Continue to decentralize authority on civil servant examinations and promotions

In order to continue to implement civil service reform, innovate the method of managing the team, reform administrative procedures in accordance with the policy of ensuring "strong and reasonable decentralization and delegation of power between the Central and local levels, between superiors and subordinates, linking authority with responsibility" in Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW (some issues on continuing to innovate and reorganize the apparatus of the political system to be streamlined, operate effectively and efficiently) and reduce the burden on the team of cadres and civil servants, the Ministry of Home Affairs said it is proposing to continue to decentralize the authority on promotion exams and consideration of promotion of civil servants as prescribed in Decree 138/2020/ND-CP (on recruitment, use and management of civil servants).

Specific regulations on principles for considering promotion for civil servants

The Ministry of Home Affairs reviews and adjusts the regulations on the authority to conduct promotion exams in the direction of decentralization to ministries, branches and localities to decide on the organization without having to have the consensus of the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the same time, supplement the regulations on the responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs in building a question bank and answers for the General Knowledge subject and publicize them on the Ministry's electronic information portal so that the competent authority organizing the promotion exam for civil servants can consider and decide on the development of the General Knowledge exam; do not continue to stipulate that the Ministry of Home Affairs provides software to organize promotion exams for ministries, branches and localities to ensure the initiative of the agencies, avoiding the situation of having to have software provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs to be able to organize promotion exams.

Cases considered for promotion of civil servants are: having achievements in public service activities recognized by competent authorities; being appointed to leadership and management positions associated with the requirements of the job position.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said that the principle for considering civil servant promotion is that the person being considered for promotion must fully meet the requirements on capacity, professional qualifications, expertise; diplomas, certificates and other requirements on professional standards, and must be holding a rank adjacent to the expected appointment rank of the expected appointment rank; must not be under disciplinary action, being prosecuted, investigated, prosecuted, or tried, and must not be in the period of implementing regulations related to discipline according to the Party's regulations and the law.

The consideration of promotion for civil servants with achievements in public service activities must ensure compliance with the rank structure approved by competent authorities; achievements must be achieved during the time holding the current civil servant rank (not counting equivalent ranks) and ensure job placement in a job position suitable for the rank being considered.

The consideration of promotion for civil servants appointed to leadership and management positions and titles must be based on the appointed positions and titles being consistent with the functions and tasks of the agency, organization or unit as prescribed by law.

Based on the job position and the civil servant rank structure (for civil servants not holding leadership or management positions) of the civil servant employing agency approved by the competent authority, within 30 days from the date the civil servant meets all the standards and conditions, the civil servant employing agency shall report to the competent authority for consideration and decision on the promotion of the civil servant when meeting the regulations.

The competent authority appointing to a civil servant rank is responsible before the law for the standards and conditions of civil servants considered for promotion and for keeping and managing civil servant rank promotion consideration records according to the provisions of law.

Reduce conditions for promotion consideration

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the requirements for promotion when having achievements in public service activities have also changed a lot in the direction of reducing the conditions, making it more favorable and easier for civil servants. If previously, the conditions for promotion from the staff rank or equivalent to the officer rank or equivalent; from the officer rank or equivalent to the specialist rank or equivalent, civil servants had to be awarded a Certificate of Merit from the Prime Minister and twice achieved the title of Emulation Fighter at the grassroots level, now they only need to meet one of two conditions. One is to be awarded a Certificate of Merit from the ministry, department, branch, province or higher for achievements in work and be assessed and classified as having completed the task well or better in the year of work immediately preceding the year of promotion consideration. Two is to have 3 years of work immediately preceding the year of promotion consideration and be assessed and classified as having completed the task well or better, of which 1 year was assessed and classified as having completed the task excellently.

Similarly, for promotion from specialist or equivalent to senior specialist or equivalent, instead of having to simultaneously meet the conditions of "being awarded the Third Class Labor Medal and achieving the title of Emulation Fighter at the ministerial, department, branch, provincial, or central mass organization level" as before, civil servants only need to meet the conditions of being awarded the Third Class Labor Medal or higher and being assessed and classified as having completed their tasks well or better in the year of work immediately preceding the year of promotion; or being awarded the title of Emulation Fighter at the ministerial, department, branch, provincial level and having 3 consecutive years of work immediately preceding the year of promotion being assessed and classified as having completed their tasks well or better, including 1 year being assessed and classified as having completed their tasks excellently.

To be considered for promotion from the rank of senior specialist or equivalent to the rank of senior specialist or equivalent, the condition is that the civil servant must be awarded the Second Class Labor Medal or higher and have 3 consecutive years of work before the year of promotion and be assessed and classified as having completed the task well or better, of which 1 year was assessed and classified as having completed the task excellently; or be awarded the title of National Emulation Fighter. Meanwhile, the current regulation requires that the civil servant must be awarded the First Class Labor Medal or achieve the title of National Emulation Fighter.

Consider promotion when appointed to leadership and management positions

Also according to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry is proposing regulations to consider promotion to senior specialist or equivalent when appointed to the following positions and titles: Deputy Minister and equivalent; General Director and equivalent, Deputy General Director and equivalent of ministries; Department Head and equivalent of ministries, ministerial-level agencies, agencies under the Government; Department Director and equivalent or higher of provincial People's Committees.

Consider promotion to senior specialist or equivalent when appointed to the following positions and titles: Department Head and equivalent of a general department under a ministry; Deputy Department Head and equivalent of a ministry, ministerial-level agency, government agency, general department under a ministry; Deputy Director of Department and equivalent of a provincial People's Committee; Chairman of District People's Committee and equivalent.

Equivalent positions and titles in agencies of the People's Council, agencies of the Party and mass organizations are subject to this regulation. The consideration for promotion according to the above regulation does not apply to those who are assigned authority or are in charge of managing agencies, organizations and units.