A group of South Korean students are suing the government, claiming that their college entrance exam ended 90 seconds earlier than scheduled. Each student is asking for 20 million won (Approximately ₹13 Lakh) in damages, which is the same as the cost of a year's tuition for a retest.
As per multiple media reports, the timing discrepancy had a cascading effect on the entire group of students' exams, which was revealed by their attorney.
The college admission test, commonly known as Suneung, is a grueling eight-hour ordeal featuring consecutive papers across various subjects. Recognized as one of the most challenging exams globally, the stakes associated with the Suneung are exceptionally high, determining university placements, job prospects, and even impacting future relationships.
Various measures, such as closing the country's airspace and delaying the opening of the stock market, are implemented during the annual Suneung to aid student concentration. The lawsuit, filed by at least 39 students, contends that the timing error occurred when the bell rang prematurely at a test site in the capital, Seoul, during the initial subject – Korean.
Supervisors Allegedly Confiscated Papers
Despite immediate protests from some students, supervisors allegedly confiscated their papers. The mistake was acknowledged by teachers before the next session began, and one and a half minutes were granted back during the lunch break. However, students could only mark blank columns on their papers and were prohibited from altering any existing answers, as reported by BBC News.
The emotional distress caused by the incident reportedly hindered the students' ability to concentrate on the remaining sections of the exam, with some opting to abandon the test and return home. Attorney Kim Woo-suk, representing the students, claimed that education authorities had not issued an apology.
Supervisor Misinterpreted Time
Reportedly, the supervisor overseeing the specific test site misinterpreted the time. This legal action echoes a similar case in April, where a Seoul court awarded 7 million won ($5,250; £4,200) to students who argued that an early bell disadvantaged them during the 2021 Suneung exam by approximately two minutes.
According to BBC News, ringing the bell too early can have severe consequences. In 2012, a Chinese man received a one-year suspended sentence for prematurely ringing the bell by four minutes and 48 seconds during the national college entrance exam in Hunan province.
