A student who got firsts in all other papers was refused permission to proceed with their studies following technical difficulties in the submission of an online exam, Varsity has learned.

The student, who was at Jesus College studying MML until this January, shared their experience with Varsity. After completion of exams in Easter 2022 and during May Week they were told that the files for their last two exams could not be accessed. By the time they could access the files, it was too late.

The student sat all eight of their exams. During the exam period, they were experiencing issues with their laptop battery which meant it always had to be plugged in and, when exams were over, they decided to get it fixed. However, due to an apparent glitch, the files of their last two exams were not accessible by the Faculty. The student told Varsity that they uploaded them correctly and received a TurnItIn receipt. The Faculty asked for the exam scripts, but by this point the student had submitted the laptop for repair and could not access the files.

The student stated that they told the Faculty that their laptop was being fixed, and gave the name of the person fixing it. Following this, the student first applied to the Office of Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals (OSCCA) for an exam review before results had been released. Once they had their laptop back, they also sent on the scripts of the two exams. The metadata was verified to have been from the relevant exam dates.

The student scored a first in all other papers, and as such would have still passed even with a 0 in both papers. OSCCA drew the student’s attention to Section A.4 within the Guide to Examinations which stated that failure to upload exam scripts would result in a 0 mark. Rather than a 0 mark being given in line with this, however, which would have enabled the student to progress, an exam review was refused and they did not have standing to progress.

As such, they applied to the Examination Access and Mitigation Committee (EAMC) for permission to progress. The student, who is of Turkish descent, told Varsity that the business fixing their laptop was also run by people of Turkish descent. The EAMC then suggested to the student that the person who owned the business, who had a similar name to the student’s father, was in fact the student’s father. It stated in correspondence seen by Varsity, “whilst it is not confirmed that they are the same person, it is coincidental.” This was despite the knowledge that the student was estranged, and had been living in college accommodation full-time during the vacation period.

Correspondence to the student repeatedly questioned why the student had not gotten their laptop fixed at an Apple store, despite the student’s concerns about cost as an independent student. The EAMC then refused permission to progress, which the student appealed.

During the appeal process, the student was permitted to continue with their studies and studied in Michaelmas 2022. However, they received a decision in January 2023 stating that OSCCA had denied the appeal as the reasons for hindering the submission of exams were not “grave” and the that the EAMC’s decision was reasonable “given the nature of the evidence”. As such the student could not continue with their studies at Cambridge. The appeal was “persuaded” that the person fixing the student’s laptop was not their father.

The exam allowance of permission to progress was still refused, and the student could not alternatively receive an average mark, which would have been a pass, as the two papers were not submitted. The student was then asked to withdraw from studies, and given a 10 week period to move out of college accommodation.

In the run up to exams, the student had also experienced bereavement as well as significant struggles with mental health, which their college was aware of. They had previously explored possible intermission with the College. However, as an estranged student they would not have been able to return home.

In an email seen by Varsity, the student also received advice from a senior member of college administration that they were sure the EAMC would approve intermission even if the student failed to obtain honours in one of their languages. As a result, the student had decided to sit their exams.

The student is now looking for a job and exploring their future paths. However, they told Varsity that they were concerned that this could happen to another student, and that they were extremely disappointed with how Jesus College, their Faculty, OSCCA and the EAMC had all handled the situation. They stated that there were clear failings in the approach to welfare and exam mitigations, and that it felt grossly unfair to be kicked out due to what they saw as essentially a technical difficulty.

This is not the first time concerns have been raised regarding the University’s approach to exams and student conduct. Criticism has been levied at the University’s processes for focusing purely on the exam period itself, rather than what a student might have experienced earlier in the year, and for failing to understand the realities of physical and mental health.

A Jesus College spokesperson told Varsity, “We cannot comment on individual cases, but the College works swiftly and closely with students who need to make applications to the Examination Access and Mitigation Committee (EAMC). We offer extensive pastoral and practical support to students throughout an application and, if necessary, in any appeal process.”

A spokesperson from the University said: “We cannot comment on individual cases, but where students’ exams are affected by serious illness or other grave circumstances, they need to inform their College as soon as possible and collect contemporaneous evidence of the circumstances. The College will then put forward a case to the University via the Examination Access and Mitigation Committee (EAMC), or students can apply directly. Each case is considered individually, and decisions are made taking all circumstances into account by trained decision-makers, including qualified medics. If students are dissatisfied with the EAMC outcome, they can request a review of the decision and, if still dissatisfied, they can raise a complaint with the external ombudsman for higher education students, the Office of the Independent Adjudicator.”