SC: Bar exam scores covered by data privacy

The Supreme Court (SC) clarified that Bar exam scores, considered sensitive personal information under the Data Privacy Act, cannot be disclosed without the consent of the examinees.

In Bar Matter 4968, the SC approved guidelines for law schools requesting Bar exam performance data. The guidelines permit disclosure only if scores are aggregated, averaged, or anonymized, ensuring no individual examinee is identifiable.

Permitted data includes the number or percentage of graduates categorized by type (e.g., first-time takers, repeaters), score ranges, average scores per subject, and overall averages for schools with multiple examinees. Anonymized individual scores may also be disclosed, as they are not classified as personal information under the law.

Requests must be signed by the law school dean or equivalent official and must serve a legitimate purpose, such as improving academic programs or Bar performance. The Office of the Bar Confidant is tasked with reviewing and processing such requests.

The SC announced that results of the 2024 online Bar examinations will be released on Friday, 13 December, during a special session convened for this purpose.