Comptroller's Office: Early Civil Service Regulations

Early Civil Service Regulations in Mexico's Comptroller's Office

Grounds for Disciplinary Action (1920s)

The following were grounds for disciplinary action within the Comptroller's Office in the 1920s:

• Residing outside the locality where the office providing the service is located, without due permission.
• Refusing to provide services where requested, in accordance with firm instructions and despite protest.
• Other serious cases that violate relevant regulations.
• Notorious lack of discipline and morality, including instances that lead to criminal charges.

At the time, consideration was given to incorporating this agreement into the Law and Regulations of the Comptroller, which eventually occurred.

Regulation of Examinations (1925-1927)

On June 25, 1925, the Comptroller General, Luis Montes de Oca, issued the Regulation of Examinations, which established the organization of synods and the procedure for conducting examinations. On October 15, 1926, a second regulation was issued, which was superseded in November 1927. This later regulation is the focus of the following analysis.

New Organic Law of the Comptroller and Examination Requirements

By 1927, the new Organic Law of the Comptroller was issued, requiring admission by examination, which the regulation would govern. The following individuals were exempt from examination:

• Auditors, sub-auditors, and bureau chiefs.
• Specialists providing incidental and temporary services.
• Temporary employees.
• Those with certificates demonstrating their qualifications for the job.
• Employees seeking promotion to the immediately superior position, with the Comptroller's authorization.
• Employees who had left the Comptroller's Office within the previous two years, provided they returned to a similar position obtained through examination.

Examination Modalities and Grading

The examinations consisted of oral, written, and practical components, with a time limit for each, not exceeding five hours in total. A scale of values determined the final grade:

• Up to 20: Bad
• 21 to 40: Medium
• 41 to 60: Good
• 61 to 80: Very Good
• 81 to 100: Perfectly Well

The required minimum score was 41 points. The examination system was random, using chips placed in a jar. The candidate picked three chips, which, in the case of written evidence, were used to develop the themes outlined. The judgments of the jury, composed of a chairman, secretary, and board member, were final and could not be appealed. In case of a tie, preference was given based on the following criteria:

• If both candidates were in civil service, the one with the best record.
• If both were external candidates, the one deemed fittest by the Comptroller.

Further Improvements

Many other improvements were made in the internal organization of the Comptroller's Office, as well as in its responsibilities. The Department of the Comptroller, being relatively new, was in an ideal position to be modified and substantially improve its work processes. The fact that it was the birthplace of civil service implementation in the Mexican post-revolutionary public administration is a testament to this.