Yonsei defends entrance exam fairness after test questions leak

The campus of Yonsei University in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, is filled with students on Oct. 12, the day of the university’s written entrance exam. (NEWS 1)

Following the leak of an exam question from Yonsei University’s entrance exam, the university clarified that the photo of the question was taken and uploaded after the exam was completed and there will be no retrial.

“We are not considering holding a new test,” Yonsei University’s Admissions Office said Monday.

In a statement issued on Sunday night, the university said it was not true that the questions were leaked before the exam began and assured that the fairness of the exam was not compromised.

On October 12, exam papers for the natural science subject of Yonsei University’s early admission test were distributed ahead of schedule in an exam hall, because a test proctor went get the time wrong The test papers were retrieved after about 15 minutes.

However, Yonsei University clarified that all test papers distributed were covered with a practice sheet. Students had been instructed to turn off electronic devices and put them in their bags before receiving test materials.

The university believes an examiner logged in and vaguely described the shapes they had seen on the test paper after remembering them, but before the test officially began.

Yonsei University has formed a committee to investigate whether any issues compromised the fairness of the exam.

“Even if students knew that shapes were included in the question, this would not give them enough information to understand the actual question, so it is not considered to compromise the fairness of the exam,” the university said .

A photo of a test question was also uploaded online, but the university clarified that the photo was taken after the exam had officially ended, when students were submitting their answer sheets.

“If necessary, we will request an investigation by the police or other legal authorities to ensure there is no doubt,” the university said in a statement. “If any academic misconduct is discovered, we will deal with the matter fairly in accordance with the relevant regulations.”

The Ministry of Education is also studying the issue but is not directly involved.

“This is a very important issue and we will follow it closely with the university,” Education Ministry spokeswoman Koo Yeon-hee said during a regular briefing on Monday. “We also call on other universities to operate their admissions processes in a transparent and fair manner.”

“Yonsei University has formed a separate committee to investigate unclear issues and plans to respond strictly. Entrance exams for individual universities are under the control of each university, and there is little that (the Ministry of Education ) interfere”.

BY LEE TAE-HEE ([email protected])