Study on the higher civil service examination from the perspective of equal opportunity

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K02284
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 09010:Education-related
• Research Institution: Sendai Seiyo Gakuin College
• Principal Investigator: HORINOUCHI Toshie 仙台青葉学院短期大学, こども学科, 教授(移行) (50757169)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 高等官任用資格試験 / 高等試験令第七条試験 / 職業上の機会均等 / 就業格差

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to examine the higher civil service examination from the perspective of equal opportunity, especially vocational opportunity, which was one of the central issues in the discussion on educational system reform from the 1920s to the 1930s. We analyzed the examination based upon Article 7 of the Higher Examination Ordinance, which was newly established to certify the qualifications for taking the preliminary examination. Although the system could be regarded as a way to open up opportunities for those who did not have an educational background equal to or higher than that of junior high school graduates to become higher officials, it was found that its practical function was extremely limited.

Free Research Field

教育学、日本教育史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、学歴による職業選択、就業格差が顕著であった戦前の社会において、中学校卒業者と同等以上の学歴を有しない者にとって、高等官になるための機会を開く制度として、高資にどれほどの現実的な機能があったのか検討した。制度が整備されることと現実的な機能との乖離状況を実証的に明らかにした本研究の成果は、今日においても解消されていない学歴による職業選択、就業格差という社会問題に対して歴史的示唆を提示し得る。