SC to hold ‘mock bar exams’ Jan. 31

MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday announced that it will conduct a pilot mock bar examination on Jan. 31 in preparation for the digitalized bar examinations scheduled in November.

In a statement, the SC said the simulation is being undertaken in coordination with the Philippine Associate of Law Schools (PALS), non-profit international development organization The Asia Foundation, and ExamSoft. The mock test will involve around 120 students in Baguio City, Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

“The examinations will be a small-scale simulation of the actual bar examinations using computer software, proctored both physically and virtually,” the SC said, adding that “the goal of this exercise is to improve on the procedures and technical specifications” for the localized bar examinations.

Pre-selected students must apply through the SC’s online portal starting Jan. 12 with a deadline for applications on Jan. 20.

Selected examinees’ grades for the mock bar exams will not be part of the actual bar examinations and no merit /demerit shall be received by students who participate should they later take the actual bar examinations.

In September last year, the high court announced that the next Bar examinations for aspiring lawyers will be held in November this year.

Last April, the SC decided to postpone the 2020 Bar examinations to next year in view of the increasing number of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases in the country, the social and economic disruption caused by the pandemic, and the movement restrictions due to community quarantine protocols.

The exams are usually conducted in Manila on all Sundays of November every year.

A total of 2,103 examinees or 27.36 percent of the 7,685 takers passed the 2019 Bar examinations.