In general, entry to the Civil Service must be by way of open competition. Section 11 of the Civil Service Regulation Act, 1956, as amended by the Civil Service (Employment of Married Women) Act, 1973 provided for the reinstatement to their former positions of women who resigned from the Civil Service for marriage-related reasons and who fulfilled specific criteria. The Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Act, 1996 repealed the statutory provisions and, consequently, the only avenue of re-entry to the Civil Service now open to women who resigned on marriage is by competing in and being successful at an open competition run by the Civil Service Commissioners.