Students upset at Oxford ‘exam error’

OXFORD University’s medical school accidentally emailed the names of undergraduates required to sit extra exams to about 150 first-year students.

An “administrative error” led to the identification of borderline students who had to return to the elite institution for further assessments.

The exam timetable was meant to identify them by their candidate number, but a document, labelled “for tutors”, revealed a list of full names.

Medics are asked to return to Oxford after prelims to attend verbal “viva voce” exams if they have fallen just below the pass level on a topic. They can be awarded a pass if they perform well.

A University of Oxford spokesperson said: “An apology was sent to… students as soon as the mistake came to light.”

Oxford Medical Students’ Society said this was, “an honest mistake on the part of the medical school, with regards the viva list for first-year examinations, which may have some distressing consequences for some students”.

Student newspaper, Cherwell, blamed the mistake on giving students “the maximum amount of notice”.

In October, Oxford University apologised for an IT blunder which revealed the names of students receiving a hardship bursary. And last January, Hertford College, Oxford, accidentally sent rejected potential undergraduates details of their fellow unsuccessful applicants on emails. – Daily Mail