Guidelines on releasing topnotchers in licensure exams

The Commission prescribes these guidelines under its power under Section 5 of P.D. 223 to issue administrative issuances to enforce its functions and improve its services.
Section 5 (d) of P.D. 223 provides authority for the Commission to approve the release of examination results.
The Resolution is adopted through the Commission’s powers under Section 5 (n) and Section 5 (o) to prescribe, issue, and promulgate the guidelines.
The guidelines are designed to ensure consistent implementation of releasing topnotchers.
Releasing topnotchers with their schools is intended to bestow honor and distinction and to motivate future examinees and their colleges to excel through qualitative educational preparation, aligned with DECS’s “liberalization policy on the operation of schools”.

The rank, the name, the college, and the general average rating of topnotchers must be indicated in the official release of the examination results.
The release of topnotchers is limited strictly to the top placements determined by the examinee population thresholds in the examination.

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

For an examination with three thousand (3000) or more examinees, the official release must include the first twenty (20) topnotchers, provided that the number of successful examinees is not less than one hundred (100).
For an examination with less than three thousand but not less than 100 examinees, the official release must include the first ten (10) topnotchers, provided that the number of successful examinees is not less than fifty (50).
If the required successful-examinee minimums are not met, no listing of topnotchers shall be made.

If an examination is divided into several grades, the total number of examinees for each grade is the basis for listing the top ten (10) or top twenty (20) places.

A topnotcher examinee whose name is in the deferred-for-registration list due to non-compliance with certain requirement can still be listed as a topnotcher in the official release of successful examinees for publication in newspapers of general circulation.

A topnotcher examinee whose examination papers are cancellable due to violation of the Instruction to Examinees must not be included in the list for publication in newspapers of general circulation.
Where the examination papers are cancellable for the stated reason, the examinee’s rank in the top ten (10) to (20) placers must have the corresponding 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 papers are not cancelled, an appropriate amendment of the official release must be made accordingly.

The Professional Regulatory Boards, the Rating Division, and the Legal and Investigation Division must strictly implement the Resolution.
Copies of PRC Resolution No. 298 must be furnished to the DECS for dissemination to all colleges with courses requiring licensure examination.