Too Hard?

Browsing through the list of college graduates who had flunked an important U.S. civil service examination, a New York Times reporter uncovered what seemed to be a startling statistic. Of 1,800 women who took the test, only 45 were declared eligible to become Junior Management Assistants.* The men did a little better, but most of them failed too. That, the Times thought, raised the question whether the exam itself was not at fault, rather than the students.

The Government's special Joint Committee of Expert Examiners had already asked more than 100 educators for their opinions of the test. While the returns were still coming in last week, the committee stated its own case.

Is there any discrimination against women? No more than on any other civil service exam, said Chairman Albert J. Schaffer. Veterans get a break in the grading, and half the people who pass the J.M.A. tests pass on the basis of veterans' point preference. Is the test itself too hard? The committee thought that top-notch college students ought to be able to answer such questions as:

1. Surveillance means most nearly (a) continued confinement, (b) indefinite parole, (c) constant protection. (d) unwarranted suspicion, (e) close supervision.

II. Select the sentence that is preferable with respect to grammar and good usage in a formal letter or report. (a) Although that statement is true, I did not leave it influence my decision.

(b) My decision is not effected by that statement even though it is true, (c) Although true, I have not let that statement influence my decision, (d) That statement is true, but it does not affect my decision, (e) Because that statement is true does not have any effect on my decision.

III. The weight of water is 62.4 pounds per cubic foot. What is the weight of the water that fills a rectangular container 6 inches by 6 inches by 1 foot? (a) 32.2 pounds, (b) 15.6 pounds, (c) 10.4 pounds, (d) 12.48 pounds, (e) none of these. (For answers see footnote.)

Through such tests over the past three years, the Government had apparently been getting just what it wanted in the way of $3,100-a-year junior management assistants. Of 36,000 hopefuls who took the J.M.A. exams, only about 2,000 passed, and only 1,600 were hired to start the long climb toward top-level jobs that pay up to $14,000 a year.

* A general title covering such grade-five positions as administrative assistant, budget analyst, foreign affairs analyst, economist, information specialist.

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