NRC Generic Letter 1984-06

NRC Generic Letter 1984-006: Operator and Senior Operator License Examination Criteria for Passing Grade

ML031150653
Person / Time
Issue date:	04/16/1984
From:	Eisenhut D G Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
To:
References
NUREG-1021 GL-84-006, NUDOCS 8404160165
Download: ML031150653 (6)

April 16, 1984TO ALL NON-POWER REACTOR LICENSEESGentlemen:Subject: Operator and Senior Operator License Examination Criteria forPassing Grade (Generic Letter No. 84-06)The NRC is in the process of revising the Examiner Standards that provideguidance for the administration of examinations to non-power licensecandidates. The guidance for power reactors has already been modified toreflect changes made since the T111-2 accident and issued as NUREG-1021,"Operator Licensing Examiner Standards." The non-power reactor guidance isstill in the process of revision and will be issued as an addendum toNUREG-1021 when completed. This generic letter is intended to reaffirm thepassing grade criteria for operator and senior operator license examinationsat non-power reactors pending the revision of NUREG-1021 to incorporate theserequirements.Following the TMI-2 accident, the passing criteria for power reactors wererevised 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 tothe higher levels. However, since non-power reactors are less complex andpose significantly less of a hazard to public health and safety, we havedetermined that the same passing criteria on the written examination fornon-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 aqualified operator would score above 700 on the entire examination and ineach category. Therefore, a candidate will be required to achieve a score of70% or greater in each category of the examination in order to pass thenon-power reactor operator or senior operator written examination.As stated in 10 CFR Part 55.12, "Reapplications," the Commission may in itsdiscretion grant requests for waivers on portions of the examination whichhave been previously passed. Although each waiver must be considered on acase-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 lthe operating test (if administered), will be required to retake only N othose categories that were failed. /8404160165OFFICEt.......... .. .................... .......... ...................... .................. ..................... ........... ................... .......... ............................. ....................SURNAMED]INRAC E ................... ..................... ...F 3 .................. ..................... .......................................... ....................DT .................. .... ................... ..... ................... ..... ................... ..... ................... ..... .................. ..... ..................NRC FORM3i16 (0/80) NRCM 0240 O FFICIA L R EC O RD C OPY *5G018-0-4 I , t -.' ' tI,..._ ._..1 '.;-447OMPb4 'Ti-2-70% overall, regardless of the number ofbe required to retake the entire2. Candidates who score less thancategories less than 70%, willexamination.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,Origlnal s dbDa.re,, G. leh\Darrell G. Eisenhut, DirectorDivision of Licensing.OFFICEO .. .I SURNAMEO horn cc GHi ~D T ..................... .! DATE > 33 84 /N R C F O M .8 ............ ......0NRC FORM 318 110/801 NRCM 0240q I .1l (tn/I,..e..............iolahan, ................................;. ;......* : .............0ELYW fr-.................. ....... ...............('ID.S6 wj........... .........................b .....84--IIOFFICIAL RECORD COPY *US. GPO 1983-400-247

0 UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONWASHINGTON. D. C. 20555April 16, 1984TO ALL NON-POWER REACTOR LICENSEESGentlemen:Subject: Operator and Senior Operator License Examination Criteria forPassing Grade (Generic Letter No. 84-06)The NRC is in the process of revising the Examiner Standards that provideguidance for the administration of examinations to non-power licensecandidates. The guidance for power reactors has already been modified toreflect changes made since the TMI-2 accident and issued as NUREG-1021,"Operator Licensing Examiner Standards." The non-power reactor guidance isstill in the process of revision and will be issued as an addendum toNUREG-1021 when completed. This generic letter is intended to reaffirm thepassing grade criteria for operator and senior operator license examinationsat non-power reactors pending the revision of NUREG-1021 to incorporate theserequirements.Following the TMI-2 accident, the passing criteria for power reactors wererevised 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 tothe higher levels. However, since non-power reactors are less complex andpose significantly less of a hazard to public health and safety, we havedetermined that the same passing criteria on the written examination fornon-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 aqualified operator would score above 70% on the entire examination and ineach category. Therefore, a candidate will be required to achieve a score of70X or greater in each category of the examination in order to pass thenon-power reactor operator or senior operator written examination.As stated in 10 CFR Part 55.12, "Reapplications," the Commission may in itsdiscretion grant requests for waivers on portions of the examination whichhave been previously passed. Although each waiver must be considered on acase-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 passthe operating test (if administered), will be required to retake onlythose categories that were failed.Th- ,t5 & T- ]N i P

-I-2 -2. Candidates who scorecategories less thanexamination.less than 70% overall, regardless of the number of70%, will be required to retake the entireThe criteria stated in this letter are effective as of February 13, 1984.ThMS letter is for information only and contains no reporting requirement.Sincerely,ise u i DrcorDivision o Licensing,L'-' :S-

-1 .- .... i I .1. -q.-_ __:_ __ " I -_ -1 1, _ I -.. .. ..°$ UNITED STATESNUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONWASHINGTON, 0. C. 20555April 16, 1984TO ALL NON-POWER REACTOR LICENSEESGentlemen:Subject: Operator and Senior Operator License Examination Criteria forPassing Grade (Generic Letter No. 84-06)The NRC is in the process of revising the Examiner Standards that provideguidance for the administration of examinations to non-power licensecandidates. The guidance for power reactors has already been modified toreflect changes made since the TMI-2 accident and issued as NUREG-1021,"Operator Licensing Examiner Standards." The non-power reactor guidance isstill in the process of revision and will be issued as an addendum toNUREG-1021 when completed. This generic letter is intended to reaffirm thepassing grade criteria for operator and senior operator license examinationsat non-power reactors pending the revision of NUREG-1021 to incorporate theserequirements.Following the TMI-2 accident, the passing criteria for power reactors wererevised 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 tothe higher levels. However, since non-power reactors are less complex andpose significantly less of a hazard to public health and safety, we havedetermined that the same passing criteria on the written examination fornon-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 aqualified operator would score above 70% on the entire examination and ineach category. Therefore, a candidate will be required to achieve a score of70X or greater in each category of the examination in order to pass thenon-power reactor operator or senior operator written examination.As stated in 10 CFR Part 55.12, "Reapplications," the Commission may in itsdiscretion grant requests for waivers on portions of the examination whichhave been previously passed. Although each waiver must be considered on acase-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 passthe operating test (if administered), will be required to retake onlythose categories that were failed.

-2-2. Candidates who score less than 70% overall, regardless of the number ofcategories less than 70%, will be required to retake the entireexamination.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,