An update from your NCTJ Student Representative

First and foremost, I hope you are all keeping safe and well. We are currently living through history, the biggest disruption to the lives of many of us not seen in this country since 1945. This unprecedented pandemic has brought us many challenges, so I wanted to assure you as much as I possibly can regarding the future of NCTJ examinations.

As you may be aware, the NCTJ are offering the option to sit exams remotely over the Summer, the dates of which you should have received in an email on Thursday. I must stress this is an option; you can choose to sit your examinations in the comfort of your own home, or you can sit your exams next year in the more traditional setting of an exam room. That option is up to you, and you will not be penalised for any decision you make.

Further information is available under the student resources section of the NCTJ website, which you can access by logging in to your NCTJ student account. There you will find information regarding each exam, so I recommend you take a look to see how your own modules have been impacted by the pandemic.

Remote Examinations

In short, the NCTJ will be conducting remote exams using a programme called Proctorio. This is necessary for ensuring the security of exams so that nobody rings up Kay Burley for an answer to a question! Proctorio complies with the Data Protection Act 2018, including the right to be forgotten, so your data and information will not leave the exam in which you are sitting. Further information can be found under the student resources section of the NCTJ website.

To sit an exam remotely, you will need a computer, webcam, microphone, and a stable internet connection. If you haven’t already, you will need to download Google Chrome, as Proctorio is an extension of Chrome and will not work with any other browser. The download for Proctorio can be found at www.getproctorio.com.

NCTJ exams will be held on Cirrus, which you may have seen if you have sat an NCTJ exam previously. Proctorio will then conduct a test of your computer by making sure it is suitable for the exam you are sitting. Once the check is complete, you will be required to provide a valid form of identification, such as your driver’s license or your passport, and then you are all ready to go.

During your examination

During the exam, Proctorio will monitor you during the exam to prevent any malpractice. The monitoring uses artificial intelligence (AI), so you will not be watched by a person at the other end.
Unfortunately, this means you will not be able to leave your desk during the exam, so please ensure you have been to the toilet and have any refreshments you may wish to have prior to your exam beginning. For this reason, it is recommended that you are able to perform exams in a secure, private room in your home wherever possible to minimise disruption.

Any suspected malpractice will be flagged and reviewed by the NCTJ, so you do not need to worry about any sudden movements impacting your result. Providing you remain at your desk and adhere to traditional exam conditions you will be fine.

Should any problems occur during your exams, you will need to contact your exam’s invigilator. You are entitled to one free resit at your centre if technical problems affect your result. I must stress that any exams you choose to sit remotely are at your own discretion, so please check that you have a strong, stable internet connection before sitting your exam. The NTCJ will take special circumstances into consideration, such as a power cut or an internet outage in your local area, meaning situations outside of your personal control will be reviewed.

Shorthand, like all exams, presents the option of sitting the exam remotely or at a later date at university. The dictation will be shared over Zoom directly from your invigilator’s computer to prevent audio quality being impacted. After the dictation is read out, you will be required to send your shorthand note to your invigilator, before typing out your transcript on Cirrus. Further information can be found under the student resources section on the NCTJ website.

These are troubling times for everybody. We are detached from our loved ones, at a time when we need them most. We are uncertain about our future, at a time when certainty is what we all crave. We are struggling with our mental health, at a time when it is facing one of its toughest challenges yet.

However, we will get through this, and normality will return one day when we can all look back on this horrific disease and give it the middle finger. With the NCTJ’s commitment to its candidates, and the hard work of our wonderful lecturers at the University of Portsmouth, trust me when I say that we are in the safest hands imaginable, and our careers will flourish as a result of the hard work we have all put in.

Thank you, and keep safe and well.

Shay Bottomley