Guidelines on Releasing Topnotchers in Licensure Exams

The resolution is anchored on the PRC’s authority under Republic Act No. 8981, Section 7 (b.), to make rules and regulations and issue administrative issuances necessary to implement PRC functions.
The resolution also relies on Republic Act No. 8981, Section 7 (d), which authorizes PRC to approve examination results and publish the list of successful examinees.
The resolution amends Commission Resolution No. 298, series of 1994 for purposes of prescribing guidelines on releasing topnotchers.

The resolution requires a consistent written policy on releasing topnotchers in professional licensure examinations to avoid inconsistent implementation.
The resolution institutionalizes documentation and consistent implementation of the topnotcher release policy.
The resolution is intended to bestow honor and distinction on topnotchers and their colleges, and to motivate future examinees and colleges toward qualitative educational preparation.
The resolution is intended to align with the Department of Education’s “liberalization policy on the operation of schools” to upgrade the quality of graduates.

The resolution applies to the release of topnotchers examinees in professional licensure examinations conducted by the PRC.
The rank, name, college, and general average rating of topnotchers must be indicated in the official release of the examination results.
The release must include topnotchers only within the ranking limits required by the examinee-count thresholds.
The resolution governs the inclusion and publication of topnotchers in the context of general-circulation newspaper publication of examination results.

The release must include the first twenty (20) topnotchers when the examination has three thousand (3000) or more examinees, provided that the number of successful examinees is not less than one hundred (100).
The release must include the first ten (10) topnotchers when the examination has less than three thousand (3000) but not less than one hundred (100) examinees, provided that the number of successful examinees is not less than fifty (50).
When the required successful-examinee minimum thresholds are not met under the applicable examinee-count band, no listing of topnotchers shall be made.
For examinations divided into several grades, the total number of examinees for each grade controls whether the listing covers the top ten (10) or top twenty (20).

A topnotcher examinee whose examination papers are cancell able due to violation of the Instruction to Examinees must not be included in the list for publication in newspapers of general circulation.
The topnotcher’s rank in the top ten (10) or twenty (20) placements must be accompanied by the notation: “Name withheld pending investigation.”
If the examination papers are not cancelled, the examinee’s name must be inserted in the Table of Results.
When the name is inserted after a determination that the papers are not cancelled, an appropriate amendment of the official release must be made accordingly.

To be eligible as a topnotcher, the examinee must have taken a complete examination.
To be eligible as a topnotcher, the examinee must have not failed twice in previous examinations.

Professional Regulatory Boards, the Rating Division, and the Legal and Investigation Division must strictly implement the resolution.
A copy of the resolution must be furnished to the Department of Education (DepEd) for dissemination to all colleges with courses requiring licensure examination.

PRC must publish topnotcher information in the official examination-results release using the required fields: rank, name, college, and general average rating.
PRC must publish topnotchers only within the cutoffs tied to examinee count and successful examinee minimums: (20) with 3000+ and 100+ successful, or (10) with 100–2999 and 50+ successful.
PRC must withhold names and use “Name withheld pending investigation” where cancellation is tied to violation of the Instruction to Examinees pending determination.
PRC must list only eligible topnotchers who took a complete examination and have not failed twice in previous examinations.