Following this, gimonjosho, those who enjoyed On I (the automatic promotion of persons at the age of 21, whose parents are from the Imperial Prince to the fifth rank, or whose grandparents are above upper third rank) and those who were given permission by imperial decree would take Shoshi (an examination held by Shikibusho for determining whether applicants are employable) on poetry, which was held directly by the Shikibu sho (the Ministry of Ceremonial) and those who passed this examination became monjosho (a record shows that in exceptional cases, students were promoted to monjo tokugosho).
続いて擬文章生及び蔭位の対象者、宣旨などで特に許された者に対して式部省が直接行う省試にて詩賦を課し、それに合格することにより初めて文章生になった（記録では極稀に文章得業生に抜擢された例もある）。