Policy for Efficient Error Free Examination

The following is a proposal for a system to ensure error free conduct of tests and examinations. It is necessary that all parties including the Department for Educational Development (DED), Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), the course and examination coordinators and the Year Coordinating Committee (YCC) chairpersons be familiar with and agrees to the following responsibilities and regulations.

Examination Preparation

  • Setting the dates for tests and examinations is the responsibility of the course chairperson or in the case of MBBS examinations, the YCC chairpersons.

  • All examination coordinators shall be appointed by YCC.

  • All external examiners shall be appointed by the examination coordinator after consultation with department chairpersons.

  • The examination coordinator is responsible for calling for examination questions from department and course coordinators.

  • Booking of the examination hall and set up will be done by DED, through FHS administration.

  • Special numbering of seats, if required, is done by DED.

  • The list of students scheduled to appear for each examination will be obtained by DED, from the Students Affairs' office two weeks prior to the examination date. This will include the names of students doing remedial work who are scheduled for supplementary examinations. An attendance sheet for the examination will be prepared in accordance with this list by DED.

Producing the Examination Papers

Deadlines must be set and followed in order to allow adequate time for putting papers together, proof reading by DED staff as well as examination coordinators, and in the case of MBBS examinations, consultation with the Associate Dean for Education. The final copy of the examination must be signed by the examination coordinator prior to printing.

Templates will be developed by DED, and provided to examination coordinators for typing examination questions, instructions to students and entering results. This will provide unity of format.

The following is the time-table for submitting examination questions and the answer key to DED:

For CATS, End of Module Examinations, Clerkship tests and supplementary

15 days before scheduled examination date

For MBBS Examinations

30 days prior to scheduled examination date

DED will print and pack the examination papers one week before the scheduled date.

Conducting the Examination

  • All students writing the MBBS examinations and students writing other examinations containing essay questions will be assigned an examination number by DED.

  • DED is responsible for delivering the examination papers to the hall 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time of examination.

  • DED is responsible for maintaining a signed attendance sheet.

  • Invigilating is the responsibility of the examination coordinator. Invigilators should be thoroughly familiar and follow the regulations regarding examination conduct.

  • A member of DED will assist in distributing examination materials and will be responsible for collecting all examination materials at the end of the session. This member of DED will also assist in invigilation.

Reporting Results

  • DED will compute the score for continuous assessment from the results of term module tests in Year 3, and clerkship evaluations a week before certifying (MBBS Parts I to IV) examinations and send a computer diskette containing the results to the department in an approved format. The department should proof read and approve the lists of students and the continuous assessment scores promptly and return the diskette to DED.

  • MCQ examination scores will be entered directly on the result sheet file by DED within 24 hours of the examination.

  • Examination coordinators will supervise the entering of scores of vivas, essays and continuous assessments on the template provided and return the diskette and a printout signed to confirm approval, to DED.

  • In the case of MBBS examinations, a maximum time of one week will be allowed for examination scores of essay questions to reach DED.

  • DED will calculate the final scores and send them to the examination coordinator and will provide an item analysis (if applicable) of the examination.

  • In the case of MBBS examinations, at least the examination coordinator must be allowed sufficient time (three days) to study the examination results and item analysis. Adjustments may have to be made as a result of this information.

  • The marks are then presented to the YCC by the examination coordinator for discussion and recommendation.

  • The YCC chair presents the results and recommendations of his committee to the Examination and Promotion Committee (EPC). Information on students in academic difficulty should include narrative information as well as test results. Collection of the information is the responsibility of the YCC chairperson who may ask DED or Students Affairs to assist.

  • A maximum of two weeks should be allowed between writing of MBBS Examinations and approval of final results by the EPC. The results will be presented to the EPC by the YCC chair.

  • The EPC is responsible for posting the final examination results on notice boards and for ensuring the approved results in the central students' records.

  • Any complaints or clarification by students or faculty about examinations should be directed to the examination coordinator. Students and faculty should be advised not to contact DED directly.

  • Counseling, remedial and withdrawals will be conducted/notified to the students by the Students' Affairs Office.

  • For School of Nursing and Postgraduate Medical Examinations, questions for the examination papers must be submitted at least fifteen days prior to the scheduled examination date.

Revised 2002 ​