Circular No. 34/2016/TT-BNNPTNT stipulates standards, conditions, contents, forms of examination and promotion review for career titles of civil servants in the agriculture and rural development sector.

CIRCULAR

REGULATIONS ON STANDARDS, CONDITIONS, CONTENT, AND FORMS OF EXAMINATION AND PROMOTION FOR PROFESSIONAL TITLES IN THE AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT FIELD FOR CIVIL SERVANTS SPECIALIZING IN AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Pursuant to the Civil Servant Law dated November 15, 2010;

Pursuant to Decree No. 29/2012/NĐ-CP dated April 12, 2012 of the Government on recruitment, utilization, and management of civil servants;

Pursuant to Decree No. 199/2013/NĐ-CP dated November 26, 2013 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development;

The phrase "or examination" is abolished pursuant to Clause 6, Article 8 of Circular No. 15/2025/TT-BVHTTDL dated November 25, 2025, of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism amending and supplementing certain articles of Circulars prescribing job codes, qualification standards, and salary grades for civil servants in the heritage culture, library, grassroots cultural activities, sports, fine arts, art performance, film, and cultural propaganda sectors, which takes effect from January 15, 2026.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development issues this Circular to regulate standards, conditions, content, and forms of examination and promotion for professional titles in the agriculture and rural development field for civil servants specializing in agriculture and rural development.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular regulates standards, conditions, content, and forms of examination and promotion for professional titles in the agriculture and rural development field for civil servants specializing in agriculture and rural development.

Article 2. Applicability

1. This Circular applies to civil servants specializing in agriculture and rural development working in public service units.

2. For civil servants currently holding professional titles of civil servants specializing in agriculture and rural development in public service units, this Circular may be applied to participate in examinations and promotions for professional titles.

Article 3. Principles of Examination and Promotion

The organization of examinations and promotions for professional titles for civil servants shall be carried out according to the following principles:

1. In accordance with authority, procedures, formalities, and regulations stipulated in the examination and promotion rules and internal regulations for civil servants.

2. Ensuring appropriate job positions and staffing structures for civil servants based on their professional titles in public service units.

3. Civil servants must meet the standards and conditions of the professional title they are registering for examination and promotion.

4. Ensuring equality, fairness, transparency, objectivity, and compliance with the law.

Chapter II

STANDARDS AND CONDITIONS FOR EXAMINATION AND PROMOTION OF PROFESSIONAL TITLES

Article 4. Standards and Conditions for Registering for Examinations and Promotions of Professional Titles

1. Civil servants who wish to register for examinations and promotions of professional titles must meet the following standards:

a) Meeting the general ethical standards of civil servants as specified in the professional title they are registering for examination and promotion.

b) Possessing adequate educational qualifications, training, and professional expertise as prescribed by the standards of the professional title at the level they are registering for examination and promotion.

2. In addition to meeting the standards set forth in Clause 1 of Article 4 of this Circular, civil servants registering for examinations and promotions of professional titles must also satisfy the following conditions:

a) The employing unit has a need and has issued a document nominating the civil servant to participate in the examination or promotion, which is sent to the competent authority organizing the examination or promotion.

b) Holding professional titles of civil servants specializing in agriculture and rural development, capable of undertaking tasks at the professional title they are registering for examination and promotion (at a higher level than the current held level within the same field).

c) Ensuring compatibility with job positions and staffing structures for civil servants based on their professional titles in public service units that have been approved.

d) Being evaluated and classified as having satisfactorily completed tasks or better by the employing unit over a continuous period of three years immediately preceding the submission of the application for registration for examination and promotion.

đ) Not being under disciplinary action or having received notice of potential disciplinary action from the competent authority or unit.

e) For civil servants applying for promotion from Level III to Level II, they must have held the Level III professional title for a minimum of nine years, including at least two years in the most recent period holding the Level III professional title corresponding to the one they are applying to promote to, up to the time of submitting the application.

g) For civil servants applying for promotion from Level IV to Level III, the time they have held the Level IV professional title is as follows:

In cases where they were initially recruited with an associate degree, they must have held the Level IV professional title for a minimum of two years up to the time of submitting the application.

In cases where they were initially recruited with a secondary vocational degree, they must have held the Level IV professional title for a minimum of three years up to the time of submitting the application.

Article 5. Application dossier for competitive examination and promotion to higher rank of occupational title

1. Application dossier for registration in competitive examination and promotion to higher rank of occupational title

a) Registration form for competitive examination and promotion to higher rank of occupational title according to Appendix 1 issued together with this Circular;

b) Brief curriculum vitae of the civil servant according to Model No. 2 issued together with Circular No. 12/2012/TT-BNV dated December 18, 2012 of the Ministry of Home Affairs on occupational titles and changes in occupational titles of civil servants (hereinafter referred to as Circular No. 12/2012/TT-BNV), confirmed by the agency or unit using or managing the civil servant;

c) Evaluation and assessment report by the head of the agency or unit using the civil servant who does not hold a managerial position or by the head of the agency or unit authorized to appoint managerial civil servants;

d) Photocopies of certificates and diplomas according to the registered occupational title for competitive examination and promotion to higher rank certified by the competent agency or unit or already compared with the original by the authorized person;

đ) Photocopies of decisions: Appointment to the civil servant's occupational title (previously classified as civil servant grade), most recent salary increase;

e) Health certificate issued by the competent health authority within 30 days from the final date of submission of the application dossier for competitive examination and promotion to higher rank of occupational title.

For cases exempted from taking the foreign language and information technology subjects: Submit photocopies of certificates and diplomas specified in Article 7 of this Circular certified by the competent agency or unit.

2. The retention and management of the application dossier for competitive examination and promotion to higher rank of occupational title from Class III to Class II and from Class IV to Class III for civil servants in the agriculture and rural development sector shall be retained and managed by the agency authorized to dispatch civil servants for competitive examination and promotion to higher rank of occupational title.

Chapter III

CONTENT AND FORM OF PROMOTION EXAMINATION FOR OCCUPATIONAL TITLES

Article 6. Content and form of competitive examination for promotion to higher rank of occupational title from Class III to Class II

Clause 1. Common knowledge subject

a) Examination form: Written examination (essay type).

Sub-clause b) Duration of examination: 180 minutes.

c) Examination content: Testing knowledge and understanding of civil servants regarding administrative reform, organizational and personnel management, state management of public services; Party guidelines and State policies and laws on agriculture and rural development; directions for development and challenges in state management of agriculture and rural development.

Clause 2. Professional subject

a) Examination form: Multiple choice or practical test decided by the examination board.

b) Examination time: 45 minutes for multiple choice or 30 minutes for practical test.

c) Examination content: Assessing and evaluating the level, capacity, skills, and proposed solutions of civil servants to current issues in practice in accordance with the standards of professional qualifications and expertise at the rank being examined.

Clause 3. Foreign language subject

a) Examination form: Written examination.

b) Examination time: 90 minutes.

c) Examination content: Foreign language examination at the standard of Class II occupational title.

4. Computer Science subject

a) Examination form: Multiple choice or computer-based practical test.

b) Examination time: 45 minutes.

c) Examination content: Testing knowledge of Windows operating system, use of Microsoft Office applications, and Internet usage.

Article 7. Conditions for Exemption from Foreign Language and Information Technology Subjects

1. Exemption from Foreign Language Subject

A civil servant participating in the examination for promotion to a higher rank, up to the final date of submitting the application form, shall be exempted from the foreign language subject if they meet one of the following conditions:

a) The civil servant holds a second bachelor's degree in a foreign language;

b) The civil servant holds a degree obtained at a level equal to or higher than the required level for their profession as specified in the job title standards for promotion, which was studied abroad or in a foreign language in Vietnam;

c) The civil servant works in an ethnic minority area and holds a certificate in an ethnic minority language issued by an authorized training institution;

d) The civil servant is an ethnic minority working in an ethnic minority area;

đ) As of December 31 of the year in which the examination for promotion to a higher rank is organized, the civil servant must be at least 55 years old for males and at least 50 years old for females.

2. Exemption from the information technology subject for civil servants who have graduated from a technical college in information technology or above.

Article 8. Organization of Examination for Promotion to a Higher Rank

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Home Affairs to organize the examination for promotion from Class III to Class II for civil servants in agricultural and rural development professions.

2. Based on the examination organization plan approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall establish the Examination Board for Promotion; decide the list of candidates after obtaining the unified opinion of the Ministry of Home Affairs according to Model No. 3 issued together with Circular No. 12/2012/TT-BNV; organize the examination for promotion in accordance with Circular No. 16/2012/TT-BNV dated December 28, 2012, of the Ministry of Home Affairs on Regulations on Recruitment and Selection of Civil Servants; Regulations on Examination for Promotion of Civil Servants; and Internal Rules for Recruitment and Promotion Examination of Civil Servants.

Chapter IV

CONTENTS, FORMS, AND ORGANIZATION OF PROMOTION TO A HIGHER RANK

Article 9. Contents, Forms, and Organization of Examination for Promotion from Class IV to Class III

1. The examination for promotion of civil servants in agricultural and rural development professions shall be conducted through the Promotion Examination Board in accordance with regulations.

2. The examination for promotion must comply with the principles and job title standards of the position being promoted. Civil servants registering for promotion from Class IV to Class III must meet all the criteria, conditions, and documents stipulated in Articles 4 and 5 of this Circular.

3. Form of Examination for Promotion: Document review and direct interview or practical demonstration.

4. Content, Time, and Scoring Method for Examination for Promotion

a) The content of the interview or practical demonstration must be based on the duties, competence, and professional qualifications of Class III positions in the registered profession, approved by the competent authority in the plan.

b) Interview time is 30 minutes (10 minutes preparation and 20 minutes answering); practical demonstration time is based on the specific nature of each registered profession, approved by the competent authority in the plan.

c) Scoring method:

The score for promotion is the score of the interview or practical demonstration, rated out of 100 points.

Based on the specific nature and characteristics of the professional work of the registered profession, the competent authority shall approve the scoring method for interviews or practical demonstrations in the plan.

5. Determination of Successful Candidates in the Examination for Promotion to a Higher Rank must meet the following conditions:

a) Submitting complete documents and participating in the interview or practical demonstration as prescribed;

b) Having a total score of the interview or practical demonstration of 55 points or higher.

Article 10. Organization for Promotion of Professional Rank

1. When considering promotion of staff members, a public service unit must establish a Board to examine the criteria and conditions of the staff members as stipulated in Articles 4 and 5 of this Circular.

2. Based on the results of the Board for Promotion of Professional Rank, the head of the public service unit shall issue a document (attached with files and a list of staff members) to request the superior agency or unit to review and send the list of staff members under consideration for promotion to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (through the Department of Organization and Cadres) or the People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city (through the Department of Personnel Affairs) for consensus before deciding the list of staff members under consideration according to Model No. 3 issued together with Circular No. 12/2012/TT-BNV. After completion, report the results to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Home Affairs for monitoring and consolidation.

Article 11. Board for Promotion of Professional Rank

1. The Board for Promotion of Professional Rank (hereinafter referred to as the Board) shall be established by the head of the agency or unit authorized to conduct promotions in accordance with Article 13 of Circular No. 12/2012/TT-BNV. The Board operates for each promotion period and dissolves itself after completing its tasks.

2. The Board may use the seal and account of the agency or unit authorized to conduct promotions in its activities.

3. The composition of the Board for Promotion of Professional Rank consists of 5 or 7 members, including:

a) The Chairman of the Board is the head or deputy head of the public service unit;

b) Other Board members are representatives from specialized departments of the public service unit, including representatives from the department where the staff member being promoted works, representatives from the department responsible for organizational and cadre affairs, and one Board member who also serves as the Secretary of the Board.

In cases where the public service unit does not have enough 5 members to form a Board as prescribed or the staff member being considered for promotion is the head of the public service unit, the immediate superior unit of the public service unit shall establish a Board for Promotion of Staff Members. The Board for Promotion has 5 or 7 members decided by the head of the agency or unit that is the immediate superior of the public service unit.

Article 12. Duties and Authorities of Board Members

1. Chairperson

a) Responsible for organizing the implementation of the Board's tasks as prescribed, directing the promotion process in accordance with the regulations set forth in this Circular;

b) Assigning responsibilities to each Board member;

c) Deciding to establish a verification and examination board;

d) Organizing the development of interview or practical content in accordance with regulations, ensuring confidentiality;

đ) Organizing interviews or practical examinations and compiling the results of the promotion process as prescribed;

e) Reporting to the head of the agency or unit authorized to conduct promotions as prescribed;

g) Resolving complaints and denunciations during the organization of the promotion period.

2. Board members assigned specific tasks by the Chairman of the Board to ensure that the Board's activities comply with regulations.

3. The Board member兼任秘书帮助主席

a) Prepare necessary documents and materials for the Board and record minutes of Board meetings;

b) Organize and prepare materials to guide review sessions for staff members applying for promotion;

c) Organize the registration fee collection for promotion applications, manage expenses, and settle registration fees according to regulations;

d) Compile and report the results of the selection process to the Board.

Article 13. Examination and Testing Board

1. The Examination and Testing Board shall be established by the Chairman of the Council and shall consist of the Head and members.

2. Duties and powers of the Head of the Examination and Testing Board

a) Assist the Chairman of the Council in developing the content of interviews or practical examinations and organizing the implementation of interviews or practical examinations for officials applying for promotion in accordance with regulations; score the application files of officials applying for promotion;

b) Organize and arrange interviewers or examiners to ensure that each person participating in interviews or practical examinations must have at least two (2) scorers for interviews or practical examinations;

c) Summarize the results of interviews or practical examinations and hand over the minutes and scoring sheets to the Council Member兼任秘书；keep the interview or practical examination scores confidential;

d) Report to the Chairman of the Council on the decision regarding the results of interviews or practical examinations of officials when the scores given by the scorers differ from each other by more than ten percent (10%) compared to the maximum score for the same interview or practical examination.

3. Duties and powers of members of the Examination and Testing Board

a) Participate in developing the content of interviews or practical examinations and reviewing the application files of officials applying for promotion according to the assignment of the Head of the Examination and Testing Board;

b) Conduct interviews or practical examinations and score officials according to the correct answers and grading scale of the interview or practical examination content;

c) Report any violations during the organization of interviews or practical examinations to the Head of the Examination and Testing Board and propose disciplinary measures.

4. Criteria for members of the Examination and Testing Board

a) Individuals appointed as members of the Examination and Testing Board must be civil servants from the rank of specialist or equivalent, officials in professional positions at level III or higher in the relevant field for promotion, managers, scientists, lecturers with postgraduate qualifications;

b) Individuals who are parents, children, siblings, or spouses' parents or siblings of officials applying for promotion, individuals who are parents, siblings, or spouses' parents or siblings of officials applying for promotion, and individuals currently under disciplinary review or serving a disciplinary decision shall not be appointed as members of the Examination and Testing Board.

Article 14. Procedures for Promotion Review

1. Steps for organizing the promotion review

a) At least fifteen (15) days before the date of the interview or practical examination, the Council sends a notice summoning officials to participate in the interview or practical examination; notify the specific time and location for review sessions (if any) and the location for the interview or practical examination for officials meeting the conditions for promotion review;

b) One (1) day before the date of the interview or practical examination, the Council publicly posts the list of officials by registration number and by room for the interview or practical examination; layout diagrams of the rooms; Promotion Review Regulations as per Appendix 2 issued together with this Circular;

c) One (1) day before the promotion review, the Council Member兼任秘书must complete preparatory work for the promotion review period: prepare related forms for organizing the promotion review; list of officials to be called before the date of the interview or practical examination; list for officials to sign confirmation after the date of the interview or practical examination; form for the handover record of questions; form for handling violations of the promotion review regulations; form for handing over results before the date of the interview or practical examination; prepare identification cards for Council members, Examination and Testing Board members.

2. Organization of interviews or practical examinations

a) The Chairman of the Council selects interview or practical examination questions, ensuring that each specialty has at least two (2) extra questions compared to the number of officials applying for promotion in that specialty, which are duplicated for officials to draw;

b) The structure of the content of interview or practical examination questions must ensure accuracy and scientific rigor. Each question must have detailed answers and grading scales; interview or practical examination questions must be sealed in envelopes, sealed, and stored according to confidential document procedures; the handover of interview or practical examination questions must be recorded in a protocol;

c) When scoring interviews or practical examinations, scorers must act independently; if the scores of two (2) scorers differ by ten percent (10%) or less from the maximum score, the average score is taken; if the difference exceeds ten percent (10%) of the maximum score, the results are transferred to the Head of the Examination and Testing Board;

d) The interview or practical examination scores must be summarized in a result sheet signed by the scorers and handed over to the Head of the Examination and Testing Board.

3. Summary of promotion review results

a) After organizing the interview or practical examination, the Head of the Examination and Testing Board hands over the interview or practical examination results of officials applying for promotion to the Council Member兼任秘书；

b) The Council Member兼任秘书is responsible for summarizing the promotion review results of officials based on the interview or practical examination scores to report to the Council;

c) The Chairman of the Council reports to the authority with the power to review and decide on the recognition of the promotion review results.

4. Handover of interview or practical examination results as stipulated in Point d, Clause 2 and Point a, Clause 3 of this Article must be confirmed by a protocol.

Article 15. Supervision of the Promotion Examination Period

1. The supervision of the promotion examination period shall be carried out pursuant to the decision of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province or centrally governed city.

2. The content of supervision includes: Implementation of regulations on organizing the promotion examination period; regarding files; standards and conditions for civil servants registering for the promotion examination; implementation of the Regulation and the content of organizing the promotion examination period.

3. The location of supervision: At the workplace of the Board, interview or practical examination site.

4. When discovering violations that require a record, the supervisor has the right to record the violations of the Board member, inspection team member, examiner, and civil servant participating in the promotion examination.

5. Persons appointed to supervise the promotion examination period must wear identification cards and comply with the promotion examination period regulation when performing their duties.

Article 16. Archiving Documents

1. Documents related to the promotion examination period

Documents on organizing the promotion examination period issued by the head of the agency or unit authorized to organize the promotion examination; documents of the Board, minutes of Board meetings, consolidated list of civil servants participating in the promotion examination; handover records for interviews or practical examinations; records of violations of the promotion examination regulation (if any); summary tables of interview or practical examination results, promotion examination results; decisions recognizing the results of the promotion examination, conclusions on handling complaints and denunciations (if any).

2. Within ten (10) days from the end of the promotion examination period, the Board member兼任秘书负责：

a) Handing over to the agencies or units authorized to organize the promotion examination for archiving and managing the documents related to the promotion examination period as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article;

b) Handing over to the unit responsible for managing the civil servant's file the entire file of the civil servant who registered for the promotion examination.

Chapter V

IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 17. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from February 8, 2017.

2. This Circular replaces Decision No. 58/2000/QĐ-BNN dated May 25, 2000 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the issuance of regulations for civil service grade advancement examinations in the agriculture and rural development sector and previous documents regulating grade advancement and category transfer for specialized civil servants in the agriculture and rural development sector.

3. Civil servants participating in the 2017 grade advancement examination for specialized positions in the agriculture and rural development sector are not required to have training certificates according to the position standards. Within six (6) months from the date the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issues the training program according to the position standards, the competent authority managing and using civil servants must arrange for civil servants who participated in the 2017 grade advancement examination for specialized positions in the agriculture and rural development sector to attend training courses to complete the grade standards. In cases where civil servants assigned to training to complete the grade standards do not participate in the training course or fail to meet the requirements, they will be considered as failing to fulfill their duties, and the employing agency must assign them other work at an appropriate level.

Article 18. Responsibility for Implementation

1. Ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies, provincial people's committees, centrally governed city people's committees, public service units shall base on the standards and conditions stipulated in this Circular within their respective authorities to appoint civil servants to participate in the grade advancement examination; organize grade advancement examinations for specialized civil servants in the agriculture and rural development sector in accordance with the provisions of the law.

2. During the implementation process, if there are difficulties, please reflect them to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for guidance or consideration and resolution./.