Top 10 essential exam regulations for the 2017 high school graduation exam that all candidates must be aware of

Each province or centrally governed city (referred to as a province) will organize a single exam center, led by the Department of Education and Training, for all candidates registered to take the exam in that province. The Ministry of Education and Training will assign university and college staff to the exam centers to assist in organizing the exam. The head of the National High School Graduation Exam Committee is the Minister of Education and Training, with the Deputy Minister serving as the vice-chairman. The provincial exam committee is headed by the Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, with the Director of the Department of Education and Training as the vice-chairman. The examination board is established by the Director of the Department of Education and Training, with the Director or an authorized deputy serving as the chairman.

Each exam board is standardized nationwide and has a unique code. For each exam center, candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Each candidate has a unique exam number, starting with a two-digit code for the exam board followed by six digits, which increase sequentially from 000001 upwards. Each exam room is organized according to the subject being tested, and each room can accommodate up to 24 candidates. A minimum distance of 1.2 meters must be maintained between candidates seated side by side. Free candidates are assigned to separate exam rooms, either at one or several exam centers designated by the Department of Education & Training. Candidates enrolled in the continuing education program are assigned a separate room when taking the social sciences exam.

According to the 2017 high school graduation exam regulations, the eligible candidates include: Those who have completed the high school curriculum or the regular adult education program (collectively referred to as high school programs) in the year of the exam (i.e., 2017). Those who have finished the high school curriculum but have not taken the exam or have taken it but not yet graduated in previous years. Graduates of high school, vocational school graduates, and other individuals permitted by the Ministry of Education and Training to take the exam (collectively referred to as independent candidates).

Candidates must not be under any disciplinary restrictions that prevent them from sitting the exam. They must register and submit all required documents properly and on time. In addition to these requirements, candidates must meet certain conditions assessed in grade 12, such as: a conduct grade of at least average, and academic performance that is not classified as poor. Some candidates, such as those in alternative education programs or those who have been self-studying under guidance in adult education programs, are exempt from the conduct grading requirement. Independent candidates who have not yet graduated from high school must meet additional conditions, including having completed middle school. If a candidate was disqualified in previous years due to poor academic performance, they may register for a final-year assessment to retake exams in subjects with an average grade below 5.0. If this reassessment results in sufficient grades, they will be eligible to sit the exam. Candidates who were disqualified due to poor conduct in grade 12 must provide certification from the local authorities confirming they have not violated the law.

All candidates are entitled to request a re-evaluation of their exam papers. Candidates should submit their re-evaluation request at the location where they registered for the exam. The school where the candidate registered will accept re-evaluation requests within 10 days of the announcement of the exam results and forward the requests to the examination board. Within 15 days after the deadline for receiving re-evaluation requests, the examination board must announce the results and send them to the candidates. If the re-evaluation score differs from the original grading by 0.25 points or more, the score will be adjusted. In cases where the difference is 0.5 points or more, a direct discussion between the initial and re-evaluation examiners must be held (with a report). If any irregularities are detected, appropriate actions will be taken according to regulations.

To determine eligibility for high school graduation, candidates' scores are calculated using the following formula: exam scores for subjects required for graduation, any additional points for priority or incentives (if applicable), and the candidate's average grade for the 12th grade. Each exam score is standardized to a 10-point scale for the final calculation. The graduation score is rounded to two decimal places, automatically calculated by the software. Candidates who meet all eligibility criteria and have not been penalized with a disqualification penalty or higher during the exam, with all subjects and components of combined subjects scoring above 1.0 on the 10-point scale, and achieving an average score of 5.0 or higher will be awarded a high school diploma. The graduation score calculation is outlined in the formula below:

The Department of Education & Training updates the exam results on the Ministry of Education & Training's centralized database system, announces the results, and provides each candidate with a certificate of results. The graduation eligibility is determined by combining the scores from the four required exams (for regular high school students) or three exams (for adult education students) along with the student's average grade for the 12th grade and any priority or incentive points (if applicable). The calculation method for graduation scores is as follows:

• The scores from the graduation exams and the 12th-grade average are weighted equally, at a 50:50 ratio.
• The passing score for each independent exam (on a 10-point scale) is 1.0.
• The passing score for each subject in the combined exams (on a 10-point scale) is also 1.0.

The exam consists of five subjects: three independent exams - Mathematics, Literature, and Foreign Language - and two combined exams: Natural Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) and Social Sciences (History, Geography, Civic Education for regular high school students; History, Geography for adult education students). For high school graduation, regular students must take four exams: three independent exams (Mathematics, Literature, Foreign Language) and one exam of their choice from the two combined exams. Adult education students must take three exams: two independent exams (Mathematics, Literature) and one combined exam of their choice. To increase their chances of university or college admission, students may take both combined exams, and the higher score from the two will be used for graduation calculation. For university and college admission, students who have graduated from high school must take the independent exams, combined exams, or subject components of the combined exams, depending on the subjects required by the university or college admission guidelines.

This year, the exam content will be based on the 12th-grade curriculum. This regulation is important to help students focus more effectively on their studies without going off-track. According to the exam regulations, the 2018 exam content will include both the 11th and 12th-grade curricula. Therefore, next year's candidates will have clear guidance on how to prepare in the most efficient way. The exam format for 2017 will primarily be multiple-choice. Only the Literature exam will be written, while all other subjects, including Mathematics, will be multiple-choice. Students need to understand the subjects well to adopt suitable study methods. For each subject in the Natural Sciences and Social Sciences exams, there will be 40 multiple-choice questions. For the Mathematics and Foreign Language exams, there will be 50 multiple-choice questions. Each question will have 4 possible answers, with only one correct answer. The Literature exam will consist of two parts: reading comprehension and essay writing.

The official exam dates are as follows:

• On June 21st, in the afternoon at 2:00 PM, candidates will go to the exam rooms for an introduction to the exam regulations, exam schedule, and any necessary corrections.
• On June 22nd:
• Morning: Literature Exam, duration: 120 minutes, paper distribution starts at 7:30 AM, exam begins at 7:35 AM.
• Afternoon: Mathematics Exam, duration: 90 minutes, paper distribution starts at 2:20 PM, exam begins at 2:30 PM.
• On June 23rd:
• Morning: Natural Sciences Exam
• Physics: duration: 50 minutes, paper distribution starts at 7:30 AM, exam begins at 7:40 AM.
• Chemistry: duration: 50 minutes, paper distribution starts at 8:40 AM, exam begins at 8:50 AM.
• Biology: duration: 50 minutes, paper distribution starts at 9:50 AM, exam begins at 10:00 AM.
• Afternoon: Foreign Language Exam, duration: 60 minutes, paper distribution starts at 2:20 PM, exam begins at 2:30 PM.
• On June 24th:
• Morning: Social Sciences Exam
• History: duration: 50 minutes, paper distribution starts at 7:30 AM, exam begins at 7:40 AM.
• Geography: duration: 50 minutes, paper distribution starts at 8:40 AM, exam begins at 8:50 AM.
• Civic Education: duration: 50 minutes, paper distribution starts at 9:50 AM, exam begins at 10:00 AM.
• Afternoon: Reserved Exam Time