MERIT SYSTEM. 829

ARTICLE 64A.

MERIT SYSTEM.

9. Examinations; credits allowed.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 9. 1920, ch. 41, sec. 9. 1920, ch. 658. 1931, ch. 119.
9. Examinations held by the Commissioner to establish lists of persons
eligible for appointment may be written or oral or in the form of a
demonstration of skill or any combination of these and shall be of a

character fairly to test and determine the relative figures and ability of
candidates actually to perform the duties of the class of positions to which
they seek to be appointed. Any investigation of training and experience
and any test of technical knowledge, manual skill or physical fitness that
in the judgment of the Commissioner serves to this end may be employed.
Examination shall be competitive, free and open to all persons who may
be lawfully appointed to any position within the class for which the
examination is held, with such limitations as may be specified in the
rules by the Commissioner as to age, sex, health, habits, moral character,
physical condition, and other qualifications that are in the judgment of
the Commissioner prerequisite to the performance of the duties of such
positions; provided, however, that the Commissioner may, from time to
time, provide for general rules exempting from competitive examinations,
positions to be filled by unskilled manual laborers, including positions for
road patrolmen under the State Roads Commission, and may, if he sees
fit, provide in lieu of said competitive. examinations such system or
systems of registration for said laborers or otherwise as in its judgment
will best provide for such positions; and provided further as to all positions
that the Commissioner may by his rules give preference in competition
for higher classes of positions to classified service employees or to classified
service employees of a certain class or classes by giving credit for experi-
ence and demonstrated efficiency (not to exceed twenty per centum of all
marks) in determining the relative fitness for promotion of such em-
ployees. Honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, marines and regularly

enlisted army and navy nurses engaged in the service of the United States
at a time when the United States was at war with another nation and who
were residents of this. State at the time of their entry into such service,
shall be given special credit for such service in the experience markings
of examinations in which they may compete, which shall be equivalent to
not less than twenty points on a basis of one hundred.

Promotion is a change from one class to another class with a higher

maximum compensation, and vacancies shall be filled by promotion as far