The Supreme Court (SC) is considering a proposal to make the first part of the Bar examinations multiple choice, its spokesman said Tuesday.

Court Administrator and SC Spokesman Jose Midas Marquez said once approved, a multiple-choice test will be introduced in next year’s Bar exams when Associate Justice Roberto Abad assumes the chairmanship of the 2011 Bar Examinations Committee.

Marquez said the proposal to in corporate multiple-choice questions in a generally essay-type exam came from Abad himself.

“This proposal came about after consultation with deans from various law schools,” Marquez said, adding that the matter is material since it will cover the present fourth year law students.

He said the multiple choice will focus on codal provisions. “It is very difficult for an examiner in an essay type exam to determine if an examinee knows the codal provision,” he pointed out.

Marquez said the second and last part of the Bar exams will remain essay type.

He said the Bar exams are in essay form since time immemorial, thus, incorporating multiple-choice questions would be “a departure from the traditional Bar exams.”

“In multiple choice, there are no ifs and buts – it’s either you know it (answer) or you don’t,” Marquez said.

Marquez said the Abad proposal has yet to be approved by the High Court, but he noted that “there is a strong indication that this will be approved.”

The court official said the announcement on the multiple-choice type Bar exams was made early on so that law schools can prepare their candidates for such kind of exam.