PROCEDURES IN THE CORRECTION OF ANSWER SHEETS
AND RELEASE OF EXAMINATION RESULTS
1. The sealed envelopes containing the answer sheets of the examination are opened in the presence of the Board Chairman / Member for the particular subject. The number of answer sheets per envelope is noted down in Control Logbook.
2. The answer sheets are read through the Optical Mark Reader (OMR) in the presence of the Board Chairman / Member. Reading of answer sheets of the examinees generates a file known as the Answer File(s), which is initially saved on the hard disk of the computer, connected to the OMR.
3. The Answer File(s) after being copied on diskettes is deleted from the computer. The Answer File(s) contains the ID numbers of the examinees and their answers for a particular subject.
4. ID numbers of the answer sheets cannot be read through the naked eye. They are "blacked out" and only the OMR can read the ID numbers.
5. The diskette(s) containing the Answer File(s) are placed in an envelope, sealed and counter signed by the Board Chairman / Member, and kept inside a locked cabinet within the PRC vault.
6. After all answer sheets for a particular subject has been read, the Board Chairman / Member prepares his ANSWER KEY using the prescribed answer sheet. The answer sheet containing the key answers is given to the Computer Operator for reading through the OMR.
7. The sealed envelopes containing the diskettes of the answer of the examinees are retrieved from the locked cabinet within the vault of the Rating Division.
8. The answer files of the examinees are restored in the hard disk in preparation for correction.
9. A computerized correction program is used to compare the Answer Key of the Board Chairman / Member with the answer files. A Score File is then generated which contains the ID numbers of the examinees and their score for the subject. A parallel run is performed to ensure accuracy of corrections.
10. A report of the statistics of scores obtained by all the examinees, arranged from the highest score to the lowest score, is then generated. This is used by the Board Chairman / Member in deciding on the score to be considered as Minimum Passing Level (MPL) for the subject.
11. A Control Total Report for the subject which contains a hash total of the ID numbers and scores of all examinees is printed for review and signed by the Board Chairman / Member.
12. The scores obtained by the examinees in the Score File are then transmuted to the equivalent grades based on the Minimum Passing Level decided upon by the Board Chairman / Member. A Control Report for the Subject after Transmutation of scores is generated. This report is compared by the Board Chairman / Member with the Control Total Report generated in procedure no. 11.
13. Procedures numbers 1 to 12 are repeated for all subjects in the examination.
14. After the scores in the subjects have been transmuted to their equivalent grades, these are updated to a History File, which will contain the ID numbers of the examinees and their equivalent grades for all subjects.
15. A Control Total Report for the History File which contains the hash total of ID numbers and grades of the examinees for all subjects is then generated and given to the Board Chairman / Member. This report is reconciled with the Control Total Report for the subject after the transmutation generated in procedure no. 14.
16. The Answer Sheets for all the examination subjects and the ID sheet of an examinee are collated to come up with his complete set of examination papers.
17. The general average of each examinee is then computed. The statistics include among others the general average of all examinees arranged from highest to lowest.
18. The Board uses the statistics report in number 17 to decide on the cut-off passing grade.
19. On the day of the release of results, the sealed envelopes containing the ID sheets of the examinees are opened in the presence of the Board Chairman / Member.
20. Once the ID sheets are opened, all the staff involved in the release of results including the Board Chairman / Member are not allowed to
20.1. leave the Rating Division until the results have been released to the press nor
20.2. use any telephone facility
21. The ID sheets are read through the OMR under the supervision of the Board Chairman / Member. A Names File is created which contains the ID numbers of the examinees and their names. After reading all ID sheets the Names File on disk is saved on diskette, then the ID sheet and all the answer sheets are put together.
22. A screening process is performed to match the handwriting of an examinee on the ID sheet and all the answer sheets.
23. The Applicant’s File or Edited Proof List (obtained from EDP Division) which contains all information about the applicant as shown in the application form is matched with the Names File created in procedure number 22. The Applicants’ Files contain details of the address, birth date, and other relevant information concerning the examinee.
24. An Examinee File is generated after the successful matching of the Applicants’ File with the Names File. This file is then matched with the History File in generating all the reports for the release of examination results.
25. A Compliance Testing Procedure is conducted to test the integrity of the results of the subjects in the examination.
26. Once the results have passed the Compliance Test, the following reports are generated:
26.1. Table of Results of Passing Candidates
26.2. Table of Results of Failed and Conditioned Candidates (if any)
26.3. Master List of Examinees
26.4. Alphabetical Listing of Successful Examinees for Press Release
26.5. Report of Rating
26.6 Performance of Schools in the Licensure Examination.