Civil Service Competition Test (Ukraine)НАДС

Overview

Entry to the Ukrainian civil service is normally by competition. The rules are set by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 246 of 25 March 2016, and NADS is the central authority for civil service personnel policy. The competition has several stages. The first scored stage is a computer test on knowledge of legislation. This page is based on the text of the resolution as published on the Verkhovna Rada legislation site, which lists amendments up to 2021, and on the NADS pages above. The sources are in Ukrainian.

There is no single national sitting. Each state body announces its own competition for a specific vacancy, and the test is run by that body's competition commission or, for some posts, by an assessment centre.

Who can apply

Posts are split into three categories.

• Category A: top management, such as state secretaries of ministries and heads of central executive bodies and their deputies.

• Category B: heads of structural units in a state body and their deputies.

• Category C: specialists.

NADS lists these basic requirements for all posts: adult, citizen of Ukraine, fluent in the state language. Further requirements depend on the category.

Persons barred from civil service by the Law on Civil Service cannot take part in a competition.

Exam pattern

The competition runs in these stages: decision to announce, public announcement, review of applications, testing, situational tasks (only if the commission decides to use them), interview, overall ranking, choice of winner by the appointing authority, and publication of results.

The legislation test has the following format.

The test covers knowledge of the Constitution, civil service law, anti-corruption law and other legislation. For category B and C posts outside reform specialist posts, the body may let candidates take the test remotely through their account on the Unified Vacancy Portal; otherwise it is taken in person at the body or an assessment centre. Candidates show a passport or other ID. Extra electronic devices, textbooks and other materials are banned during the test, except as reasonable accommodation.

Category A and B candidates may also be given situational tasks, which test how they apply knowledge and experience to the duties of the post.

Marking and results

The number of correct answers is turned into 0, 1 or 2 points. The thresholds depend on the post category.

A candidate with 0 points has not passed the competition and is not admitted to the next stage. A candidate with 1 or 2 points has passed the test. Test points are added to the interview and other scores to produce a ranking, and the commission puts the top three candidates forward to the appointing authority, which names the winner.

A re-sit is not allowed, except when the test was interrupted or could not take place for technical reasons and a record of this is drawn up. A test result can be reused in other competitions for one year from the date of the test.

How to apply

Competitions are announced by the state body, and the announcement and conditions are posted through its account on the Unified Vacancy Portal of the civil service. The documents NADS lists are:

• an application form;

• a personal record card;

• proof of Ukrainian citizenship;

• education documents for the required level;

• proof of work experience, such as a work record book or archive certificates;

• confirmation that your declaration for the previous year is in the Unified State Register of Declarations.

After the exam

A person aged 65 or over can still be appointed to a civil service post. The appointment is for one year and can be renewed each year without a competition. NADS says the age limit for local government service is 65, with an exception for officials approved by the relevant council.

FAQs