Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge
CHAPTER III
pp. 248–249
EXAMINATIONS

In this section

FORM AND CONDUCT OF EXAMINATIONS

1. For any examination or part of an examination no change in the form and conduct of the examination, by comparison with the form and conduct of that examination in the previous year, shall be made if it would affect the preparation of candidates, unless

  1. either(a)the Ordinances governing the examination have been amended with effect from a date later than that of the examination in the previous year;
  2. or(b)any supplementary regulations defining or limiting the scope of the examination have been published or amended not later than the date specified in the Schedule to these regulations;
  3. or(c)the Faculty Board or other body concerned have published, not later than the date specified in the Schedule, a Notice of the changes of form and conduct, not governed by the regulations or supplementary regulations, that will be made.

2. For any examination or part of an examination held for the first time, the Faculty Board or other body concerned shall publish by the first day of the Full Term preceding that in which the examination takes place, a Notice specifying in as much detail as possible the form and conduct of that examination or part of an examination.

3. In these regulations the term examination in Regulations 1 and 2 shall include any course-work, essay, or other exercise specified in the Ordinances governing that examination.

SCHEDULE

 

Not later than

For any examination or part of an examination held between the beginning of the Easter Term and the beginning of the following Michaelmas Term

Last day of Full Michaelmas Term preceding the examination

For any examination or part of an examination held between the beginning of the Michaelmas Term and the beginning of the following Lent Term

Last day of Full Easter Term preceding the examination

For any examination or part of an examination held between the beginning of the Lent Term and the beginning of the following Easter Term

14 October in the academical year in which the examination takes place

Duration of Written Examination Papers

Unless prescribed otherwise in the regulations for a particular Preliminary, Qualifying, or Tripos Examination, or an examination for a Diploma or Certificate, all written papers in those examinations (other than written papers or similar exercises which constitute the whole or part of a practical examination) shall each be of three hours’ duration.

Interviews

Notwithstanding the provisions of any other Ordinance, the Examiners for any Tripos Examination, Qualifying Examination, or Preliminary Examination, or for any examination for a Diploma or Certificate for which candidates are not required to be Graduate Students, shall have discretion, after consultation with the Board of Examinations, to summon a particular candidate or particular candidates for interview on any aspect of the written work of the candidate or candidates not produced in an examination room which in the opinion of the Examiners requires elucidation.

Marking and classing conventions and criteria

Faculty Boards and comparable authorities shall be entitled to issue to the Examiners and Assessors appointed for the examination concerned details of the conventions and criteria to be applied in marking written papers and other work and, where applicable, in determining class-lists. Such details and any changes to them shall be issued not later than the end of the Full Michaelmas Term preceding the examination.