WTIBU

[Wingles10]

That's a - Were The Invigilators Being Unreasonable? (Obviously).

I had my final exam today. It's a professional exam and a huge deal. I've been studying at a normal university (as opposed to a study centre type thing) and sat my exam at the university's exam hall amongst a mixture of undergraduate and postgraduate students.

About 10 mins into my exam, an invigilator come and stood in front of my desk, leaned against a door and began drumming on it with her fingers. This went on for a while. She then beckoned a fellow invigilator over and they chatted away. They then split for a short while only to come back and start up another conversation in front of me.

This kept happening and I tried my steeliest of glares to let them know they were disturbing me but to no avail. After about 2 hours of this back and forth chitty chattering, I cleared my throat very loudly and overtly stared at them as if to say 'just fuck off!' (I'd lost my patience by this point). Drumming invigilator gave me a glare and sniggered then they split up again.

At the end of the exam we were told to close our answer booklets and write down the questions numbers we had attempted on the front. Before I had even shut it, the drumming invigilator came and shoved her hand under my paper to take it away. I had to check what questions I'd attempted (there were a few) but she had her hand closing the paper shut. I asked to check it and she said no and took it away. So I didn't write anything on the front

I froze and didn't say anything. It was so odd.

I was sat at the front of a huge room filled with students on a row on my own, mine was like an extra seat dotted on. She had scarpered off to collect the other papers and I didn't want to shout out so ended up leaving with everyone when told to.

That is horrendous. Warrants a complaint, for sure

Of course they were unreasonable, that's totally unacceptable behaviour in an exam room but surely you should have spoken up the first time they came and stood by you talking? Is there someone you can put in a complaint with at the uni?

I really don't know, is it the kind of thing to complain about? I guess there's nothing the university can do about it.

I'm furious about it but I came home and spoke to DH who said he'd had a similar annoyance in his undergraduate degree so that made me think it's maybe a regular occurrence? It's making me mad to think of all of the minutes I spent getting annoyed over it, added up it'll be a decent chunk of my final exam spent stressed out by them.

It is common! I had it this year where I was in a room alone with the invigilator due to a medical issue. While trying to collect my thoughts before I began he kept talking at me. The room next door had a very noisy group and I had to ask him to ask them to keep the noise down and he didn't want to until I insisted. Then finally manage to get stuck in and scribbling away furiously when he asks me if I need the toilet. I am 50!

I used to invigilate. Definitely complain, this is shitty invigilating. They shouldn't be talking near you unless there's a real problem, and drumming on your desk is just beyond.

It won't help your results or anything, and you might even say "I know this won't change anything but..." in your letter. But let them know - this is NOT how it is supposed to be.

Complain to the university and next time sit in the middle of the middle.

ScarlettFreestone - students can't chose where to sit.

They are allocated desks with their candidate details on.

I am an invigilator. This was unacceptable.

I would say next time if it ever happens again definitely rsise your hand and ask them to stop/ move away.

Write in as suggested above. If you are borderline between grades they may give you additional marks due to the circumstances.

As regards the front q numbers - thst is to ease admin so should not affect your grade adversely.

All the best thanks, that's a change from my day!

Definitely complain - it's a paid role

I've invigilated for professional exams before where you aren't even allowed to read a book let alone chat. I would report this to the professional institute and complain that you weren't allowed to fill in the front sheet with details of the questions you'd answered. (I remember taking my professional finals and having to argue about being allowed to write my number across the top of each answer sheet.) I don't think you can do much about the behavior though as it will be your word against theirs I'm afraid...

Not uncommon to get crappy invigilators. At my exam last week, he hadn't read the instructions and tried to start the exam early - there are 15 minutes reading time and he tried to start 15 minutes earlier. It was only because I spoke up that it didn't happen. The same guy did this last year and one candidate arrived just before the start time but was treated as though he was late! The invigilator should know how many candidates there are fgs and read the notes.

During the exam the guy ate noisily - bloody nuts and the world's crispiest apple.

At another exam I had to make a kerfuffle by coughing to be allowed to go to the loo as both invigilators were reading novels and didn't look up for more than five minutes.

eating during the exam is a whole new level of wrong that's awful!

I took my MN courage and put it into writing today by way of a complaint to my university. So we'll see if anything comes of it.

My course mates have a Facebook group set up and a few have mentioned on there about the invigilators disturbing them. One said the drumming invigilator accompanied her to the toilet then chatted away to her keeping her for a couple of minutes extra.

I find it so bizarre that any invigilator would think it was acceptable to do the things mentioned in this thread, I'd be scared to breathe in front of a room of terrified students taking their exams.

As an invigilator we are nowadays not allowed to read or fo anything else other than sit and watch the candidates. We are there not only to prevent cheating but also to ensure matters run smoothly for the candidates. Any time taken out of the room for the loo etc should be recorded and added to the end for that candidate.