THE Supreme Court announced its decision on Tuesday to reschedule the conduct of the 2020/2021 Bar examination from November 2021 to early next year due to the current Covid-19 situation in the country.
In its Bar Bulletin 28, S. 2021, the Office of the 2020/2021 Bar Chairman Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said aspiring lawyers would have to wait until January to take the exams.
Instead of the four Sundays of this coming November, Justice Leonen said the 2020/2021 Bar will be held on January 16, 23, 30, and February 6, 2022.
The rescheduling of the exams, according to Leonen, was decided “after considering the Covid-19 situation nationally and in all the testing sites, as well as receiving advice from various experts.”
He added that the delay is necessary “to assure the highest level of safety for all the bar applicants and personnel.”
However, Leonen said the application period would no longer be reopened.
“All preparatory activities for the Bar Examinations, including the selection of the bar applicants of their venue, downloading of the secure exam delivery program, and other activities shall continue,” Leonen said.
He advised aspiring lawyers to treat the long wait as an opportunity to further prepare themselves for the Bar exams.
“Remember that you study not only to pass the bar examinations, but also so that you will best serve others. Study well, purposively and with passion,” Leonen added.
Leonen earlier announced that applicants for the 2020/2021 bar examinations who have yet to complete their online registration will have until September 24 to do so.
The announcement was made after the SC learned that many law graduates have not completed their registrations although the online applications for the Bar ended last September 15.
The Court has so far designated 24 testing centers nationwide for the bar examinations.
It said that four other testing centers—three in Metro Manila and one in Central Luzon—are still being considered.
The Court earlier said it had allowed the regionalization of the next Bar examinations to reduce the examinees’ travel and accommodation expenses, as well as minimize their transit in compliance with existing health guidelines being implemented in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.