Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 8) — The Supreme Court on Thursday announced the schedule for the 2023 Bar exams that will be held in September – two months earlier than usual.
“The rationale is both practical and societal: an earlier conduct of the examinations means an earlier release of examination results. Successful Bar examinees can commence their practice of law as early as December 2023,” Associate Justice and 2023 Bar examinations chair Ramon Paul Hernando said.
“New lawyers may begin contributing to their families and to the society as members of the Bar in the same year they graduated from law school,” he added.
According to Bar Bulletin No. 1 series of 2023, the next Bar examination will be held on three non-consecutive days in a span of eight days — September 17 (Sunday), 20 (Wednesday), and 24 (Sunday).
It will be the third digitalized and regionalized Bar exams conducted by the Supreme Court.
The coverage of next year’s exams will be divided into six core subjects with two subjects to be taken per examination day.
Morning sessions will be from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, while afternoon sessions will be from 2:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Bar exams commonly take place during the second and third week of November.
In 2022, Bar exams were held on November 9, 13, 16, and 20, garnering a total of 9,196 examinees out of 10,006 applicants who participated in the venue selection and were assigned to their respective local testing centers.
The number is equivalent to 91.90% turnout of examinees.
Towards the end of the bulletin, Hernando penned a personal note to 2023 Bar applicants.
“Exploit your last semester in law school to the fullest and your law review courses to the last minute as opportunities for mastery. Do a careful reading of all official 2023 Bar Bulletins and issuances. Be vigilant against misinformation and disinformation, and be adaptable in overcoming post-pandemic challenges,” he said.
“Never waver. May your body be strong and your mind fortified as you step onto the final stretch of this journey,” he added.
