WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Department of State on Friday announced changes to its foreign service test, including dropping its situational judgement section and personal narrative essay requirement.

Updates to the test, which include a new logic and reasoning portion, are part of ongoing efforts to modernize and strengthen merit-based selection of American diplomats, said the department in a statement.

The revised test will begin on October 18 and follows on a myriad of changes at the agency and a proposed overhaul with thousands of potential staff reductions.

(Reporting by Maiya Keidan; Editing by Caitlin Webber)