The Civil Guard has announced the suspension of the entrance exam for the armed institute that was scheduled to take place on Sunday, September 29th, citing an error in the labeling of one of the boxes containing the exams for the second day of testing. The exams were to be held between Saturday and Sunday with over 26,000 candidates vying for 2,700 positions. The error in labeling was detected in one of the boxes containing the knowledge exams for entry into the Scale of Corporals and Guards of the Civil Guard, leading to the suspension of the tests scheduled for Sunday, September 29th.
More than 26,332 individuals across Spain have been called to fill one of the 2,721 positions available this year to join as corporals and guards of the Civil Guard. Out of the positions, 1,432 are open to the public, while 1,089 are reserved for military personnel. Among the candidates, 8,319 are women, accounting for almost a third of the total, and 5,279 have a university degree. The average age of the candidates is 28 years old, with half falling between the ages of 20 and 30.
Various associations of Civil Guard members have criticized the error in the handling of the exams this weekend, resulting in the suspension of Sunday’s tests, calling it unacceptable and a debacle. The spokesman for the National Association of Civil Guards (AUGC), Pedro Carmona, expressed regret over the uncertainty caused among the candidates who had invested time and effort to prepare for the exams. The AUGC advocates for a single-day exam for all candidates to ensure a fair and transparent process, as well as to prevent variations in difficulty based on the day of testing.
The opposition phase consists of four tests, including a knowledge exam, a physical assessment, a personal interview, and a medical examination. The knowledge exam is administered in 19 locations across 12 autonomous communities in Spain. Prior to the testing phase, candidates underwent an initial assessment of their qualifications and merits to meet the minimum requirements for participation in the exams, such as being between 18 and 40 years old, being a Spanish citizen, having no criminal record, and possessing at least a high school diploma.
Those who successfully complete the competition and exam phase will join the Guardia Civil Academy in Baeza (Jaén) and the College of Young Guards Duque de Ahumada in Valdemoro (Madrid), where they will undergo professional training for one academic year. Associations representing Civil Guard members have raised concerns over the impact on candidates who had to travel or make hotel reservations, urging affected individuals to file complaints with the Directorate General of the Guardia Civil to address the situation. The suspension of the exams has caused uncertainty among the aspirants regarding the rescheduled date and financial inconvenience due to travel and accommodation expenses.
