion to Tax
Officer (AD03)

Tax Officer O(1) before promotion to
Assessor (AD03)

JUDICIAL

Clerk/Interpreters (AD07) X(1) before confirmation

X(2) before promotion to Assit
Court Officer (AD06)

Assit. Court Officer (AD06) X(3) before promotion to Court
Officer (AD05)
POLICE

Constable (PL08) A,B,C,D before promotion to of
Corporal (PL07)

Sergeant (PL06) X,Y,Z before promotion to
Inspector (PL04)

Inspector (PL04) F1,2,3,G before promotion to
Gazetted Rank (PL03)

PRINTING AND STATIONERY

Technical Trainee (TG07) L(2) before promotion to
technical Assit. (TG06)

Techical Assit. (TG 06) L(1) before promotion to
Senior technical Asst. ITG05)

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

Clerical Traineer (TG07) H(1) before confirmation

H(2) before promotion to Senior Clerical
Officer (AD06)

Senior Clerical Officer (AD07) U before promotion to Senior
Accounts Officer (AD06)

S before promotion to Executive
Officer (AD05)

Executive Officer (AD05) E before promotion to Administration
Officer (AD03)

MARINE

Marine Officer III Grade 5 Masters Cert./ before promotion to Marine Officer (TG05) Master 50 Ton Cert./ Officer II (TG04)
Grade 5 Engineers Cert.
Or Engine Operators Cert.

Marine Officer II Grade 5 Masters Cert./Mate before promotion to Marine
(TG04) Pacific Islands Cert./Grade Officer 1 (TG03)
4 Engineers Cert./or 3rd
Class Engineers Cert.

Marine Officer 1 Grade 4 Cert./Master before promotion to Senior
(TG04) Fiji or Master Marine Officer (TG02)
Pacific Islands/Grade
3Engineers Cert./or 2nd
Class Engineers Cert./
Master Pacific Is./1st
Class Engineers Cert.

LANDS AND SURVEY

Technical Asst. Fiji Public Service before promotion to Senior
Technical Division Draughting Examination Technical Asst. (NS06)
(NS07)

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

Technical Asst. Q(2) before confirmation and promotion
Traineers (NS07) to Senior technical Asst. (NS06)

Technical Officer II Q(1) before promotion to technical
Officer 1 (NS03)
SUPPLIES

Storeman (SK07) Trade test III before confirmation

Trade Test II before passing bar point

Stores Officer II Trade test 1 before promotion to Stores Officer 1 (SK05)

Examinations H(1) and H(2)

801. (a) Examination H(1) will consist of papers on General Orders, Finance Instructions, Supplies and Services Instructions, Public Service Commission (Constitution) Regulations 1990, Public Service Decree 1990 and Public Service (Personal Grievance Procedure) Regulations 1990.

(b) Examination H(2) will consist of papers in (a) above plus Conditions and Rules of Employment for Government Unestablished Employees.

(c) Candidates for examination H(1) must have served at least three (3) months continuous service by the date of the examination.

(d) Candidates for examination H(2) must have passed examination H(1).

(e) During these examinations, candidates will not be allowed access to reference
material.

(f) Officers who are stationed at centers where tutorials are provided and who fail to attend classes or whose attendance have been below 75% will not be permitted to appear for these examinations. This requirement will not apply in respect of candidates who are based in centers or stations where classes are not provided.

(g) Examinations H(l)and H(2) will be conducted twice yearly and the results will be published in the Fiji Republic Gazette.

Examination E - Public Administration for Administrative Officers

802. (a) The examination will comprise two (2) papers each of which will carry 100 marks. The pass mark will be a minimum of 40 in any one paper and an aggregate of 100 marks in the examination. A candidate who passes in one paper in one paper and fails in the other will have failed the examination. In order to pass the examination he will be required to resit both papers.

(b) PAPER A: The Constitution and the Machinery of Government :-
Section A: The Legislature and Executive
Section B: The Judicature
Section C: Service Commission and The Ombudsman

(c) PAPER B: The Fiji Public Service :-
Section A : Public Service Procedures and Regulations
Section B : Financial Administration
Section C: Government Departments and Statutory Bodies
Section D: Principles of Supervision and Management

(d) PAPER C : Government Accounting System :-
Section A : Finance & Audit Act
Section B : Budget & Monetary Spending
Section C : Finance Instructions
Section D : Supplies & Services Instructions

Eligibility to sit Examination:-

(e) (i) 50% attendance at tutorials for candidates at centers where tutorials are provided.

(ii) pass in Examination H2 and be confirmed in appointment as Clerical Officer.

(f) Examination "S" will be conducted twice yearly.

Examination U--Accounting for Assistant Accounts Officers

804. (a) The examination will comprise two (2) papers, both carrying 100 marks each. Candidates will be allowed two (2) hours to complete the first paper and 2 ½ hours to complete the second. To pass the examination, both papers must be taken together and the candidate must obtain at least 40 marks in each paper, and an aggregate of 100 marks to pass the examination.

(b) PAPER A : English
Section A : Writing
Section B : Comprehension
Section C : Language Study

(c) PAPER B : Government Accounting System .-
Section A : Finance & Audit Acts
Section B : Budget & Monetary Spending
Section C : Balance Sheets & Reports
Section D : Finance Instructions
Section E : Supplies & Services Instructions

Eligibility to sit Examination :-

(d) (i) 50% attendance at tutorials for candidates at centers where tutorials are
provided.
(ii) pass in Examination H2 and be confirmed in appointment as Clerical
Officer.
(e) Examination "U' will be conducted twice yearly.

Examination for Administrative Cadets

805. The pre-requisites for service examinations do not apply to Administrative Cadets who may appear for any of the examinations.

Examinations for Officers in the Clerical Division

806. A Clerical Officer appointed on probation will be required to pass Examination H(1) within one year of appointment and before confirmation.

807. An Officer who has not passed Examination H(2) will not be eligible for promotion to Senior Clerical Officer.

808. A Permanent Secretary or Head of Department may require any Officer to pass a typing test at the rate of 20 words per minute within a period of twelve (12) months, if a knowledge of typing is considered to be essential to the efficient performance of his duties.

Departmental Examinations

809. Departmental examinations are prescribed in GO 800. Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments shall be responsible for providing details of respective examination syllabi and fix dates, times and places for each examination.

Failure to Pass

810. Any Officer who fails to pass the prescribed examination within the stipulated period will not be qualified for advancement as set out in General Order 800(b).

Exemptions

811. The Secretary for the Public Service may exempt an Officer from being required to pass a prescribed examination in GO 800.

(a) The criteria for granting exemption from passing service examinations are as follows :-

(i) an Officer who holds a qualification which is considered to be relevant and equivalent to or higher than the Public Service examination in question.

OR

(ii) an Officer who is at least 35 years old and has at least 10 years unbroken service at the time of application and who has sat the examination in question on at least three (3) occasions immediately prior to the date of application and acquired an aggregate of at least 40% on two (2)occasions and who has obtained consistently good reports on his work performance in the last three (3) years with recommendations for advancement to the next grade in his ACR (the exam in question not being a limiting factor).

(b) No application will be considered unless :-

(i) The Officer satisfies the above criteria.
(ii) The Officer applies to the Secretary for the Public Service in writing through his Permanent Secretary or Head of Department who support the application.

Examination Authorities

812. (a) The Public Service Examinations as provided in GO 800 shall be conducted from time to time.

(b) The Secretary for the Public Service or the relevant Permanent Secretary or Head of Department in respect of the Departmental examinations, shall fix the date, time and place for each Public Service Examination held under General Order 800 and shall appoint a Board of Examiners whose Chairman shall be responsible for supervising all arrangements for the conduct of that examination. At least two (2) examiners shall be appointed to the Board and who shall set and mark the examination papers and conduct and assess the performance of candidates in any oral and practical tests of proficiency prescribed for the examination.

(c) Subject to these Orders and to any direction given by the Secretary for the Public Service, every Chairman of a Board of Examiners shall in respect of the examination for which he has been appointed under GO 812 (b) :-

(j) Publish to each Department concerned a notice of examination specifying the date and place of the examination and the conditions for acceptance of applications "forms approved for the purpose.
(ii) Inform in writing each Officer who applies on the approved form to sit at the examination and the Head of that Officer's Department whether the Officer is accepted as a candidate for the examination and if so with what instructions he must comply for admission to and during the
examination.
(iii) Inform in writing each candidate at the examination, and the Head of Department concerned, of the result achieved by the candidate in examination as approved by the Board of Examiners.
(iv) Shall submit to the Secretary for the Public Service a return signed by himself and by each examiner showing the marks attained by each candidate in each subject, paper or test and whether that candidate has been successful in the examination.

813. Public Service examinations are governed by the provisions of the Examinations Act, 1978, and every Chairman of a Board of Examiners shall -
(a) Ensure that examination papers, questions, instructions and tests conform to the syllabus and standards prescribed.
(b) Secure examination papers, questions and instructions from premature or other unauthorised disclosure.
(c) Appoint for the duration of the examination, such supervisors and invigilators as may be necessary to ensure that :-
(i) Only authorised candidates of proven identity are admitted to the examination.
(ii) An accurate record is taken of attendance at the examination.
(iii) Candidates at the examination are fully instructed and supplied all necessary materials but denied any unauthorised aids and assistance.
(iv) Candidates at the examination are kept under continuous surveillance and the order, procedures and conditions laid down for the examination are strictly observed.
(d) Arrange for written answers to examination questions to be completed in such a way as not to disclose the identity of any candidate to an Examiner.

(e) Ensure that written answers to examination questions are transmitted under seal by the Supervisor to the Examiners immediately the examination is concluded.
(f) Ensure that an approved scheme of marking and assessment is employed by Examiners and that as far as practicable different papers completed by each candidate are marked by different Examiners.
(g) Ensure that everything necessary is done otherwise to maintain the efficiency, impartiality and integrity of the examination.

Expenses of Candidates

814. (a) Every Officer who is accepted as a candidate for the Public Service examination under General Order 812 and who is required to attend such examination during his normal working hours shall be granted duty leave for the duration of that examination and for any period necessarily incurred in travelling from and returning to his normal duty station before and after his attendance at such examination.
(b) Every Officer who is accepted as a candidate for a Public Service examination under General Order 812 and who travels away from his normal duty station in order to attend such examination shall be regarded as travelling on official duty and shall be paid the appropriate travel and subsistence allowance or expenses as laid down in the relevant General Orders.

815. No fees shall be charged for admission to any Public Service examination prescribed under General Order 800.

Re-marking of Examination Papers

816. (a) Any Officer who wishes to have his answer scripts re-marked may apply to the respective Examination Board stating his reasons within one month from the date of release of his examination results.
(b) Applications should be sent under registered cover and must be accompanied by a cheque or money order for $25.00 (VAT inclusive) to cover the fee for remarking of his script.
(c) The re-marking fee will be refunded if the candidate obtains a pass.

Examiners Fees

817. The following fees to examiners will be paid in respect of Public Service Examinations:

Issue Existing Rate Revised Rate Effective Date
Setting Papers
Exam H (1) & H(2) $2 per question $10 per question 01/01/98
Exam H $3 per question $15 per question 01/01/98
Exam U $3 per question $15 per question 01/01/96
Exam S $3 per question $15 per question 01/01/96
Trade Test 1 $15 *Existing rate to apply 01/01/96
Trade Test II $12 * Existing rate to apply 01/01/96

MARKING PAPERS

Exam H(1) & H(2) $1.50 per script $3.00 per script 01/01/96
Exam E $2.00 per script $4.00 per script 01/01/96
Exam U $2.00 per script $4.00 per script 01/01/96
Exam S $2.00 per script $4.00 per script 01/01/96
Trade Test I,II,III $1.50 per script $4.00 per script 01/01/96