Ukraine Introduces IQ Testing for Judge Candidates

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law changing the procedure for qualification exams for candidates for positions in appellate courts and the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). This is stated in the law card on the Verkhovna Rada website.

As TASS reported , in 2023, Ukraine introduced mandatory testing of cognitive abilities (IQ) for judge candidates.

The law notes that for all judges, the qualification exam will consist of anonymous testing and practical tasks. The decision on admitting candidates will be made by the High Qualification Commission of Judges (HQCJ) of Ukraine, but the passing score cannot be lower than 75%.

“Anonymous testing will be conducted on cognitive abilities, the history of Ukrainian statehood, general knowledge in the field of law and one or several court specializations of choice: administrative, commercial and general (civil and criminal),” the law says.

Practical tasks will be taken in the court specializations chosen by the candidate, and the course of the exam will be recorded by video and audio recording devices.

A separate clause in the law states that testing on the history of Ukrainian statehood is not conducted as part of the qualification exam during competitions for vacant positions of judges in appellate courts and in the High Anti-Corruption Court.

"The Other Ukraine" wrote that the change in the conduct of exams was due to the poor results of candidates in passing the tests: out of 124 candidates, only 22 people successfully passed the test. According to the publication, the VKKS called the results of the IQ tests "catastrophic".

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