NINTH REPORT OF HER MAJESTY'S CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONERS, TOGETHER WITH APPENDICES. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. PRINTED BY GEORGE E. EYRE AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE, FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE. 1864. 8739. APPENDIX II.—Correspondence respecting the Home Civil Service 109 APPENDIX III.-Civil Service of India: Correspondence; In- structions for the guidance of the Candidates selected in 1863; Papers set in the Open Competitive Examination, July 1863; NINTH REPORT. WE, Your Majesty's Civil Service Commissioners, humbly offer to Your Majesty our Ninth Annual Report. The total number of nominations notified to us since the commencement of our proceedings has been 25,612. During the four years up to the end of December 1859, the nominations numbered 9,752; during the last four years they have amounted to 14,757; those for the year 1863 being 3,605. The situations to which these nominations refer may be divided into two classes, which it will be convenient to treat separately, viz. (1.) Superior situations, clerkships, &c. (2.) Inferior situations, such as that of out-door officer, letter carrier, warder, &c. CLASS I. SUPERIOR SITUATIONS,* CLERKSHIPS, &c. The number of nominations disposed of in this class has been 1,429, and the number of certificates granted 609. Of the appointments thus filled 253 had been made the subject of competition among 813 candidates, and 356 of absolute nomi nation. The ratio of the number of competitors to the number of vacancies for which they competed has varied but slightly during the six years; the range being from 2.6 for each vacancy, which was the proportion in 1860, to 3.0 for each vacancy in 1862. The fluctuations have been It is to be added that, of the 813 competitors examined 291 were found to be below the standard of attainment requisite for a pass examination; leaving the bona fide competition to be between 522 candidates for 278 places, or in the proportion of only 19 to each vacancy. As a general rule, strict inquiries are not made as to the age, health, or character of any competitors except those who are * Under this head are comprised Appointments in the Diplomatic and Consular Services, Inspectorships of Schools (Ireland), Inspectorships of Factories, &c. successful in the competition. The number of competitors actually rejected on these grounds has been 15; of whom 4 proved to be disqualified in respect of age, 7 in respect of health, and 4 in respect of character. The following Table gives further particulars regarding the competitions for this class of appointments which have taken place since 1858 :— The total number of candidates nominated during the year 1863 for preliminary test examination was 633; of whom 82, for various reasons, were not examined. Of the 551 who were examined, 284 passed and 267 were rejected; the proportion of rejections being just 48 5 per cent. Of 515 candidates who received absolute nominations, 356 have obtained certificates; 122 failed to pass their examination; 5 proved ineligible in point of age; 4 were unable to satisfy us of their fitness in respect of health, and 3 in respect of character. In 25 cases the nomination was cancelled or the candidate failed to appear. The total number of candidates of this class rejected in 1863, on age, health, and character, was 27; viz., 9 on the ground of age, 11 on the ground of health, and 7 of character. Under the head of knowledge and ability we have found, as in former years, that nearly all the rejections have been due to failure in the elementary subjects. Throughout the whole of our proceedings, during eight years and a half, only 183 candidates of this class have been rejected without having failed in orthography, handwriting, or arithmetic; the total number of rejections having amounted to 2,334. * Excluding 391 candidates at the open competition for writerships in the India Office. |