Scheme Committees

Independent Scheme Committees are a key part of EC-Council’s certification governance. Each EC-Council certification accredited by ANAB under ISO/IEC 17024 (C|EH, C|EH (Practical), C|CISO, C|ND, C|HFI, E|CIH, CCT and CPENT) is overseen by its own Scheme Committee. ISO/IEC 17024 expects certification schemes to be developed and reviewed with the involvement of appropriate experts, through a structure in which no single interest predominates. Our Scheme Committees bring the judgement of practising professionals into every key decision about what a certification measures and how it is awarded.

What the Scheme Committee Does

• Reviews and validates the job task analysis that defines the role being certified.
• Approves the exam blueprint.
• Reviews exam content for accuracy and relevance.
• Takes part in standard setting to establish the passing standard.
• Reviews and approves certification policies.
• Decides on candidate appeals referred to it.

Tenure

• All members, including the Chair and Vice Chair, serve a single three-year term.
• Terms cannot be renewed, so each Committee is regularly renewed with fresh perspectives.
• A member may step down before the end of their term by informing the Chair and the EC-Council Secretariat, ideally with 30 days’ notice.
• After their term, former members may join EC-Council’s training division only after a one-year cooling-off period.

Roles

• Chair: leads the Committee, coordinates and assigns its work, conducts its meetings and ensures it follows EC-Council’s certification policies.
• Vice Chair: supports the Chair, acts on the Chair’s behalf when needed and succeeds the Chair if the position falls vacant.
• Members: review and approve the elements of the certification scheme, serve on task forces and report on the Committee’s work.
• EC-Council Secretariat: a non-voting EC-Council staff member who organizes meetings, inducts new members, maintains records, facilitates elections and supports the Committee.

Each Committee selects its Chair and Vice Chair from among its members through a selection process facilitated by the Secretariat. Members are invited to nominate themselves or fellow Committee members for either position. Where the nominations do not result in a clear outcome, a peer-voting process is initiated, allowing members to vote for any eligible fellow Committee member they consider suitable for the role. Voting for each position is conducted independently.

The candidate receiving a majority of valid votes, subject to the applicable minimum participation threshold, shall ordinarily be selected for the respective position. In the event of a tie or an inconclusive outcome, relevant factors, including professional experience, subject-matter expertise, qualifications, and suitability for the role, shall be considered. Where the outcome remains unresolved or the minimum participation threshold is not met, EC-Council Management shall make the final decision regarding the appointment of the Chair or Vice Chair, as applicable.

How the Committee Works

• The Committee meets every quarter, with additional meetings when required.
• Decisions are taken collectively by member vote, at meetings that meet a minimum attendance & process requirement.
• Proceedings are minuted, and confidential information is protected.

Independence and Impartiality

• Members may not act as EC-Council proctors or operate an EC-Council authorized training center.
• The non-renewable term and cooling-off period keep certification decisions separate from training and commercial interests.
• EC-Council staff support the Committee but do not vote on its decisions or elections.
• Membership and Committee activities are free from discrimination of any kind.

These safeguards support EC-Council’s wider commitment to impartiality, fairness and objectivity in all certification activities, as set out in our Impartiality Statement.

Contact

For questions about the Scheme Committees, please contact [email protected].