NRC Generic Letter 84-06, Operator and Senior Operator License Examination Criteria For Passing Grade

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WASHINGTON, D. C.20555

April 16, 1984

TO ALL NON-POWER REACTOR LICENSEES

Gentlemen:

Subject: Operator and Senior Operator License Examination Criteria for Passing Grade (Generic Letter No. 84-06)

The NRC is in the process of revising the Examiner Standards that provide guidance for the administration of examinations to non-power license candidates. The guidance for power reactors has already been modified to reflect changes made since the TMI-2 accident and issued as NUREG-1021, "Operator Licensing Examiner Standards." The non-power reactor guidance is still in the process of revision and will be issued as an addendum to NUREG-1021 when completed. This generic letter is intended to real-firm the passing grade criteria for operator and senior operator license examinations at non-power reactors pending the revision of NUREG-1021 to incorporate these requirements.

Following the TMI-2 accident, the passing criteria for power reactors were revised to 80% overall and 70% in each category of the written examination. We evaluated the need to raise the passing criteria for non-power reactors to the higher levels. However, since non-power reactors are less complex and pose significantly less of a hazard to public health and safety, we have determined that the same passing criteria on the written examination for non-power reactors is not needed.

The current Examiner Standards applicable to non-power reactors (ES-203, 2/15/69) advise examiners to structure the written examinations such that a qualified operator would score above 70% on the entire examination and in each category. Therefore, a candidate will be required to achieve a score of 70% or greater in each category of the examination in order to pass the non-power reactor operator or senior operator written examination.

As stated in 10 CFR Part 55.12, "Reapplications," the Commission may in its discretion grant requests for waivers on portions of the examination which have been previously passed. Although each waiver must be considered on a case-by-case basis the following general guidance will apply:

1. Candidates who score greater than 70% overall, but score less than 70%

on no more than 3 operator or 2 senior operator categories and also pass the operating test (if administered), will be required to retake only those categories that were failed.2. Candidates who score less than 70% overall, regardless of the number of categories less than 70%, will be required to retake the entire examination.

The criteria stated in this letter are effective as of February 13, 1984. This letter is for information only and contains no reporting requirement.

Sincerely,

Darrell G. Eisenhut, Director Division of Licensing