Konkursi DAP
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Konkursi DAP is the competitive selection process used to fill posts in the state administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Passing it is not a licence that follows you between employers; it is the gateway through which candidates are assessed against a published job description, usually by a commission that scores a written paper and an interview. It is aimed at people who want a career in a ministry, a state agency, or another administrative body, and who are prepared to work within a formal hierarchy, a fixed salary scale, and a legal framework that governs almost every decision they make. The exam is deliberately broad. It tests constitutional and administrative law, the civil service statute, general administrative procedure, labour relations in the public sector, public finance and the budget system, the organisation of the state administration, European integration and EU law, anti-corruption and ethics, and the basics of ICT and office administration. No single topic carries enough weight to save a weak candidate, so the practical preparation is to work through the legal texts themselves, article by article, rather than relying on summaries. Then practise writing short, structured answers under time pressure, because examiners reward precision of legal language and penalise vague generalities. The official competition announcement, published by the relevant civil service agency, is the only authoritative source for the terms of any particular intake.
What you'll study
About Konkursi DAP preparation
What exactly does passing the exam give me?
It places you in the ranking for the specific post you applied for. Appointment follows the ranking and the available budgeted position. It is not a permanent certificate or a licence transferable to another institution, and a new competition normally means a new assessment.
How many questions are on the test and how long do I get?
The number of questions, the time allowed, and the scoring method are set in the competition announcement for each intake. These details change between competitions, so the official body that publishes the announcement is the only reliable source for the current figures.
What score do I need to pass?
The passing threshold is defined by the competition rules and the announcement, not by a fixed national number. It can also depend on the number of candidates. Check the announcement and any rulebook issued by the appointing authority for the exact requirement.
Can I retake the exam if I fail?
Yes, in the sense that you may apply again in a future competition for which you meet the conditions. There is no separate retake of the same competition. Each announcement sets its own eligibility rules, so read the candidate conditions carefully before applying.
How difficult is it in practice?
The content is not intellectually exotic, but the volume is large and the language is formal. Most candidates who struggle do so because they memorise summaries instead of reading the statutes. If you can quote the relevant article and apply it to a short scenario, you are ahead of the field.
In what order should I study the domains?
Start with constitutional and administrative law, because it frames everything else. Then the civil service statute and the administrative procedure law, which are the two most heavily applied in daily work. Add labour law and public finance next, and leave EU law, ethics, and ICT for the final revision cycle.
What are the most common ways candidates lose points?
Vague answers that describe a principle without naming the legal basis; confusing the general administrative procedure with internal personnel decisions; mixing up state, entity, and local competences; and running out of time on the written paper because they wrote long introductions instead of answering directly.
Do I need to know EU law in detail?
You need the structure: the founding treaties, the main institutions and what they do, the difference between regulations and directives, and how the accession process works. Deep case law is less important than understanding how EU rules enter and affect domestic administrative practice.
Where do I find the official terms and dates?
Only in the competition announcement published by the competent civil service body, on its official website and in the official gazette. Treat any third-party summary of dates, fees, or quotas as provisional until you have confirmed it against that announcement.