Rules for the Conduct of Examinations

[Includes tests and other assessments held under examination conditions but excludes examination of theses, final year projects or other similar assessments]

1. Only students who are enrolled in the course and able to present their student identity cards (or in exceptional circumstances their HKID cards) are allowed to sit for a course examination.

2. Only in exceptional circumstances are examinees (a) permitted to leave the venue in the first 30 minutes of an examination or (b) permitted to join an examination after the first 30 minutes. Examinees admitted late to an examination will not be given extra time for the examination.

3. Except for items explicitly permitted for an examination, all books, bags, papers, mobile phones and communication devices, etc. must be placed so that they cannot be accessed, ideally at the front, rear or side of the venue. These items may be placed under desks and seats only where they are easily visible and with an invigilator’s permission.

4. Conversation is not allowed during an examination, unless specifically permitted by an invigilator. Any questions must be addressed to an invigilator.

5. Examinees should write only on their answer books or on any supplementary sheets provided for the purpose. All answer books, examination papers and supplementary sheets must be handed in at the end of the examination. Examinees are permitted to remove printed or written materials from the examination room only with the permission of the examiner.

6. Examinees may leave examination venues to visit washrooms or for any other reason only with an invigilator’s permission, and must be accompanied by an invigilator. Examinees may not take examination materials or electronic devices to washrooms; other personal items may be taken only with an invigilator’s permission.

7. Examinees are not allowed to leave the examination venue during the last fifteen minutes of an examination and must remain seated until the invigilator has collected all examination answer books and examination papers at the end of the examination.

8. Where an examinee leaves the examination venue due to illness or other extenuating circumstances and is unable to complete the examination, the Academic Regulations Governing Undergraduate Studies (7.5) and the Academic Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies (7.4) shall apply, as appropriate.

9. Invigilators are authorized to expel students from an examination if they discover cheating or repeated misconduct and should submit a Report on Student Academic Misconduct, indicating the circumstances of the case, to the Head of the Department/Division responsible for the course, via the Course Instructor where applicable, for consideration under the Regulations for Academic Integrity.

1. Only students who are enrolled in the course are allowed to sit for a course examination and to access examination materials. All logins to any software involved in the examination should be made using the student’s own ITSC account, and no VPN should be used except with the explicit prior written permission of the instructor (for example where an instructor authorizes the use of a Proxy service provided by ITSC for improved internet connection from the Mainland).

2. An examinee must take an examination by him/herself in a private room, unless with the prior written permission of the instructor. The use of virtual backgrounds is prohibited.

3. Only equipment explicitly permitted can be used during an examination. It is the responsibility of examinees to ensure that their equipment is functioning properly, and to follow the invigilator’s instructions to set up the proctoring environment.

4. Only in exceptional circumstances are examinees permitted to leave the examination venue and/or turn off their cameras in the first 30 minutes. In such circumstances, Rule 10 below shall apply.

5. Only in exceptional circumstances are examinees permitted to join an examination after the first 30 minutes. Examinees admitted late to an examination will not be given extra time for the examination.

6. Examinees cannot use any program or access any website that provides answers tailored to the user’s input; and cannot use any material, whether in hard copy, electronic or other form, except where explicitly permitted.

7. Conversation or other communication, whether at the examinee’s workstation or remotely through electronic or other means, and whether it is related to the examination or not, is not allowed during an examination unless specifically permitted by an invigilator. Any questions must be addressed to an invigilator.

8. Except where explicitly permitted, examinees are not allowed to save or distribute copies of examination questions in any form either during or after the examination. Any questions that an examinee had downloaded onto his/her hard-drive, external drive or other device in order to work on during the examination must be deleted immediately at the end of the examination.

9. Examinees may leave examination venues to visit washrooms or for any other reason only during designated periods, where scheduled, or with an invigilator’s permission, and only after they have uploaded their examination answers before leaving. Once uploaded, answers cannot be revised/modified unless explicitly permitted for the specific examination. Examinees may not take examination materials or use electronic devices when they leave their workstations; other personal items may be taken only with an invigilator’s permission.

10. Examinees who leave the examination venue to go to the washroom or due to illness or other extenuating circumstances without uploading their answers will be deemed to have been unable to complete the examination: in such cases, the Academic Regulations Governing Undergraduate Studies (7.5) and the Academic Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies (7.4) shall apply, as appropriate.

11. Notwithstanding Rules 4, 9 and 10 above, examinees are not allowed to leave the examination or turn off their cameras until an invigilator announces that the examination is over.

12. Invigilators are authorized to expel students from an examination if they discover cheating or repeated misconduct and should submit a Report on Student Academic Misconduct, indicating the circumstances of the case, to the Head of the Department/Division responsible for the course, via the Course Instructor where applicable, for consideration under the Regulations for Academic Integrity.

(Updated version of December 2020)