Information on Examinations

Examinations Sessions

Institute examinations shall normally be taken by students at the end of each appropriate semester as prescribed in School Regulations. Second Semester Examinations are normally held in May/June and First Semester Examinations are normally held in November/December each year.

 

Examination Timetables

Consolidated official examination timetables are published on the Official Notice Boards, the Institute Website and the Student Portal. Candidates must note carefully the dates, time and venues for their examinations as given in the Final copy of the timetable. (Special care should be taken to ensure that it is the Final timetable and not the previous draft). Candidates should also note that Morning Sessions normally begin at 0900 hours and Afternoon Sessions normally begin at 1400 hours. Candidates are expected to be at the Examination venue at least 30 minutes before commencement of each examination session.

Please Note:   It is the candidates’ responsibility to check the timetable themselves and to ensure that they know the correct date, time and venue of each examination. They should not depend on information given by fellow students or on information communicated by telephone.

Misreading a timetable is not an acceptable excuse for missing an examination.

Any queries on the timetable should be directed in the first instance to the appropriate Chairperson of Department.

 

Examination Venues

The venues for examinations will be indicated on the published Examination Timetable.

 

Admission into Examinations

To be admitted to any Institute examination, a candidate must: –

  • be registered as a student of the Institute in accordance with the General Academic Regulations;
  • have satisfactorily completed approved courses of study at the Institute.  ‘Satisfactory completion’ of courses may require submission of written work, attendance at lectures, seminars, tutorials, Internship and other activities as stated in the School Regulations.
  • have passed continuous assessment of the relevant course as prescribed by the School Regulations.

Exclusion from an Institute examination shall require the authority of the Senate.

 

Failure to attend

Any candidate who fails to attend an examination must notify the Registrar without delay and confirm absence with explanations in writing.

When the absence is due to illness, a certificate from a Medical Practitioner registered in terms of the Medical, Dental and Allied Health Professions Act may be submitted to the Deputy Registrar (Academic Affairs) with the written report within 8 days of the examination missed. The Institute will not accept any excuses for the absence which are not properly substantiated and authenticated.

 

Rules for student conduct at Examinations

Rules for student conduct at Examinations should be strictly adhered to. Students are advised to refer to Section 8.4 of the Student Handbook and the same rules can be downloaded from the webpage. All students are required to familiarise themselves with these Rules well before the examinations. 

 

Examinations Malpractice and Dishonest by students

The following shall constitute misconduct in an examination:

  • Taking or possessing, whilst in the examination room, any notes, books, bags, cellular phones, programmable calculator, or any material which has not been authorized;
  • The use of any answer book, writing or blotting paper other than that supplied;
  • Aiding or attempting to aid, soliciting or attempting to solicit for aid from another candidate directly or indirectly;
  • Writing information or being in possession of written information, regardless of relevance, on any part of the candidate’s body during examination;
  • Leaving the examination venue for any purpose without seeking permission from the Invigilator;
  • Any other behavior that, in the view of the Invigilators, is deemed to prejudice the performance of other candidates.

Subject to Ordinance 15, any candidate found guilty of misconduct during the examination shall be disqualified not only in that examination and course, but in the whole examination and further disciplinary action may be taken by the Institute.

 

Examination Results

Examination results for each semester are posted onto the Student Portal.

 

Application for Re-mark

Examinations moderated by External Examiners shall normally not be contested. Only in extreme cases and where the student has failed will Senate permit re-mark of examination scripts provided the guidelines under Section 14.0 Sub-section 14.2 of the General Academic Regulations have been strictly adhered to.

 

Appeals against Termination of Studies

Students are advised to refer to Section 13.0 of the General Academic Regulations.

Any candidate who, having failed to satisfy the examiners, is required to withdraw from the Institute or discontinue a programme, has a right to appeal to the Registrar within 21 days after the publication of the examination results.

On appeal, the candidate must state clearly the grounds of the appeal.  Medical grounds must be substantiated in writing by a medical practitioner registered in terms of the appropriate Act.  Any other evidence which the candidate wishes to submit in support of his/her case must also be lodged with the written appeal.

The Registrar will refer all timeous appeals to the Appeals Committee for consideration and the Committee shall be empowered to hear an appellant orally and to seek all such information or evidence as it may consider pertinent.

No right to automatic oral hearing is conferred upon appeals and the institute will not reimburse any expenses incurred by an appellant in making a personal appearance before the Committee.

The Committee shall make recommendations in each case, as it deems appropriate. Its recommendations shall be submitted to the Senate for approval, or to the Academic Board or the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of the Senate for consideration.