Have you heard that Cisco changes its CCIE and CCDE exam policy? If you are planning to take or re-take CCIE or CCDE exams – written or lab- any time soon, be sure to keep the changes in mind. This especially concerns the cases of retakes (when you initially fail your exam). While we all hope to pass from the first try, the following information is definitely worth keeping in the back of your head.
Written Exam: Retakes
There is no limit to the number of attempts that can be made on the written exam, but it is compulsory to wait at least 5 days between exam attempts. Once you pass a particular written exam, you cannot retake it for 180 days (not that many candidates would choose to do it anyways, but sometimes, in light of recertification or the need to improve the score, some people do that).
Starting August 2, 2014, the following Cisco policy changes come into effect:
- Candidates who fail any CCIE or CCDE written exam must wait for a period of 15 calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before retaking the same exam.
- Candidates may attempt any CCIE or CCDE written exam up to four times per rolling calendar year. Candidates cannot retake the same written exam more than four times per rolling calendar year regardless of passing or failing the exam.
All candidates must wait 30 days between CCIE lab attempts. Please note that the 30-day period starts from the day after a failed lab exam.
Candidates who do not pass the CCDE practical exam can retake it during the next scheduled exam administration.
Effective August 2, 2014, the following policy changes will be enforced:
- Candidates who fail any CCIE lab exam on the first attempt must wait for a period of 30 calendar days before scheduling a second attempt at the same lab exam.
- Candidates who fail the second attempt at any CCIE lab exam must wait for a period of 90 calendar days before scheduling any further attempts. The same wait time will be applied to subsequent attempts until the fifth attempt.
- Candidates who fail a fifth attempt at any CCIE lab exam must wait for a period of 180 calendar days before scheduling any further attempts.
NOTE: There is no wait time between a passed qualification written exam and the first lab or practical exam attempt. However, candidates must make an initial attempt at the CCIE lab exam or CCDE practical exam within 18 months of passing the CCIE or CCDE written exam.
Do you have any ideas? Please feel free to share them in comments.