The External Assessment Rules (PDF, 151KB and given below) are to make exams fair for all students and to have conditions that test what you know and what you can do.

All students taking external assessments must follow the same rules outlined below.

The rules outline what you need to know about taking exams, and what it is expected of you as a candidate. 

As part of your Student Declaration you declare that you have read and will comply with these external assessment rules. See the student factsheet Exam Rules – A Student Guide (PDF, 2.3MB) for a summary of the rules. 

1.1 You must not compromise the academic integrity of any type of TASC external assessment (including NIAL), including cheating or assisting other students to cheat or taking any action that gives or attempts to give you or another student an unfair advantage.

1.1.1 You must not, during an exam:

  • communicate with, collude with or give assistance to another student
  • through lack of care, allow another to copy or otherwise use any materials
  • accept help from another
  • dishonestly or unfairly use any materials
  • in any manner whatsoever, act dishonestly or unfairly or conspire to do so.

1.2 You must follow all instructions or directions given by an Exam Supervisor.

1.2.1 Instructions and directions may include, but are not limited to:

  • allocated seating
  • commencement of writing or marking on response material in any way
  • conclusion of writing or marking on response material in any way
  • use of a calculator
  • stopping any behaviour which may cause nuisance, annoyance or interference to any other student.

1.2.2 You must raise your hand if you wish to communicate with an Exam Supervisor in the exam room.

  • You must not communicate with an Exam Supervisor, either before or after an exam or during a performance exam, except when communications are necessary for the conduct of the exam. Any communication regarding the conduct or result of an exam must be directed to the Executive Officer, TASC.

1.3 You must not allow or assist any other person to present for a TASC external assessment in your place, nor present for a TASC external assessment in another student’s place.

1.4 You must only bring the materials and equipment approved for that external assessment into the exam room (see Schedule 1).

1.4.1 You may not bring any of the following items into an exam room:

  • electronic devices, including mobile phones, that are capable of storing, receiving, recording or transmitting information or electronic signals, such as recorded music and video players, organisers, dictionaries and computerised watches
  • any food or drinks (other than water) unless expressly given permission by TASC through the reasonable adjustments process
  • any loose notes, papers, manuscripts, books, reference materials or notebooks unless their use during the exam has been permitted
  • bags including pencil cases or pencil bags – pens and pencils must be in a clear sealable plastic bag or clear pencil case
  • correction pens, bottles or tape (such as Whiteout or Liquid Paper)
  • any other item that is not approved for that external assessment.

1.4.2 Exam Supervisors may inspect any material brought into the exam room and will instruct you where to place any unauthorised items. They are not responsible for these items.

1.4.3 You must not share any materials or equipment that has been brought into the exam room.

1.5 You must not remove the exam paper or any response material, used or unused, from the exam room.

1.6 You are not to leave the exam room before the end of the first hour of the scheduled writing time, unless authorised and supervised by an Exam Supervisor for bathroom break purposes.

1.7 You are not to leave the exam room in the last half an hour of the scheduled writing time.

1.8 During the scheduled time of an exam, no person who is unauthorised by TASC (including a teacher or parent) may enter an exam room, communicate with a student or look at or remove any exam paper or response material.

1.9 You must behave appropriately and treat Exam Supervisors, fellow students and school and student’s property with the same courtesy and respect as you are required to show at usual school activities.

1.9.1 You must not present for a TASC external assessment under the influence of any intoxicating substances.

1.9.2 You must not cause any interference or damage to property.

1.9.3  You must not write or draw any objectionable or distasteful material in an answer booklet, nor write letters or notes to Exam Supervisors or Markers.

Consequences for breaching External Assessment Behaviour Rules apply to everyone involved and may include:

  • a formal warning
  • a requirement to leave the exam room with no further time given to complete the exam
  • confiscation of any item in an exam room that was not specifically permitted by TASC (see Schedule 1) that will be retained, pending an investigation into the alleged breach
  • cancellation of that practical, and/or written exam, and/or folio marks
  • all unacknowledged folio material as a breach of academic integrity being disregarded when a student’s work is marked
  • a cap on the maximum rating a student can achieve for the external assessment for that course
  • cancellation of the result for that course
  • cancellation of all of the results for all TASC accredited courses that year, for both internally and externally assessed subjects.

Police will be notified of any potentially illegal actions.

2.1 You must show a valid Notice of External Assessment to the Exam Supervisor to be admitted to the exam room.

2.1.1 If you attend without a valid Notice of External Assessment you will only be admitted by the Exam Supervisor after the TASC Liaison Officer or Principal of your school has confirmed your identity to the Exam Supervisor.

2.2 Attending your scheduled exams is your responsibility. TASC will not make allowances for your attendance based on misreading the exam timetable.

2.2.1 If you arrive within one hour or less from the start of writing time, you will be admitted to the exam room. No additional writing time will be permitted.

2.2.2 If you arrive more than one hour after the start of writing time, you will only be admitted to the exam room under the following conditions and no additional writing time will be permitted:

  • The TASC Liaison Officer or Principal of your school has recommended your admittance.
  • You acknowledge that your response materials may not be accepted by TASC and agree to complete the supplied statutory declaration form.
  • Appropriate arrangements can be made to enable you to enter the exam room and take a seat without disruption to other students.
  • You complete the Late Attendance Statutory Declaration Form following the conclusion of the exam that declares:
    • the reason for being late
    • the time of admittance to the exam room
    • that you had not seen or read the exam materials prior to your admittance
    • that you have not received any information about the exam materials prior to your admittance

2.3 If you cannot attend your exam or have to leave the exam early due to illness, emergency or other personal circumstance, please see the information about Derived Ratings.

Consequences of breaching External Assessment Attendance Rules may include:

  • a formal warning
  • no admittance into the exam room
  • a requirement to leave the exam room with no further completion time
  • cancellation of that practical and/or written exam.

Police will be notified of any potentially illegal actions.

3.1 All externally assessed folios or other project work will be assessed as specified in the subject-specific folio guidelines published by TASC that year.

3.2 Any material you submit for external assessment must, except where the source of the information, images, ideas or words is explicitly acknowledged, be your work.

3.3 A folio will be accepted by TASC for external assessment if:

  • the authenticity of the student work is verified by the class teacher on behalf of the course provider
  • the Declaration Form is completed by both the candidate and the class teacher acting on behalf of the course provider (this form is archived by the school and not to be uploaded to TRACS)
  • the class teacher acknowledges that the folio was officially received at the designated collection centre (usually a school or college) on or before the published submission date (and by no later than 5.00pm) unless TASC has given to the candidate written approval before this date for a particular later submission date through the folio extension process.

3.4 For externally assessed folios that require uploading to TRACS, class teachers will have two (2) business days from the published submission date to upload.

Consequences of breaching External Assessment Folio Rules may include:

  • a requirement to prove that all unacknowledged work is entirely the candidate’s own
  • a requirement to prove the submission date and time of the folio to the class teacher
  • cancellation of that folio’s results for all candidates involved
  • cancellation of that course’s results for all candidates involved
  • cancellation of all of the candidate’s results for the year, for both internally and externally assessed subjects
  • all unacknowledged folio material as a breach of academic integrity being disregarded when a student’s work is marked
  • a cap on the maximum rating a student can achieve for the external assessment for that course.

Police will be notified of any potentially illegal actions.

1.1 The approved equipment for all external assessments are:

Writing equipment in a clear, sealable plastic bag or clear pencil case:

  • Black or blue pens (please note: erasable pens are not advised)
  • 2B pencils, sharpener and eraser
  • Highlighters
  • Clear plastic ruler.

Watches:

  • Basic analogue watch that is not ‘smart’, programmable or computerised
  • Must be placed at the top of a candidate’s table where they can be clearly and easily seen by a supervisor.

Dictionaries:

  • Standard English dictionary/thesaurus
  • An English to other language dictionary/thesaurus
  • An other language to English dictionary/thesaurus.

Medication:

  • Asthma inhaler.

Water:

  • Clear plastic bottle with 1500mL maximum capacity
  • Cannot be refilled during an exam.

1.2 Calculators

Candidates may bring TASC approved calculators into some exams – check which exams and the types of calculators allowed in the TASC Calculator Policy.

General conditions for the use of approved calculators:

  • calculators must be handheld
  • calculators may not be shared between candidates
  • calculators must be used silently
  • removable covers of calculators and instruction booklets/manuals are not to be taken into the examination room.

Exam supervisors may inspect any equipment brought into the exam room and will instruct students where to place any unauthorised items. Supervisors are not responsible for these items.

Consequences of breaching External Assessment Permitted Materials Rules may include:

  • a formal warning
  • a requirement to leave the exam room with no further time given to complete the exam
  • confiscation of any item in an exam room that was not specifically permitted by TASC that will be retained, pending an investigation into the alleged breach
  • cancellation of that practical and/or written exam marks for all candidates involved
  • cancellation of that course’s results for all candidates involved
  • cancellation of all of the candidate’s results for the year, for both internally and externally assessed subjects.

Police will be notified of any potentially illegal actions.

2.1 The Conduct Review Committee will provide advice to the Executive Officer on whether a suspected breach has occurred in relation to the External Assessment Rules and if so, recommendations on the penalties to be imposed. In providing this assessment the Committee will:

  • review each case on its merits and on the material and evidence provided
  • ensure procedural fairness and equity at all times
  • ascertain the veracity of the claims against the student
  • recommend appropriate and suitable penalties in accordance with the breached External Assessment Rule.

2.2 Candidates have the right of appeal against a penalty being imposed, on the grounds that:

  • a breach of the exam rules did not occur
  • procedures used to determine if a breach occurred were inappropriate.

Such an appeal must be lodged at TASC within five (5) calendar days of the date of the penalty notification being sent by TASC.

2.3 If, upon notification of a scheduled meeting with the Conduct Review Committee, a candidate wishes to provide evidence and feels that they do not have sufficient time to prepare and submit this evidence, a candidate may request that the Executive Officer withhold your results until such time that the candidate can provide evidence, another meeting can be scheduled, and a decision made.

The Executive Officer may decide that an alleged breach requires consideration by the Conduct Review Committee. The Conduct Review Committee will determine, if necessary, an appropriate penalty.