• Why online Examinations in Public Service?

1. The use of online examination in The Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) is one of the efforts introduced by the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA) in the process of digitizing Government services following the implementation of NST 1 targets whereby Government services will be 100% digitized.
2. The online examination intends to facilitating the effectiveness and efficiency of examination, minimizing human interventions while marking, time and cost effectiveness, and increasing trust of marking without rater bias.

• What type of online examination : written or interview?

1. The Online examination is used for only written component of the recruitment examination and shall be composed of Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ);
2. MCQ examination is competence based and comprehensive in relation to the job position published;
3. MCQ therefore tests knowledge and skills needed to effectively perform the job duties and responsibilities; 
4. The examination questions should test the general capacity and competences vis-à-vis the job position and not tailored to the experience in the specific institution;

• What are the benefits of online examination?

The online examination using multiple choice questions for written examination has strong benefits, including

1. Effective digitization of examination process;
2. Minimizing human intervention in examination process;
3. Time and cost effectiveness;
4. Grading objectively without rater bias, that will at the end reduce the number of appeals;
5. Allowing for inclusion of a broad range of topics on a single exam thereby effectively testing extensiveness of the candidates’ knowledge.

• What are the Essential/ Major parts of multiple choice examination?

Multiple Choice Examination composed of three major parts:

1. Short Answer Questions: Direct questions responded to with specific answers. They are set to test candidate’s general knowledge in relation to the subject matter (knowledge on public service and specifically mandate of hiring institution and understanding job responsibilities).
2. Analytical Questions:  These are questions set to test extensively technical skills, capacities and competences of the candidate vis-a- vis job responsibilities and intended outcome/ role of the concerned job position towards the delivery of institutional mandate.
3. Descriptive Questions:  These are case studies, scenarios or calculation questions. Intended to examine comprehensively competences and skills required to job position.

• How many questions for each part and their corresponding marks?

1. Short Answer Questions: Covers first thirty questions (from question 1 to question 30), responded in thirty (30) minutes/ one minute per question and marked with 1 mark per each question;
2. Analytical questions: covers the following ten questions (from 31 to 40), responded in thirty (30) minutes/ three minutes per question and marked with 3 marks per each question;
3. Descriptive Questions: composed of two (2) case study/scenario or calculation questions, each scenario or case study covers 5 questions. Therefore, descriptive questions cover ten questions (from 41 to 50) responded in one hour and half (90 minutes) and marked with 4 marks per each.
4. Each question must have between four to five distractors with alternatives or possible answers (element of truth);
5. The candidate must only select “one best answer” to the question;
6. Each question is mandatory and responded to by ticking in the box (selecting the best answer).

• How the online examination is marked in System?

1. The computer automatically marks the exam after a candidate clicks on “submit the exam” button.
2. The candidate instantly gets his/her examination results;
3. The first thirty short answer questions are marked on thirty points (30);
4. The following ten (10) analytical questions are marked on thirty points (30);
5. The last descriptive questions are marked on forty points (40);
6. The total examination score is 100 points and the system will automatically translate online examination to fifty (50) marks.

• The online examination is set for how long?

The total duration of written online examination is two hours and half (2h30). The first thirty short answer questions are answered in thirty (30) minutes, the following ten (10) analytical questions take thirty (30) minutes and the last descriptive question takes one hour and half.

• What is the language of the examination?

The examination is prepared in the official languages (English, French and Kinyarwanda), and the candidates select only one language of their choice before the examination starts.

• Will a candidate receive any time reminders during examination?

The system has an online countdown timer which alerts a candidate during the examination.

• What are the equipment needed to sit for online examination?

An institution that wishes to recruit a public servant prepares a room with computers and full internet connectivity. A candidate sits for an examination after presenting their Identity Card or Passport.

Regards.

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