The Supreme Court comments on the law to abolish the IQ test
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On Monday, December 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law abolishing the mandatory IQ test for candidates applying for positions in appellate courts and the High Anti-Corruption Court. As a result, the 75% passing threshold for the cognitive test will be eliminated, and the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) will set it independently.
The new law was commented on by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ukraine, Stanislav Kravchenko, during a Den.LIVE broadcast.
How the law will change the selection of candidates for positions in the HACC and appellate courts
After the amendments, candidates will have the opportunity to choose a specialization when taking the qualification exam. Meanwhile, ongoing competitions, including those for appellate courts and the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC), will not include testing on the history of Ukrainian statehood.
The new testing format will cover topics such as the history of Ukrainian statehood, general legal knowledge, and specialization-specific knowledge related to the court's focus—administrative, commercial, or general jurisdiction. Practical tasks will also pertain to the chosen specialization.
The Judges’ Commission will determine the format of the tests and practical tasks, while the program and list of questions will be published 30 days before the exam. Additionally, the HQCJ will decide on the passing score for the cognitive abilities test.
Kravchenko approves the abolition of the IQ test
In an interview with Dут.LIVE, Supreme Court Chief Justice Stanislav Kravchenko said that the adoption of this law is a positive initiative. He explained that such tests were already slowing down the process of recruiting judges.
"These tests are currently extremely difficult. If we are implementing reforms, they must be clear. We have competitive procedures where judges have been waiting for eight to ten years. This has led to a situation where no judges have been appointed to appellate courts. What are we talking about if we lack the essential component? We have a serious problem. At least half of the judicial positions are vacant," Kravchenko said.
As a reminder, Volodymyr Zelenskyy also signed a law on the return to service of military personnel who had left their units without permission, and in late November he passed a law on tax increase.
