GENERAL FUNCTIONS:

• Develop, enhance, control, supervise and coordinate pertinent schemes in the granting of civil service eligibility such as but not limited to administration of civil service examinations and conferment of civil service eligibilities through other modes/special laws.
• Formulate policies. Programs, standards and guidelines in the conduct of examinations, grant of eligibilities under special laws and certification and placement of eligibles.
• Take cognizance of all legal issues and concerns involving civil service examinations and to take charge of the disposition of administrative matters and cases pertaining to examination irregularities

ERPO’S DIVISION AND THEIR SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS

TEST DEVELOPMENT AND STANDARDS DIVISION (TDSD)

I. Test Development

a. Test Planning for Specialized Examinations. This refers to the determination of the type, purpose, scope, content, parameters of the test. It is also during this stage that the target test population is determined and procedures for test standardization and norms are formulated.

b. Test Construction

Test Item Writing – This involves on-site or off-site test item writing.workshops participated in by subject matter experts designated as Special Examiners.

Test Banking – This refers to the organization, classification and cataloguing of tested and untested items constructed by Special Examiners after a thorough review by ERPO test technicians and conduct of pre-testing to determine the statistical attributes such as item difficulty, discrimination index, and item performance.

Test Assembly – This involves the formulation of test outline, test format and layout including preparation of test instruction and scoring keys.

Security Printing – The Commission engages the services of a security printer capable of meeting the printing needs and security requirements of the job. CSC personnel are assigned primarily to oversee the operations inside the printing plant and to make sure that the test materials are printed and packed properly according to CSCs requirements and specifications.

II. Test Evaluation and Standards

Test Norming – refers to the process of interpreting test scores that make use of norms or measures that provide standards against which particular test scores can be interpreted. Test Norming is periodically conducted, specifically to Career Service Professional and Subprofessional Examinations, to ensure that test standards are maintained through the years.

Item Analysis – refers to the process of determining the effect of a test item when it is used with a group of other test items. It is a tool the test technicians use to ensure that the test items actually included in the questionnaire are good test items that form a coherent and equivalent test instrument developed for a specific purpose. It is customary to test developers to conduct item analysis after every examination. 

Test Reliability – refers to the extent to which the test results are assessed to be verifiable (1) after the lapses of time, and (2) regardless of the individual items. It also measures the extent to which chance factors affect the test results. This should also be done periodically.

Test Validity - refers to the extent to which the test actually “measures” what it is supposed to measure, that is, a set of criteria or competencies. This is done to ensure that the test is a reliable gauge for predicting job performance.

Item Response Analysis – refers to the process of detecting possible examination irregularities by the of computer systems, review of relevant documents and reports and other pertinent information.

III. Technical Assistance

a. Provide assistance to agencies on the conduct of special examinations relative to drafting of test specifications, selection and capability building of special examiners, test assembly and printing of examination materials following the standards procedures adopted by the Test Development and Standards Division. 

b. Provide assistance to agencies in the development of test instruments for further assessment of other dimensions such as personality traits and behavior for internal  creening purposes.

c. Extend Technical Assistance in re: Test Item Writing/Construction and Development; Test Banking System; Test Administration; Test Results Processing and Interpretation; and Placement Programs.

EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION DIVISION (EAD)

I. Schedule and disseminate information on the conduct of civil service examination. This is done through the preparation of Examination Calendar for the year in consultation with the CSCROs and the preparation of Examination Announcements for every examination. The examination announcement contains information regarding the date of examination, deadline for submission of applications, places of examination, scope and weights of the examination, admission/registration requirements, examination fees and the places where to secure and file applications for examinations.

II. Administration of Examinations.

- Provide guidelines/instructions on the conduct and administration of civil service examinations through the preparation/updating of Examiners Manual and other issuances administration for dissemination to the CSCROs;

- Consolidate Regional Statistical Reports on the Number of Applicants for the various examinations to guide the Test Development and Standards Division in the printing of test materials;

- Render technical assistance relative to the conduct of examination and processing of examination results;

- Delivery of test materials through Project Solo and through CSC representatives. This involves coordination and linkaging with airport and airline authorities and the PNP Aviation Safety Command to ensure security of test materials from the security printing plant to their destination.

III. Processing of Examination Results for CSE-CAT, CSEE, LSP-BDC and LSP-MD and all agency assisted examinations;

IV. Evaluation of requests for the conduct of agency assisted examinations and conduct preliminary negotiations for input to test planning and administration. This includes preparation of Memorandum of Agreement, Budget Estimates, Resolutions, Office Orders, and other related matters relative to the conduct of CSC-assisted specialized examinations

V. Re-checks test papers of examinees upon request

VI. Issuance and control of blank certificates of eligibility and reports of rating

VII. Review and evaluation of examination related statistics such as no. of applicants; no. of examinees and pass-fail ratio per examination conducted as a tool for planning decision making and formulation of policies relative to examination administration.

EXAMINATION, RECRUITMENT, AND PLACEMENT PROGRAMS AND STANDARDS DIVISION (ERPPSD)

I. Undertake researches/studies and projects to:

- Enhance grant of eligibilities, certification and placement of eligibles

- Develop placement assistance strategies for implementation by the CSCROs

- Develop/spearhead pro-active marketing strategies to strengthen certification and placement of eligibles

II. Device schemes to monitor/evaluate and track career progression of placed eligibles under the BBP and eligibilities under special laws as basis for policy formulation relative to special programs/eligibilities

III. Provide technical assistance to agencies in the screening/assessment of candidates for appointment

IV. Monitor and evaluate .the implementation of delegated functions .to the CSCROs and provide necessary assistance relative to the grant of special eligibilities; conduct of civil service examinations; and installation of and capability building on examination systems developed.

OTHER PROGRAMS:

• CSC Examination, Recruitment, and Placement System Examination and Recruitment Policies
• Test Banking
• Computer Assisted Testing (CAT)
• Publication of Vacancies
• CSC Placement Programs