Online exam rules

 

In order for us to be able to guarantee you and the schools that the result is unquestionable and comparable to a face-to-face exam, you must comply with the following rules. In the event of a violation, we are forced to block your exam result and it will not be forwarded to the faculty. We therefore ask you to pay sufficient attention to the following text. We wish you luck.

1) At least 3 days before the exam, complete the Mandatory Equipment Check.

The Mandatory Equipment Check must be carried out on the same equipment on which you will subsequently take the exam. This will minimise the likelihood of technical problems on the day of the exam. The mandatory check is not evaluated with regard to regularity, it only serves to check the readiness of your equipment.

If you do not complete the Mandatory Equipment Check 3 days before the exam, we cannot guarantee technical support during the exam. 3 days before the exam is also the deadline for cancellation of the exam due to technical problems.

2) Carefully prepare your work surface and the room where you will take the exam.

Online exams are conducted under conditions comparable with face-to-face exams. So you have a completely empty table and its immediate surroundings in front of you, only allowed items on it (computer with one monitor / laptop, video camera, keyboard and mouse, and any allowed aids), you are alone in the room and you take the exam without help.

A. The work surface and its immediate surroundings must be completely empty, except for permitted objects.

Only items that are expressly permitted by these rules or that have been authorized in writing by Scio prior to the exam at your individual request are allowed on the work surface and in its immediate vicinity (1.5 m from you). The entire area within your immediate reach (1.5 m from you) must also be empty - i.e. completely cleared shelves under the table, next to the table, windowsills, etc.

B. You must not have any other display device or object containing text or mathematical or graphical representations of information in your field of view.

The following must not be in your field of vision, i.e. in front of you and next to you (180° from the axis of your head facing the computer on which you are taking the exam):

  • display equipment, except for equipment used to take the exam (i.e. there must not be a second monitor, TV, projection device, tablet, phone, laptop, etc.; display equipment on the wall that cannot be removed may be covered with a blanket),
  • items containing text or a mathematical or graphical representation of information, such as a bulletin board, notes, lists, pictographs, workbook, book, textbook, map, schedule, periodic table, table, formulas, or other study materials,

Items not prohibited above may be in your field of vision, provided they do not contain information that could give you an unfair advantage in taking the exam. In particular, in your field of vision (typically on a wall) you may have a painting, poster, or photograph.

C. You are only allowed to have the following items on an empty desk - ID, drink, lamp, computer/laptop, mouse pad, keyboard*, mouse*, webcam*, microphone** and laptop stand/pad***.

  • * The keyboard, mouse, webcam and microphone are only allowed if they are connected to the computer on which you are taking the test and are not already built into that computer. It is forbidden to use more than one keyboard, mouse, webcam or microphone.
  • ** In the case of an external microphone, it must be a separate microphone - it is not allowed to use the microphone in conjunction with headphones, speaker, etc.
  • *** If you are using a laptop stand/pad, you must show the space underneath.

D. For the OSP, GAP, MAT and CHE, you can keep a note paper and pencil on your work surface.

For OSP, VSP, GAP, MAT and CHE exams, it is also possible to have the following on the work surface:

  • note paper (all papers must be shown on both sides when scanning the room), and
  • pencil.

 E. For a foreign language exam, you may have headphones* or speakers** on your work surface.

For the foreign language exam, the following are also allowed on the work surface:

  • headphones*, or
  • speakers**.

* Headphones can only be used while listening to a recording in the listening section.
** The speakers can only be used to listen to the sound recording during the exam, not to reproduce any other sounds.

 

F. If you are not sure, check the list of prohibited items (the list is for illustrative purposes only). If we notice the presence of an object other than an explicitly permitted object or a prohibited object in the field of view, the participant is excluded from the exam.

To be on the safe side, we repeat that only explicitly permitted items may be kept on the work surface and in its immediate vicinity. In the event of detection of the presence of an object other than an authorised object (or a prohibited object in the field of view), the participant is excluded from the exam. It does not matter whether the participant has used the object or not. For a better understanding of this rule, the following are illustrative examples of items that are not allowed on the work surface or in its immediate vicinity.

For example, the following items are prohibited:

  • mobile phone (except as noted below),
    second monitor
    calculator,
    tablet,
    printer and scanner,
    book,
    study materials,
    flower or plant pot,
    pad (except for the mouse pad),
    wallet,
    map, etc.

3) Place the phone and smartwatch with the sound and vibration turned off clearly out of your reach so that it is clear that you cannot use it during the exam.

You can keep a phone in the room throughout the exam in case you need to contact customer support. However, the phone must have its sound and vibration turned off and must be placed completely out of your reach. The phone can only be used to contact Scio customer support.
When the call is over, you must put the phone away out of your reach so that it is clear that you cannot use it during the exam (the putting away must be clear and distinct on the camera recording).

4) On the day of the exam, log in to ScioLink using the button on the invitation.

  • Please enter the test at the official start time indicated in the invitation.
  • At the beginning of each exam, ScioLink checks your webcam, microphone and internet connection speed.
  • After checking the minimum technical requirements , you will be prompted to install the Proctoring Desktop extension. This extension monitors running processes and devices on your computer. The extension must be running during the entire exam.

5) Prepare your personal document (ID/driving licence, passport) and undergo an identity scan.

As with a face-to-face exam, we need to verify that you are taking the exam with your ID.
  • Before the exam begins, you will be asked to take a photo of your face and ID and film your room.
  • The photo of your face must be clear and the details on your ID card clearly legible.
  • You can use your civil ID card, driving licence or passport.
  • The app allows you to hide some parts of your ID or passport and save only the necessary data, which are: photo, first name, surname, date of birth and validity of the document.

6) Slowly and clearly scan the entire room, including entrances, the work surface, and the space under the desk. Check the scan.

  • In order to prove that you are alone in the room, you need to turn the webcam around your room (360° view). You really need to take a picture of the whole room, not just a partial view.
  • The scan of the room must be complete and clear, including the entire work surface, the space under the desk and a peek behind any potential obstructions. Carefully film all entrances to the room as well.
  • Make sure that only permitted objects are on the work surface and in its immediate vicinity and that there are no prohibited objects in your field of vision.
  • Scan the table and room slowly and clearly - at least 30 seconds. The maximum length of a room scan is 4 minutes.
  • If note papers are allowed on the test, show all the sheets on both sides to the camera to show that they are blank.
  • If you are using a laptop stand/pad, scan the space underneath it.
    When you have finished scanning the room, show the camera that you are not wearing headphones (turn your head to either side).
  • You can play back and review the recording, and if necessary, you can record the scan repeatedly.
  • If you can't move the webcam, use a mirror. The scan of the room using the mirror must be careful, clear and not blurred. The minimum size of the mirror is 15x20 cm (A5 format). Smaller mirrors are prohibited.
  • Please note: You have 30 minutes for initial checks before the test. Therefore you have to enter the test itself within 30 minutes from starting the initial checks. Late entry into the test, which is not justified for example by technical or other obvious problems, may be considered a violation of these rules and your test result may be blocked.

7) You must be fully visible and not leave the camera's view during the exam.

  • You are required to be visible in the camera frame (at least from head to chest). You can check the camera shot at any time during the test in the camera preview.
  • You must sit at a table or other desk for the exam. It is not allowed to take the exam from bed, for example.
  • It is forbidden to leave the field of view of the webcam or the room after scanning the room (even between individual test sections). If you have to leave the shot to solve a technical problem, then scan the room and work surface in a similar way to the room scan at the beginning of the exam.
  • You may only leave the room or use the phone to contact customer support. These situations will be reviewed.

8) It is forbidden to communicate in any way with another person during the examination.

  • No other person shall be in the room. If a person accidentally enters your room, you must ask them to leave and the record must show that the person has actually left the room.
  • It is forbidden to have any communication with any other person in any way.
  • No animals are allowed to roam freely in the room.

9) During the exam, work with only one monitor, the browser and ScioLink.

  • It is forbidden to open any other browser windows or applications besides the ones required to take the exam. Their triggering is detected throughout the exam.
  • No electronic sounds that could indicate the presence of another electronic device in operation shall be heard in the room.
  • It is forbidden to use multiple monitors (more than one) and to transmit images.
  • During the exam, it is forbidden to use text search (e.g. using the shortcut Ctrl+F).
  • It is forbidden to use any translator during the exam.

10) If your result is blocked, you can request a review.

The result is blocked whenever there is a violation of the rules during the exam, because in such a case Scio cannot ensure that the participant has not gained or could not gain an undue advantage over other participants. To detect violations of the rules, the records from the online NCE are used, but also other procedures for evaluating the course of the examination (e.g. analysis of the participant's answers). 
The results of the National Comparative Examinations, as they are transmitted to the faculties and as they are used in the admission procedure, must meet strict criteria for correctness and comparability of the knowledge and skills of the individual participants in the NCE. Scio vouches to the faculty and all participants that the NCE results have these characteristics. And if Scio cannot guarantee that a result has such characteristics, it cannot be used in the admissions process. In such a case Scio will decide on the blocking of the result.

 a. We will inform you immediately if your result is blocked. You can request a review within 48 hours of the information about the blocking of the result being published in your profile.

  • We will inform you of any blocking of your result immediately after the evaluation of the exam and will also inform you of the violation of the rules.
  • If you disagree with the decision to block your exam result, you have the option to request a review.
  • You must submit a request for a review of the blocking decision within 48 hours of the information being posted on your profile. You must state in your application all the relevant circumstances and reasons for making the application.

 b. Please use only the form in your personal profile to submit your application.

To apply, you must use the form in your personal profile. Through it, the application is delivered directly to the Commission that is set up to review it. This form is necessary to ensure that all applications are considered by the Commission properly and in a timely manner. A late or incorrectly submitted request for review will be disregarded.

 c. On the basis of the request for review, the Commission shall again decide whether or not the examination was conducted properly or not. The decision of the Commission is final.

Following a request for a review, the Commission shall re-evaluate the record of the examination and assess all the circumstances and reasons set out in the request and decide again whether or not the examination was conducted properly or not. The Commission's decision is final and cannot be appealed.

 d. In the event of an improperly conducted exam, you will be issued with a confirmation explaining why the decision to block the result was made. The result will not be forwarded to the faculty.

In the event that the exam is judged to be improperly conducted, you will be issued with a confirmation of your participation in the exam and its result with a justification of why the exam was judged to be improperly conducted and why the decision was made to block the result. This confirmation will be made available to you via your personal profile. The blocked result will not be forwarded to the faculty.