The Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service has established the following rules regarding the oral examination:
(a) When and where given. The oral examination will be given throughout the year at Washington and periodically in selected cities in the United States and, if circumstances permit, at selected Foreign Service posts.
(b) Eligibility. If a candidate's weighted average on the written examination is 70 or higher, the candidate will be eligible to take the oral examination. Candidates eligible for the oral examination will be given an opportunity and will be required to take the oral examination within 9 months after the date of the written examination. If a candidate fails to appear for the oral examination on an agreed date within the 9-month period, the candidacy will automatically terminate, except that time spent outside the United States and its territories, for reasons acceptable to the Board of Examiners, will not be counted against the 9-month period. The candidacy of anyone for whom the 9-month period is extended because of being abroad will be automatically terminated if the candidate fails to appear for the oral examination within 3 months after first returning to the United States: Provided, That the candidacy of anyone who has not returned and been examined in the meantime will be canceled 2 years after the end of the month in which the written examination was held.
(c) Examining process. (1) The oral examination will be given by a panel of deputy examiners approved by the Board of Examiners from a roster of Foreign Service officers, officers from the Department of State, and other Government agencies, and qualified private citizens who by prior service as members of selection boards or through other appropriate activities have demonstrated special qualifications for this work. Service as deputy examiners shall be limited to a maximum of 5 years, unless a further period is specifically authorized by the Board.
(1) The oral examination will be given by a panel of deputy examiners approved by the Board of Examiners from a roster of Foreign Service officers, officers from the Department of State, and other Government agencies, and qualified private citizens who by prior service as members of selection boards or through other appropriate activities have demonstrated special qualifications for this work. Service as deputy examiners shall be limited to a maximum of 5 years, unless a further period is specifically authorized by the Board.
(2) The examination will be conducted in the light of all available information concerning the candidate and will be designed to determine the candidate's: (i) Competence to perform the work of a Foreign Service officer at home and abroad; (ii) potential for growth in the Service; and (iii) suitability to serve as a representative of the United States abroad. Panels examining candidates for the Department of State will be chaired by a Foreign Service officer of the Department. Panels examining candidates for the U.S. Information Agency will be chaired by a Foreign Service officer of that Agency. Determinations of duly constituted panels of deputy examiners are final, unless modified by specific action of the Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service.
(3) Grading: Candidates appearing for the oral examination will be graded ``recommended'' or ``not recommended.'' If recommended, the panel will assign a grade which will be advisory to the Final Review Panel in determining the candidate's standing on the rank-order register of eligibles. The candidacy of anyone who is graded ``not recommended'' is automatically terminated and may not be considered again until the candidate has passed a new written examination.
(4) An investigation shall be conducted of candidates who have been graded ``recommended'' by the oral examining panel to determine loyalty to the Government of the United States and attachment to the principles of the Constitution. (22 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.) [37 FR 19356, Sept. 20, 1972, as amended at 38 FR 13640, May 24, 1973]