DECISION

ISSUING THE REGULATION ON ORGANIZATION OF THE RECRUITMENT EXAMINATION FOR STATE BUDGET-FUNDED POSTGRADUATE TRAINING AT OVERSEAS ESTABLISHMENTS

THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 15/CP of March 2, 1993 on the tasks, powers and State management responsibilities of the ministries and ministerial-level agencies;
Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 29/CP of March 30, 1994 on the tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;
Pursuant to the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 322/TTg of April 19, 2000 approving the Scheme on "State budget-funded training of scientific and technical personnel at overseas establishments",
At the proposal of the director of the Postgraduate Education Department,

DECIDES:

Article 1.- To issue together with this Decision the Regulation on organization of the recruitment examination for State budget-funded postgraduate training at overseas establishments.

Article 2.- This Decision takes effect 15 days after its signing and replaces Decision No. 31/2000/QD-BGDDT of August 22, 2000 of the Minister of Education and Training issuing the provisional Regulation on organization of the recruitment examination for State budget-funded postgraduate training at overseas establishments in 2000."

Article 3.- The director of the Office, the director of the Postgraduate Education Department, the heads of the concerned units of the Ministry, and the people involved in the enrollment work shall have to implement this Decision.

REGULATION

ON ORGANIZATION OF THE RECRUITMENT EXAMINATION FOR STATE BUDGET-FUNDED POSTGRADUATE TRAINING AT OVERSEAS ESTABLISHMENTS
(Issued together with Decision No. 20/2001/QD-BGDDT of June 6, 2001 of the Minister of Education and Training)

Chapter I

THE POSTGRADUATE RECRUITMENT EXAMINATION COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEES

Article 1.- The Recruitment Examination Council (REC)

The Recruitment Examination Council is set up under decision of the Minister of Education and Training in order to organize the discharge of the entire work related to the postgraduate recruitment examination for State budget-funded training at overseas establishments.

1. Composition of the REC:

a/ Chairman: A vice minister of Education and Training.

b/ Vice chairman: A leading official of the Postgraduate Education Department.

c/ Members: Representatives of the leaderships of the Higher Education, Postgraduate Education, Organization and Personnel, International Relations and Planning and Finance Departments.

Those who have their relatives (parents, spouses, children and siblings) being candidates shall not participate in the REC and its committees.

2. Powers and responsibilities of the REC:

a/ To consider and approve the list of candidates on the basis of the conditions prescribed in the Education and Training Ministry’s annual notices on postgraduate recruitment for State budget-funded training at overseas establishments.

b/ To determine the list of candidates, training levels, training specialties and examination subjects.

c/ To organize the performance of the tasks of: assigning examination papers; organizing the examinations, marking and re-marking; considering and approving the list of successful candidates; collecting and using fees to cover the examination organization expenses; reviewing the recruitment examination work; deciding on rewards and disciplines; reporting on the results of recruitment examination work to the Scheme’s Executive Committee, the Minister of Education and Training and the Steering Council for Implementation of the Scheme.

3. Powers and responsibilities of the REC chairman:

a/ To decide on and take responsibility for all aspects of the work related to the recruitment examination according to this Regulation.

b/ To personally appoint and invite people to assign examination papers; to receive or authorize the vice chairman to receive examination papers and their keys from the examination paper assignors.

c/ To issue decisions to set up the assisting apparatus of the REC, which is composed of the Secretariat, the Examination Paper Committee, the Examination Invigilation Committee, the Marking Committee, the Re-marking Committee and Outline-Marking Sub-Committees. These Committees and Sub-Committees shall be directed by the REC chairman.

d/ To assign tasks to a number of universities to prepare examination venues and organize the examinations.

Article 2.- The REC Secretariat

Those who are selected for the Secretariat must possess a sense of organization and discipline, a high sense of responsibility, a sense of confidentiality, and be honest.

1. Composition of the REC Secretariat:

a/ The head of the Secretariat: A leading official of the Postgraduate Education Department.

b/ Members: Representatives of the leaderships of the universities where the examinations are to be organized, a number of specialists from the Postgraduate Education, Higher Education, and Organization and Personnel Departments, and a number of officials from the universities participating in organizing the examinations.

2. Powers and responsibilities of the head of the REC Secretariat:

a/ To select officials who have a sense of organization and discipline, a high sense of responsibility, a prudent working style and a sense of confidentiality, and send the list thereof to the REC chairman for consideration and decision on the Secretariat’s composition.

b/ To take responsibility for organizing and administering all activities of the REC Secretariat.

3. Tasks of the REC Secretariat:

a/ Receiving, considering and approving dossiers.

b/ Submitting to the REC for approval the lists of qualified candidates.

c/ Making the list of examination rooms, dispatch examination notices and distributing candidate’s cards.

d/ Receiving examination papers from the Examination Invigilation Committee, bagging examination papers and numbering the detachable heads of examination papers, handing examination papers to the Marking Committee and performing necessary professional tasks in service of the marking and the listing of marks.

e/ Reporting on the situation and results of the marking to the REC chairman.

f/ Projecting the pass mark levels and submitting them to the REC for consideration.

g/ On the basis of the approval of the list of successful candidates, by the REC, dispatching the mark notices and the qualification notices to the successful candidates and their managing agencies, ministries or branches.

Article 3.- The Examination Paper Committee

Those who are selected for the Examination Paper Committee must have a sense of organization and discipline, a high sense of responsibility, a sense of confidentiality and be honest.

1. Composition of the Examination Paper Committee:

a/ The head: The REC vice chairman or member working on a part-time basis.

b/ Standing member: A representative of the leadership of the university where the examinations are to be organized.

c/ Members: A number of officials from the Postgraduate Education as well as Organization and Personnel Departments.

2. Powers and responsibilities of the head of the Examination Paper Committee:

a/ To decide on the list of members of the Examination Subject Sub-Committees (each consisting of two members, one of whom being its head), who are holders of the academic titles of science doctor or doctor or the scientific titles of professor or associate professor, have a high professional prestige, so as to assist the Examination Paper Committee in preparing and checking examination papers for each examination subject.

b/ To organize and direct the performance of the entire examination paper-related work in service of the examinations.

c/ To select examination papers or direct the Examination Subject Sub-Committees to elaborate examination papers so as to ensure both official and standby examination papers.

d/ To deal with urgent and extraordinary circumstances related to examination papers arising in the examinations.

e/ To take responsibility to the REC for the professional quality and the - process of keeping confidential the examination papers as well as all phases related to examination papers.

According to the recommendations of the principals of the universities where the examinations are to be held, the heads of the Examination Paper Committees may invite a number of these universities staff members to assist in the printing, packing, distribution and use of examination papers. Those who are invited must have a sense of discipline, be honest and experienced in making examination papers and have no relatives (parents, spouses, offspring and siblings) being candidates.

3. Tasks of the Examination Subject Sub-Committees:

a/ Firmly and thoroughly grasping all requirements of the assignment of examination papers.

b/ Studying and experimenting (if necessary) the already introduced examination papers so as to revise, combine or compile new papers which should meet the requirements of the examinations. For re-compiled examination papers, their keys and mark scales should be prepared and submitted to the head of the Examination Paper Committee for consideration and decision.

c/ Assisting the head of the Examination Paper Committee in monitoring, explaining and settling matters related to examination papers under their charge during the examination sessions.

The heads of the Examination Subject Sub-Committees shall not be allowed to take part in choosing official or standby examination papers for the examinations.

4. Tasks of the Examination Paper Committee:

a/ Printing, packing, preserving, distributing and using examination papers according to regulations.

b/ Keep confidential the keys to the selected examination papers, unused examination papers and papers related thereto.

Article 4.- The Examination Invigilation Committee

Those who are selected for the Examination Invigilation Committee and serve the examinations must have a sense of organization and discipline, a high sense of responsibility, be strict, impartial, experienced and expert in examination invigilation skills. There shall be a separate Examination Invigilation Committee at each university where the examination is held.

1. Composition of the Examination Invigilation Committee:

a/ The head: A representative of the leadership of the university where the examination is held, who is a member of the REC.

b/ Members (invigilators): a number of lecturers of the university where the examination is held.

2. Powers and responsibilities of the head of the Examination Invigilation Committee:

a/ To be responsible for administering the entire examination invigilation work.

b/ To decide on the list of invigilators, order guards, medical workers, policemen and service staff at the examination venue.

c/ To decide to deal with circumstances occurring during the examination sessions according to this Regulation.

3. Tasks of the Examination Invigilation Committee:

To perform the entire examination invigilation work ranging from positioning the force of examination invigilators and examination room guards, organizing the examination invigilation, collecting examination papers to handing examination papers according to this Regulation, ensuring safety for the examinations and the candidates examination papers.

Article 5.- The Marking Committee

Those who are selected for the Marking Committee must have a sense of organization and discipline, a high sense of responsibility, be strict and impartial.

1. Composition of the Marking Committee:

a/ The head: The REC vice chairman or member working on a part-time basis.

b/ Members: Officials in charge of each examination subject (called heads of the marked examination subjects) and markers.

c/ The Examination Invigilation Committees Secretariat: consisting of assistants to the Marking Committee.

The REC Secretariat members shall not participate in the marking.

2. Powers and responsibilities of the head of the Marking Committee

a/ To be responsible for administering the entire marking work.

b/ To be responsible to the REC for the quality, progress and the observance of the marking procedures.

3. Tasks of the Marking Committee:

a/ The heads of the marked examination subjects must be holders of the scientific titles of professor or associate professor or the academic titles of science doctor or doctor; have good professional qualifications and are personally teaching the relevant marked examination subjects; take responsibility to the REC chairman and the head of the Marking Committee for the marking procedures; receiving examination papers and appointing markers; help markers in firmly grasping the keys and the mark scale before proceeding with the marking.

b/ The markers must be holders of the scientific titles of professor or associate professor or the academic titles of science doctor or doctor; have good professional qualifications and are personally teaching the relevant marked examination subjects, and perform all the marking tasks according to regulations.

c/ Members of the Secretariat must be experienced and skillful in the marking work and perform all the tasks of the Marking Committees Secretariat as specified in Articles 17 and 18 of this Regulation.

Article 6.- The Re-Marking Committee

1. Composition of the Re-Marking Committee:

a/ The head: A leading official of the Postgraduate Education Department.

b/ Members: A number of key teaching staff of various universities, who are holders of the scientific titles of professor or associate professor or the academic titles of science doctor or doctor; have a high sense of responsibility, are impartial, honest, have good professional qualifications, and all are appointed by the REC chairman. The list of members and the working schedule of the Re-Marking Committee must be kept confidential until it starts operation.

2. Tasks of the Re-Marking Committee:

When a candidate files a written complaint, the Re-Marking Committee shall have to:

a/ Check all mechanical errors like erroneous addition of marks, one candidates mark being mistakenly recorded for another.

b/ Re-mark the examination papers when the candidates claim that there are mistakes or omissions as compared to the official mark scale.

c/ Mark the papers once misplaced and now found.

d/ Submit the marks of the re-marked papers to the REC chairman for decision.

Article 7.- The Outline-Marking Sub-Committee:

Those who are selected to the Outline-Marking Sub-Committee of each specialty must be holders of the scientific titles of professor or associate professor or the academic titles of science doctor or doctor; have good professional qualifications, have a sense of organization and discipline and a high sense of responsibility, be strict, impartial and have no relatives (parents, spouses, offspring and siblings) being candidates.

1. Powers and responsibilities of the Outline-Marking Sub-Committee:

a/ To take responsibility for administering the whole outline-marking work.

b/ To take responsibility to the REC for the quality, progress and the observance of the outline-marking procedures.

2. Tasks of the Outline-Marking Sub-Committee:

a/ Marking the outlines of those who sit examinations for doctoral training and apprentice visits according to the specialty of the Sub-Committee.

b/ Reporting the results of the outline marking to the REC chairman.

Chapter II

ASSIGNMENT OF EXAMINATION PAPERS, ORGANIZATION OF EXAMINATIONS, MARKING OF EXAMINATION PAPERS, CONSIDERATION AND SELECTION

Section 1. ASSIGNMENT OF EXAMINATION PAPERS

Article 8.- Requirements for and contents of examination papers

Postgraduate recruitment examination papers must satisfy all requirements for examination of candidates basic knowledge of each study subject and their capability to apply and synthesize knowledge, according to the program and level already announced in the revision outlines.

The contents of examination papers must be scientific, accurate, coherent and synthetic, not merely focus on a particular part of the program announced in the revision outline, in order to assess the candidates capability to apply synthesized knowledge to solving problems. The writing style, words and phrases, formula and equations must be clear and error-free.

Examination papers must satisfy the requirements for assessment and classification of candidates study capability and qualifications, and be suited to the time prescribed for each examination subject.

Article 9.- Requirements for examination paper assignors

1. Invited examination paper assignors must be those who are holders of the scientific titles of professor or associate professor or the academic titles of science doctor or doctor; have been teaching and lecturing for many years; have a high sense of responsibility and much experience in the examination subjects.

2. Invited examination paper assignors must not have relatives such as parents, spouses, offspring or siblings being candidates.

3. Invited examination paper assignors must submit examination questions to the REC chairman or vice-chairman according to the time and requirements mentioned in the letters inviting them to assign examination papers. They must neither duplicate them, keep them as a personal file nor use the contents of the examination papers already introduced to the REC for teaching or lecturing, extra-class tuition, examination preparation, nor disclose them in whatever form.

Article 10.- Requirements for the assignment of examination papers for key and basic subjects and foreign languages (Russian, French, German and Chinese)

1. For each examination subject, the REC chairman shall invite at least three people to introduce examination papers. Each shall compile an examination paper based on the contents indicated in the REC chairman’s letters inviting them to assign examination papers and print it in two copies. Each examination paper shall consist of several questions, with the time needed for answering each question clearly indicated, and its enclosed keys which also include the expected mark for each question of the examination paper. Such an examination paper and its keys must be type-printed explicitly, clearly and precisely.

2. Two copies of each examination paper and its keys shall be put in three tightly glued envelopes. On each envelope, the name of the examination subject (being exactly the name used in the outline of the examination subject) and the content, being either the examination paper or keys, and the full name of the examination paper assignor must be clearly inscribed. There must be also the examination paper assignor’s signature affixed on the glued edges of the envelopes. Envelopes for containing examination papers and keys shall be provided by the REC.

3. The REC chairman or vice-chairman shall personally receive examination papers and their keys from the assignors, then put one envelope containing the examination paper and one envelope containing its keys in a single envelope used to contain both examination paper and its answer and put the remaining envelope containing the examination paper into another examination paper envelope, glue them tightly and inscribe the examination subject thereon but not the assignor’s name, affix a security seal thereon, number the two envelopes of such examination subject (the same number) and keep them according to confidentiality-maintaining procedures. The above-mentioned envelopes shall be provided by the REC.

4. According to the REC’s plan, the heads of the Examination Paper Committee and the Examination Subject Sub-Committees shall gather at the examination paper-making rooms. For each examination subject, the head of the Examination Paper Committee shall select one examination paper as official and another as standby. In case of necessity, the head of the Examination Paper Committee may request the Examination Subject Sub-Committee to compile two examination papers from the introduced examination papers, pilot them, compile the keys thereto and give a detailed mark scale for each paper. The head of the Examination Paper Committee shall select one paper as official and another as standby.

The head of the Examination Paper Committee shall notify the examination paper-making place in Ho Chi Minh City of the information about the selected examination paper for implementation.

5. The permanent members of the Examination Paper Committee (in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City) shall personally direct the duplication and packing of examination papers according to the quantity of examination papers and the examination subjects for each examination room. The examination paper envelope of each examination room shall be tightly glued, with the quantity of examination papers, the examination subject, the examination room being clearly inscribed thereon, and be sealed up.

6. Those who are involved in the making of examination papers must wear a particular badge and work within a permitted area. The place of examination paper making and printing must be safe and strictly guarded.

7. Examination papers must be preserved in metal cabinets or boxes, securely locked, carefully sealed up and under constant watch. The cabinet or box keys shall be kept by the head of the Examination Paper Committee. One hour before the examination starts, the Examination Paper Committee shall deliver the examination papers to each examination room, and make records of the delivery and receipt thereof, which are affixed with signatures.

8. The heads of the Examination Subject Sub-Committees must be present at the REC office for two thirds of the time for writing the examination papers so as to explain and deal with problems related to the examination papers.

Article 11.- Requirements for the research outlines

1. Research outlines of candidates for doctoral training must be an overall presentation of the issues related to the research subject, together with orientations and research project planned to be carried out abroad, scientific grounds, scientific and practical significance of the to be-researched issue, expected research steps and conditions needed for overseas research.

Research projects of sectional nature, which lack necessary conditions for overseas research, shall be restricted.

2. Research outlines of candidates for overseas apprenticeship should embrace activities which they have done and are doing at home, scientific and practical significance of the to be-researched issue, difficulties in need of help from overseas establishments, prospects for problem-solving or improvements of the quality of the work being performed at home, as projected by the apprentices.

Section 2. ORGANIZATION OF EXAMINATIONS

Article 12.- Tasks of the universities

The principals of the universities where the examinations are organized shall have to:

1. Prepare material foundations in service of the arrangement of examination paper-making, examination and marking rooms, ensuring that they be spacious, airy and safe.

2. Mobilize officials who have enough prestige and experience to participate in the assisting committees of the REC when the REC requests

3. Coordinate with the REC Secretariat in making candidate’s cards and lists of candidates photos for each examination room.

Article 13.- Responsibility of examination invigilators

In each examination room there must be at least two examination invigilators who must neither assist candidates in writing examination papers in whatever form, do personal work nor smoke while on duty, must be present on time and constantly in the examination rooms so as to perform the following tasks:

1. Inscribing the candidates numbers at the candidates seats, calling the candidates into the examination room (not allowing them to take into the examination room materials and things banned from use), using the candidate’s cards and the photo list to match and identify the right candidates.

2. Signing their names on the candidates drafting papers and examination papers, guiding the candidates how to write their numbers and fill in other necessary sections on the examination and drafting papers.

3. When an order is issued, one invigilator receives the examination papers and show to the candidates the envelope with intact seal, open the envelope containing the examination papers and distribute them to each candidate. (Before distributing examination papers, they need to check the quantity of examination papers, if finding that the examination papers are insufficient or superfluous, confused with other examination papers or mixed with other documents, they must immediately notify such to the head of the Examination Invigilation Committee). It is forbidden to let examination papers being circulated outside the examination rooms.

4. Examination invigilators must oversee the entire examination room and stringently deal with cases of violation of the examination regulations and make records thereof according to regulations. They may allow candidates to leave the examination room only after two thirds of the time for writing the examination papers have passed. If candidates fall sick unexpectedly, they must report such to the examination room supervisor for settlement.

5. When there is an order to end the examination session, they must request the candidates to stop writing and collect all candidates papers, including those of disciplined candidates. They shall check and arrange the papers of each examination subject according to the name list of candidates. After that, both of them shall together hand the examination papers to the REC Secretariat members right after the end of each examination session. They are strictly forbidden to misplace or cause loss of, examination papers.

Article 14.- Responsibilities of examination room supervisors, order guards, policemen and medical personnel

1. Examination room supervisors must constantly supervise the observance of the recruitment examination regulations by examination invigilators, candidates and service staff, supervise and remind examination invigilators to determinedly seize materials and technical means not allowed to be taken into the examination rooms by candidates; make records of violations committed by examination invigilators and candidates and discipline violators.

2. Those who are assigned as guards shall have to maintain order and security at the places designated to them. They must not allow any people not on duty to enter the examination area and come close to the examination rooms. They must neither enter the examination rooms nor assist candidates in writing the examination papers in whatever form.

3. Medical personnel must be always present at the designated places to perform their duty. They are strictly forbidden to take advantage of the on-the-spot medical examination and treatment to commit acts of violating the Regulation.

Article 15.- Responsibilities of candidates during the examination session

1. According to the timetable announced in the examination notices, candidates shall come to the examination venues to pay examination fees, receive candidate’s cards, be informed of the examination rooms and regulations. If detecting any mistakes regarding their given and/or family names, birthdays, specialties registered for examinations, examination subjects, they must report them to the REC Secretariat for timely adjustment.

2. Candidates must be present at the examination rooms on the prescribed date and time. Candidates who come more than 15 minutes late after the examination papers are opened shall not be allowed to sit the examination. Candidates who are absent from one examination session shall not be allowed to sit the subsequent ones.

3. When entering the examination room, candidates must produce candidate’s cards. They may take in the examination room writing pens, pencils, compasses, erasers, rulers, personal electronic calculators without letter keys. They must not smoke in the examination rooms.

4. Before writing examination papers, they must inscribe fully their candidates numbers on the examination papers, drafting papers and must ask the examination invigilators to sign on the examination papers and drafting papers.

5. The examination papers must be written eligibly and clearly without any special signs. Candidates are strictly forbidden to write examination papers in ink of two colors, in red or with a pencil. Unsatisfactorily written paragraphs must be crossed out, correction pens must not be used. They must protect their examination papers and are strictly forbidden to commit any cheating acts.

6. When the time is over, they must stop writing and hand their examination papers to the examination invigilators. When handing the examination papers, candidates must write by themselves the quantity of examination pages already handed and sign on the candidate-monitoring list. They must not hand their drafting papers.

Article 16.- Handling of cases of assignment of wrong examination papers, wrong printing or disclosure of examination papers

1. When detecting an error in the examination paper, the examination invigilators shall together with the head of the Examination Invigilation Committee have to make a record thereof and promptly report it to the head of the Examination Paper Committee and the REC chairman for consideration and decision on the handling thereof.

Depending on the nature and graveness of each error, whether it is found in one question or more than one question and whether it is detected early or late, the REC chairman shall consider and decide on the handling thereof in an impartial and serious manner according to one of the following options:

a/ Ordering the prompt correction of the error and notifying the candidates thereof without prolonging the examination time.

b/ Ordering the prompt correction of the error and notifying the candidates thereof and properly prolonging the examination time.

c/ Not correcting the error, still letting the candidates to write the examination questions but having to apply handling measures when the examination papers are marked.

d/ Reorganizing the examination.

2. In cases where the examination papers are disclosed, the REC chairman shall decide on suspending the examination of the subject whose paper has been disclosed and notify the candidates thereof. The examination sessions of other subjects shall still take place according to schedule. The examination of the subject whose examination paper is disclosed shall be organized immediately after the last examination session. The REC chairman shall decide on the use of the standby examination paper of such examination subject.

Upon the end of the examination, the REC chairman shall work with the local police department to check, verify and make conclusions on the causes of the paper disclosure, the disclosers, the concerned people and proceed with the liability examination.

Section 3. THE MARKING WORK

Article 17.- The marking procedures

The head of the marked examination subject shall gather all markers to mark the examination papers according to the independent double marking process. It is strictly forbidden to use all kinds of correction pens when marking. Answers written on papers other than the papers used in the examinations, written on drafting papers, written with two different hand-writing styles or containing improper words or drawings; examination papers marked with signs, written in ink of two colors shall not be marked.

1. First marking:

Before marking, markers shall check every examination paper whether it has the sufficient quantity of pages and the number of its detachable head and cross all parts of paper left unwritten by the candidates, must not write anything on the candidates papers. Component marks, aggregate marks and comments (if any) shall be inscribed on the marking sheet of each examination paper. On the marking sheets, the full names and signatures of markers shall be clearly inscribed. After finishing the marking of each bag of examination papers, the head of the marked examination subject shall hand it to the Secretariat of the Marking Committee.

2. Second marking:

a/ After the first marking, the Secretariat of the Marking Committee shall draw out the marking sheets before handing the examination papers to the head of the marked examination subject for handing them to the second markers.

b/ Second markers shall write marks directly on the candidates papers, including component marks and aggregate marks, then sign on such papers. After finishing the marking of each bag of examination papers, the head of the marked examination subject shall hand it to the Secretariat of the Marking Committee.

Article 18.- Marking of examination papers and marking records

1. Mark scale:

a/ For basic subjects, the mark scale is a 10-point one. Odd points up to 0.25 may be given to minor ideas. The component marks and aggregate marks shall not be rounded up, and have up to two decimals. Markers shall mark examination papers according to the mark scale and the official keys already approved by the head of the Marking Committee.

b/ Foreign languages shall be marked according to the 100-point scale and marks shall not be rounded up.

2. Dealing with of marking results and making of marking records: The Secretariat of the Marking Committee shall compare the results of the two markings and dealing with them as follows:

a/ If the results of the two markings are identical, hand the examination papers to the two markers to write the marks on the examination papers and on the marking record, then jointly sign for certification on the examination papers and the marking record. If the aggregate marks of an examination paper are identical but component marks are not, the two markers shall jointly check and agree upon the mark according to the keys.

b/ If the results of the two markings are 0.5 point different, the examination paper shall be handed together with the first-marking sheet to the head of the marked examination subject for decision on the final mark. The head of the marked examination subject shall write the mark on the paper and the marking record, then sign for certification on the paper and the marking record.

c/ If the results of the two markings are 1 point or more in difference, the examination paper shall be handed together with the first-marking sheet to the head of the marked examination subject to organize the third marking, then write the mark directly on the candidate’s paper in a different color ink.

In this case, if the results of two of the three markings are alike, the alike marks shall be used as the official mark. If the results are all different, the head of the marked examination subject shall take the mean result of the three markings as final mark. He/she shall write the mark on the paper and the marking record, then sign for certification on the paper and the marking record.

After checking and dealing with the marking results and making the marking records, the Secretariat of the Marking Committee shall hand the examination papers and the marking records to the REC Secretariat.

Article 19.- Marking of research outlines

1. For each specialty, the Outline-Marking Sub-Committee shall be set up for candidates of doctoral training and candidates of apprenticeship training.

2. The marking of research outlines and apprenticeship outlines shall be based on a 10-point scale. Each member of the Sub-Committee shall give comments on the content and presentation of the outlines and give marks on the outline-marking sheets. The mark of each candidate’s outline shall be the mean of the marks given by the Sub-Committee members, which must not be rounded up, and have up to two decimals. At the end of the marking session, the head of the Sub-Committee shall list the mark of each candidate (according to the outline-marking form), together with the Sub-Committee members sign for certification of the marks, submit the marks and the marking sheets of all members to the Secretariat.

Article 20.- Re-marking

1. The REC shall receive only written complaints about candidates marks within 15 days after the date of publicization of the marks. Candidates who file written petitions for re-marking shall have to pay a re-marking fee according to the REC’s regulation.

2. The re-marking shall be carried out according to each examination subject under the direct steering of the head of the Re-Marking Committee.

3. Before handing the examination papers to the Re-Marking Committee, the REC Secretariat shall perform the following tasks:

a/ Referring to the candidate’s number to find out the examination paper’s detachable head number. Drawing out the examination paper, comparing it with the candidate-monitoring list to check and compare the number of pages of the examination paper.

b/ Preliminarily checking the condition of the examination paper, comparing the parts mentioned in the candidate’s petition for the re-marking thereof with the examination paper. Re-adding the component marks, comparing the aggregate mark with the publicized mark to check if there is any error. If any extraordinary problem is found out, it must be recorded in writing and reported to the REC chairman for decision.

c/ Gathering the papers of the same subject into one bag, clearly writing the quantity of papers and the number of pages of each paper in the bag before handing it to the Re-Marking Committee. The delivery and receipt of papers shall comply with the procedures prescribed for first-round marking.

There must be at least two people jointly performing the re-marking-related tasks. To keep absolutely confidential the relation between the candidate’s number and the detachable head number. The re-marking of each examination paper shall be separately done by two markers directly on the candidate’s examination paper in ink of two different colors.

4. The re-marked examination papers shall be dealt with by the Secretariat as follows:

a/ If the results of the two markings are alike, the paper shall be handed to the head of the Re-Marking Committee to sign for certification of the official mark.

b/ If the results of the two markings are different, the examination paper shall be drawn out and given to the head of the Re-Marking Committee for organizing the third marking directly on the candidate’s paper. If the results of two of the three markings are alike, the alike mark shall be used as official one. If the results of the three markings are all different, the head of the Re-Marking Committee shall take the mean of the three marks as official one, then sign for certification thereof.

After the re-marking, if seeing that the first-round mark and the re-marking mark are different and such difference causes the qualified candidate disqualified (or vice versa), the REC shall have to organize a face-to-face meeting between the first-round markers and the re-markers. If the REC confirms that the first-round mark is so erroneous to such an extent mentioned above, it shall make public the list of first-round markers for drawing experiences or if any negative signs are detected, they shall be handed according to regulations. The re-marking mark obtained after the face-to-face meeting between the two teams of markers and submitted by the head of the Re-Marking Committee to the REC chairman for signing and approval shall be the official mark of the examination paper.

Section 4. CONSIDERATION AND RECRUITMENT

Article 21.- Conditions for being considered and recruitment

To be considered and recruited, candidates must achieve 5-point marks or higher (on the 10-point scale) for all examination subjects and their foreign language levels must be up to the requirements of the countries they are sent to for training.

If the number of candidates who meet the foreign language requirement is few, the REC chairman may decide to lower the required pass marks in order to have more qualified candidates and make a plan on fostering these candidates in foreign languages.

Article 22.- Pass marks

Pass marks shall be determined on the training quota of each branch, already approved by the Scheme Steering Committee and the aggregate examination marks arranged in a high-to-low order. The aggregate mark for master’s training is the total of the marks of key and basic subjects, for doctoral training, the total of the marks of key and basic subjects plus the mark of the defense of research outline; and for apprentices, the mark of the defense of apprenticeship outline.

Particularly for the consideration and selection of candidates for doctoral training in specialties, which involves the two research outline marking Sub-Committees (one in Hanoi and the other in Ho Chi Minh City), the REC shall also base itself on the ratio of the training quota of the specialty and the number of candidates at each Sub-Committee.

Article 23.- Approval of successful candidates

After the examination results are available, the head of the Secretariat shall report the examination results, project the pass marks and submit to the REC the pass marks for each training level and each training specialty.

The proposed list of successful candidates shall be arranged in the high-to- low order of their aggregate marks as prescribed in Articles 21 and 22 of this Regulation.

Basing itself on the list of successful candidates already approved by the REC, the REC Secretariat shall make lists of successful candidates by countries they are sent to, by training level and by specialty, and send the mark notices and qualification notices to each candidate and his/her managing agency.

Article 24.- Archival

All examination papers and other documents related to the recruitment examinations for State budget funded postgraduate training at overseas establishments must be preserved and archived for a long time. The destruction of examination papers and related documents shall be only effected upon decision of the leadership of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Chapter III

COMMENDATION AND HANDLING OF VIOLATIONS

Article 25.- Commendation

Those who have made many contributions, actively and well discharged assigned tasks shall, depending on their specific achievements, be commended and rewarded.

Article 26.- Disciplining

1. Handling of recruitment examination officials who violate the Regulation

Those who are involved in the examination and recruitment work and commit acts of violating the Regulation (being detected while they are on duty or after the examinations take place), provided that there are enough evidences, shall, depending on the seriousness of their violations, be subjected to self-criticism and properly disciplined in the following forms:

a/ Reprimand, for those who commit minor mistakes while on duty.

b/ Warning, for those who commit the following minor violations only once:

- Allowing candidates to freely copy one another’s paper, bring and use materials or technical means of receiving and transmitting, messaging, recording, in the examination rooms, which is detected by the examination room supervisors or examination inspectors.

- Causing loss of examination papers when collecting, carrying or marking examination papers.

- Making many errors while marking papers or adding marks.

- Assigning examination papers at variance with the level specified in the revision outline.

c/ Those who make one of the following violations shall, depending on the seriousness of their violations, have their salary level or rank lowered, be demoted and/or transferred to other jobs:

- Assigning wrong examination papers.

- Being involved in such negative acts as passing the examination papers out of, or bringing the keys into, the examination rooms during the examination.

- Personally answering the questions then guiding them to one or many candidates during the examination.

- Committing frauds while marking examination papers. Giving marks at variance with regulations, beyond the mark scale or lower the marks the candidates should have deserved.

d/ Those who commit one of the following violations in the process of making examination questions, invigilating examination sessions, collected examination papers, preserving examination papers, cutting out detachable heads, handing examination papers, marking, writing marks on the marking records and examination result forms and/or convening successful candidates, shall be dismissed from their jobs or prosecuted before law:

- Disclosing, buying or selling examination questions.

- Correcting, writing and/or erasing parts of the candidates papers.

- Correcting the marks on the examination papers, marking records or examination results.

- Exchanging examination papers, detachable head numbers and/or marks of candidates.

- Cheating in the consideration, selection and/or convening of successful candidates.

e/ For other wrong acts, depending on their nature, seriousness and adverse impact, they shall be handled in one of the above-mentioned forms.

2. Handling of candidates who violate the Regulation

For violations of the Regulation by candidates, records thereon shall be made and the violators, depending on the seriousness of their violations, be disciplined in the following forms:

a/ Reprimand, for candidates committing the following acts only once: Copying others papers, discussing and exchanging ideas with others (this form shall be decided by the examination invigilators). The candidates who are reprised while sitting the examination of a subject shall have their marks of such subject reduced by 25%.

b/ Warning, for candidates making one of the following mistakes:

- Repeating the violation after being reprised once for such violation in one examination session.

- Bringing into the examination rooms weapons, fire or explosive-causing substances, beer, alcohol or other harmful articles.

- Exchanging materials or drafting papers with others.

- Copying others papers. For candidates who have examination papers for which there are conclusions that they are alike, they shall be handled in the same way. If a handled person produces enough evidences proving that his/her paper was actually copied, the REC chairman may consider and replace the warning form with the reprimand form.

Candidates who are disciplined with warnings while sitting the examination of a subject shall have their mark of such subject reduced by 50%. For the disciplining form of warning, the examination invigilators shall make records thereof, seize all material evidences and decide on serving warning:

c/ Suspending from sitting the examination candidates who commit one of the following acts:

- Repeating the violation after being reprimanded once for such violation in one examination session.

- After the examination paper envelop is opened, the candidates are still detected to have with them: materials, technical devices for receiving, transmitting, messaging and/or recording.

- Writing improper slogans, words and/or drawings on the examination papers.

- Committing acts of quarreling or intimidating responsible personnel in the examination session or intimidating other candidates.

For the form of suspension from sitting examination, the examination invigilators shall make records thereof, seize material evidences and submit them to the head of the Examination Invigilation Committee for decision.

Candidates who are suspended from sitting the examination of a subject shall receive mark 0 for such subject; must leave the examination room after there is a decision thereon from the head of the Examination Invigilation Committee and after at least two thirds of the time for sitting the examination of such subject have passed; and be banned from sitting examinations of subsequent subjects.

d/ Stripping of the right to attend overseas training in the year and of the right to sit the examinations for overseas postgraduate training in the two subsequent years, or proposing competent authorities to prosecute before law candidates who commit one of the following acts: making false declarations in their dossiers; asking other persons to sit examinations or writing the examination papers for them in whatever form; committing acts of sabotaging the examination, assaulting examination invigilators or other candidates.

This disciplining form shall be decided by the REC.

For other cases of violation, the REC chairman may discipline violators by applying the above-mentioned disciplining forms.

The disciplining of candidates must be notified to the concerned candidates. If the candidates refuse to sign on the records of their violations, the two examination invigilators shall sign on the records. If the examination invigilators and the head of the Examination Invigilation Committee disagree on the handling form, they must clearly write their opinions in the records for reporting to the REC chairman for decision. If the examination invigilators and/or the head of the Examination Invigilation Committee impose disciplines at variance with the prescribed disciplining level, the REC chairman shall base himself/herself on the seized material evidences and the records to check and handle the cases of violation according to the Regulation before publicizing the examination results and criticizing those who have wrongly handled the cases.

3. Handling of special cases discovered in the marking process

The Secretariat of the Marking Committee and the markers shall have to detect and report to the head of the Marking Committee examination papers showing signs of violation of this Regulation, which need to be handled even when there are no records of the Examination Invigilation Committee. After the head of the Marking Committee has considered and concluded on the cases of violation, these cases shall be handled according to the following provisions:

a/ Subtracting 50% of the aggregate marks for examination papers showing apparent signs of being marked off, which have been confirmed by both markers.

b/ Giving mark 0 to the following examination papers:

- Copied from materials not permitted to be taken into the examination rooms.

- Written on drafting papers, papers not as prescribed, rumpled papers or papers with unusual folds; two examination papers handed for one examination subject.

c/ Annulling the examination results of all three examination subjects for candidates who:

- Write improper slogans, words or drawings on their examination papers.

- Ask other persons to sit examinations or write examination papers for them in whatever form; correct, add or erase parts of the examination papers after handing them; hand other persons papers.