Decision No. 13/2005/QĐ-BGD on Issuing the Regulations on Admissions to Secondary Vocational Schools

Pursuant to …;

Regarding the issuance of the Admissions Regulations for Secondary Vocational Schools

MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Pursuant to Decree No. 86/2002/NĐ-CP dated November 5, 2002 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of Ministries and ministerial-level agencies,

Pursuant to Decree No. 85/2003/NĐ-CP dated July 18, 2003 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Education and Training;

Pursuant to Decree No. 43/2000/NĐ-CP dated August 30, 2000 of the Government detailing and guiding the implementation of certain provisions of the Education Law,

At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Vocational Education,

DECISION:

Article 1. The attached Decision hereby promulgates the Admissions Regulations for Secondary Vocational Schools.

Article 2. The Standard Measurement Quality Control Department shall be responsible for organizing and guiding the implementation of the Regulations adopted herein.

This Decision replaces Decisions No. 11/2003/QĐ-BGD&ĐT dated March 18, 2003 and No. 06/2004/QĐ-BGD&ĐT dated March 8, 2004 of the Minister of Education and Training.

Article 3. The Directors of the Office, Heads of the Department of Vocational Education, Heads of relevant units under the Ministry of Education and Training, Heads of educational management agencies, Directors of Departments of Education and Training, Principals of secondary vocational schools, and training institutions are responsible for implementing this Decision.

 

 

REGULATIONS

Admissions for Secondary Vocational Schools
(issued pursuant to Decision No. 13/2005/QĐ-BGD&ĐT dated April 11, 2005 of the Minister of Education and Training)

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation and Applicability

Article 1. These regulations govern admissions to Secondary Vocational Schools (SVS), including: management and guidance on admissions work, registration for exams and admission, preferential policies in admissions, duties and rights of schools in admissions work, preparation for the examination period, organization of examinations, marking, re-examination and supervision of re-examinations, admission and summoning of successful candidates, commendation and handling of violations.

Article 2. These regulations apply to schools and training institutions offering SVS programs (hereinafter referred to as schools) and Departments of Education and Training in conducting SVS admissions.

Article 3. This Regulation does not apply to admissions for overseas study.

Article 2. Forms of Admission

Clause 1. Admissions to Secondary Vocational Schools (SVS) include the following forms:

- Direct appointment

- Direct admission

- Examination-based admission

- Admission based on assessment.

Clause 2. Schools with training quotas shall organize admissions to select students for enrollment.

Clause 3. Annually, the Ministry of Education and Training will guide schools to conduct entrance examinations or examination-based admissions based on the principle of ensuring practical, concise, and effective admissions work.

Article 3. Direct Appointment

Direct appointments shall be carried out in accordance with Circular Joint No. 04/2001/TTLT-BGD&ĐT-BTCCBCP-UBDT&MN dated February 26, 2001 on guidelines for direct appointments to universities, colleges, and SVS programs under the direct appointment system and other guiding documents issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Article 4. Direct Admission

Direct admission applies to the following categories:

1. Heroes of Labor, Heroes of the Armed Forces, National Model Workers who have completed secondary school (SS) or junior high school (JHS) or equivalent, depending on the SVS program.

2. Individuals who were admitted to SVS but were immediately drafted for military service or concentrated voluntary service, and have now completed their service and been discharged without being enrolled in any regular long-term program, may be admitted to the SVS program they were previously admitted to if recommended by a unit at the brigade level or higher in the military or the General Volunteer Service Team.

3. Candidates who are members of national teams participating in international Olympiads (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Informatics, etc.) and have completed SS or JHS or equivalent may be admitted to SVS; if they have not yet completed SS or JHS, their admission will be deferred until after graduation.

4. Athletes who are members of national teams that have participated in international competitions or are athletes of Class 1 or higher and have completed SS or JHS or equivalent may be admitted to SVS sports programs. The eligibility period for such preferences does not exceed five years from the date of achieving the award to the date of applying for SVS.

5. Students with artistic talents who have completed SS or JHS or equivalent and have won official awards in national or international professional art contests may be directly admitted to SVS programs corresponding to their fields at arts schools (if the school offers such programs).

The eligibility period for such preferences does not exceed five years from the date of winning the award to the date of applying for SVS.

6. Students who win awards from encouragement up in national competitions selecting excellent students in grade 12 SS after graduating from SS may be directly admitted to SVS.

The results of the national competition selecting excellent students in grade 12 SS of students currently in grade 11 will be retained for the next SVS admissions cycle.

7. Students who have completed SS or JHS and have good conduct ratings and average scores of 6.5 or higher in two subjects (Mathematics and Literature) in the final year of study, and belong to one of the following categories:

a) Orphans of both parents, one of whom is a martyr.

b) Both parents are war invalids or disabled veterans, one of whom has lost more than 81% of their working capacity.

c) Orphans of both parents with permanent residence and currently living and studying in special hardship areas for at least three years up to the date of application.

8. Direct admission according to Clause 3, 5, and 6 of this Article shall be conducted according to the following principles:

a) It can only be applied once in the year the student graduates from SS or JHS.

b) A student who wins one or more awards in a competition can only enjoy the highest preference standard.

c) Students who win awards in national competitions selecting excellent students can be directly admitted to programs where the subject of the award matches the program.

d) For schools requiring preliminary screening (schools in the Defense and Public Security sectors...), only those who meet the preliminary screening requirements are eligible for direct admission consideration.

đ) For specialized programs, candidates eligible for direct admission (except those specified in Clause 5 of this Article) who meet the preliminary screening requirements are exempt from cultural subject exams but must take and pass the specialized subject exams set by the school to be eligible for admission.

e) The total number of candidates directly admitted to vocational training programs of a school or a specific program within a school as stipulated in this Article shall not exceed 20% of the total enrollment quota. If the number of applications for direct admission exceeds 20%, priority will be given to candidates specified in Clauses 1 through 6 of this Article. Candidates specified in Clause 7 will be selected based on their overall graduation exam scores, from highest to lowest.

f) Students eligible for direct admission who participate in vocational training exams will receive an additional two points.

Annually, candidates eligible for direct admission must submit direct admission application forms according to the model attached at Appendix 1 (attached to this Regulation) to the Department of Education and Training of their place of residence before July 15. The Department of Education and Training must compile and send the list to the Ministry of Education and Training (Department of Vocational Education) before July 25.

After August 10, candidates may visit the Department of Education and Training to view the results and contact the school that has accepted them.

Article 5. Admission Criteria

1. Admission criteria (for schools not organizing exams):

- Graduation examination results of high school or junior high school (depending on the enrollment system).

- Overall scores of subjects over three years of high school or four years of junior high school (depending on the enrollment system).

- Overall scores of subjects in the final year.

- Results of university and college entrance examinations in the same year as applying for vocational training programs.

2. Principals of schools have the right to choose one or more admission criteria and may select a total score including weighted scores for two relevant subjects (with a maximum weight of 2) or the results of two relevant subjects. Admission criteria must be publicly announced before the admission process begins.

3. The admission process does not apply to specialized talent programs.

Article 6. Examination Admission

The examination admission process is organized and implemented by the principals of schools across all four stages: organizing the exam, preparing the test questions, supervising the exam, grading, and re-grading; selecting and summoning successful candidates to attend the school according to the regulations of this Regulation.

Article 7. Conditions for Application

Article 7. Eligibility for Admission

a) Having graduated from high school, junior high school, or equivalent, depending on the school's admission requirements.

b) Being in good health to study and work as prescribed by the current regulations of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training.

c) Within the age limit specified for certain programs with age restrictions (schools under the Defense, Public Security, Prosecution sectors, and some specialized talent programs).

d) Meeting the requirements of preliminary exams (if applying to schools with preliminary exams).

đ) Having permanent residency in the designated region (if applying to schools with regional restrictions).

e) Submitting all required documents and fees within the stipulated time frame as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

f) Being present at the registered examination venue at the time specified in the examination notification and paying the full examination fee.

g) Military personnel and public security officers on active duty can only apply for admission to schools designated by the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security after obtaining permission from the competent authority.

Military personnel nearing the end of their compulsory military service period, if permitted by the competent authority, may apply for admission according to their personal preference.

2. Those who do not meet the above conditions and those belonging to any of the following categories are ineligible for admission:

a) Not strictly complying with the Law on Military Service; having committed criminal acts during the execution of a sentence.

b) Individuals whose eligibility for admission has been revoked or who have been disciplined with expulsion and have not completed two years since the revocation of eligibility or the date of the disciplinary decision.

c) Students currently enrolled in universities, colleges, or vocational training programs without permission from the principal, or civil servants working in state agencies without permission from the agency head to study.

Article 8. Management and Direction of Admissions Work

1. The Ministry of Education and Training is the state management agency, uniformly directing all aspects of admissions for vocational high schools nationwide.

2. Three months before the annual admission examination, the Ministry of Education and Training publicly announces the enrollment quotas of each school, recruitment areas, target groups, admission methods, and timeframes.

3. The Ministry of Education and Training, relevant ministries, sectors, People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities have the responsibility to direct, guide, inspect, and conduct audits to ensure that schools comply with regulations on admissions.

Article 9. Admission Audits

1. Admission audits are carried out according to the "Regulations on the Organization and Activities of Audits during Examinations under the Ministry of Education and Training's Regulations" issued by Decision No. 20/1998/QĐ-BGD&ĐT dated May 4, 1998, by the Minister of Education and Training.

2. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, and provincial-level People's Committees shall establish admission audit teams (or appoint audit officers) to conduct audits on the implementation of the admission regulations.

3. In special cases, the Minister of Education and Training shall examine and decide.

Article 10. Conditions for Admission Successful candidates must meet all conditions specified in Article 7 of this Regulation, achieve the required admission score for the applied school as stipulated for each category, and not fail any subject (score zero). They will be admitted to the applied school.

Article 11. Preferential Policies in Admissions

1. Preferential policies by category

a) Priority Group 1 (PG1) includes:

- Category 01: Individuals whose father or mother is a member of a Vietnamese ethnic minority group.

- Category 02: Outstanding civil servants, employees, and workers who have worked continuously for five years, including two years recognized as outstanding workers at the provincial level or higher and awarded commendation certificates.

- Category 03: War invalids, disabled veterans, and individuals receiving benefits equivalent to war invalids; active-duty military personnel and police officers selected for study; discharged military personnel and police officers who have served at least twelve months in Zone 1 (Zone 1).

- Category 04: Children of martyrs, war invalids, disabled veterans, and children of individuals receiving benefits equivalent to war invalids with a disability rate of 81% or higher; children of Heroic Mothers of Vietnam; children of Heroes of Armed Forces and Labor Heroes.

b) Priority Group 2 (PG2) includes:

- Category 05: Active-duty military personnel and police officers or concentrated volunteer youth selected for study; discharged military personnel and police officers who have served at least twenty-four months.

- Category 06: Children of war invalids and disabled veterans with a disability rate below 81%; children of individuals receiving benefits equivalent to war invalids with a disability rate below 81%.

- Category 07: Civil servants, employees, and workers recognized as outstanding skilled workers or artisans at the provincial level or higher; individuals awarded the Creative Worker Certificate by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor or the Youth Creativity Award by the Communist Youth Central Committee; teachers without vocational high school teaching qualifications who have taught for three years (counted from the application date) applying to the teacher training program; nursing assistants, pharmacy assistants, medical technicians in the medical and pharmaceutical fields with a secondary education qualification who have worked for three years (counted from the application date) applying to the medical and pharmaceutical programs; workers with a regular vocational education qualification who have worked for three years (counted from the application date) applying to vocational high schools (corresponding majors).

Individuals eligible for multiple priority categories may only enjoy the highest priority.

2. Preferential policies by region

a) Recruitment zones are divided as follows:

- Zone 1 (Z1) includes: Communes and towns in mountainous, highland, remote, and island areas, and communes in particularly difficult economic and social conditions as defined by the Government.

- Rural Zone 2 (Z2 - R) includes: Areas not included in Z1, Z2, or Z3.

- Zone 2 (Z2) includes: Centrally governed cities; districts and towns outside central cities.

- Zone 3 (Z3) includes: Inner-city districts of centrally governed cities.

Candidates from Z3 do not qualify for regional preference.

Recruitment zones will be detailed annually by the Ministry of Education and Training.

b) Candidates who continuously study and graduate from high school or junior high school or equivalent in a particular zone will enjoy the preference of that zone. If they transfer schools during their studies, the longer period spent in a particular zone will determine the preference. If they attend different schools each year or spend half of their study time in one school and half in another, they will enjoy the preference of the zone where they graduated. In special cases, if there is no school in their place of residence, candidates must study at a school in a zone with lower preference, and the Ministry of Education and Training will instruct schools to handle specific cases.

Students from boarding schools for ethnic minorities, preparatory classes, and open-source classes established by decisions at the ministry level or higher will enjoy the preference based on their original household registration before attending these schools.

Military personnel and police officers selected for study in a particular zone will enjoy the preference of that zone.

3. Framework for preferential points by category and region:

a) The difference in points between two consecutive recruitment zones is 0.5 points, and the difference in points between two consecutive priority categories is 1 point.

b) For schools or training programs with specific employment addresses, which train special talent majors, the points for admission may be set differently from the provisions in point a of this clause to ensure sufficient enrollment;

Article 12. Procedures for registering to apply, transferring, and receiving admission notices

1. Registration to Apply (RRA)

Candidates shall base their registration of preferences to apply for admission to schools (or to majors offered by schools for those schools that recruit based on majors) according to the annual recruitment plan announced by the Ministry of Education and Training, in accordance with their abilities and conditions.

Candidates may register to apply for admission to one or more schools using the unified application form issued by the Ministry of Education and Training and must have confirmation from the People's Committee of the commune, ward, workplace, or place of study.

2. Procedures for submitting applications, examination fees, transferring, and receiving admission notices

The submission of applications, examination fees, transfer, and receipt of admission notices shall be carried out through the following methods:

a) Through the recruitment system in the following sequence:

Candidate Provincial Department of Education and Training School Provincial Department of Education and Training Candidate.

b) Candidates may directly submit their application forms and examination fees at the school and receive the admission notice from the school.

After submitting the application form, if there are changes in family or personal circumstances, candidates are responsible for supplementing all legal documents to serve as the basis for implementing preferential policies in selection and other benefits.

Once the examination room lists are established and the admission notices are printed, schools will not accept further application forms.

Chapter II

ORGANIZATION, DUTIES AND POWERS

OF SCHOOLS IN THE ADMISSION PROCESS

Article 13. Organization, duties, and powers of the Admission Board (AB) of the school

To manage the annual admission process, the Principals of schools with admission quotas issue decisions to establish the AB.

1. Members of the AC of the School include:

- Chairperson: Principal or Deputy Principal authorized by the Principal.

- Vice-Chairperson: Deputy Principal or Head of the Training Department.

- Standing Member: Head or Deputy Head of the Training Department.

- Members: Some Heads of Departments, Heads of Faculties, Heads of Divisions, and Heads of Specialized Groups.

Individuals with relatives (spouse, children, siblings) applying to the school that year are not allowed to participate in the AB.

2. Duties and Powers of the AC of the School

a) The Central School AB is under the unified direction of the Ministry of Education and Training, while the Local School AB is under the unified direction of the Provincial Department of Education and Training.

b) The AB has the duty and power to organize and implement well the stages of setting examination questions, organizing the examination period, marking examinations and re-examinations, selecting and summoning successful candidates to the school; collecting and utilizing application fees and examination fees; summarizing the admission process; deciding on rewards, punishments, and promptly reporting the admission process to the Ministry of Education and Training and relevant ministries and sectors (for central schools), or the People's Committee or Provincial Department of Education and Training (for local schools).

3. Duties and Powers of the Chairperson of the AC of the School

a) Decide and bear full responsibility for all aspects of work related to admissions as stipulated in this Regulation.

b) Issue decisions to establish support bodies for the AB including:

Secretariat, Examination Question Setting Board, Examination Supervision Board, Marking Board, Re-examination Board... Depending on the specific circumstances of each school, the Chairperson of the AB may establish a Facilities Board or designate a group of staff to oversee facilities for the school's admission period. These boards are directly under the direction of the Chairperson of the AB.

c) Publicize, guide, and organize the implementation of the admission process in accordance with this Regulation.

d) The Vice-Chairperson of the AB assists

the Chairperson of the AB in performing tasks assigned by the Chairperson of the AB and replaces the Chairperson of the AB to handle matters when authorized by the Chairperson of the AB.

Article 14. Organization, tasks, and powers of the Secretariat Board of the School's Management Council

1. Composition of the Secretariat Board of the School's Steering Committee

- Chairperson: To be concurrently held by a standing member of the School's Management Council.

- Members: Some staff from the Training Department and teachers.

2. Tasks and powers of the Secretariat Board of the School's Steering Committee

- Receive examination papers from the Examination Board; inventory and preserve examination papers.

- Carry out the task of bagging, numbering, and opening examination papers according to the provisions set forth in Article 23 of this Regulation.

- Hand over examination papers to the Marking Board and perform other professional tasks as stipulated in Article 29 of this Regulation.

- Manage admission file, related documents, and examination papers. Prepare minutes for handling examination papers that violate regulations.

- Report on the marking situation and admission process to the Chairman of the School's Management Council for consideration.

- Propose the selection score scheme for consideration by the Chairman of the School's Management Council.

- Print and send examination result notifications and admission notices to candidates.

The Secretariat Board of the School's Steering Committee may only conduct work related to examination papers when at least two members of the Board are present.

3. Tasks and powers of the Chairperson of the Secretariat Board

- Select school staff with organizational discipline awareness, high sense of responsibility, honesty, careful work style, confidentiality awareness, and without relatives (spouse, children, siblings) taking the exam at the school that year to submit to the Chairman of the School's Management Council for decision on appointment to the Secretariat Board.

- Be responsible before the Chairman of the School's Management Council for directing the activities of the Secretariat Board.

Article 15. Organization, tasks, and powers of the Question Setting Board

1. Composition of the Question Setting Board.

- Chairperson to be concurrently held by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the School's Management Council.

- Standing members appointed by the Chairman of the School's Management Council or the Chairperson of the Question Setting Board.

- Depending on the number of subjects, the Chairperson of the Question Setting Board appoints subject leaders for each subject.

The Question Setting Board's assistants include one or two staff members responsible for typing, printing, and packaging examination questions. Individuals with relatives (spouse, children, siblings) taking the exam at the school that year cannot be members of the Question Setting Board or its assistants.

2. Tasks and powers of the Question Setting Board

- Assist the Chairman of the School's Management Council in determining examination question requirements, organizing the compilation, printing, packaging, preservation, and use of examination questions in accordance with this Regulation.

- Draft answers, grading scales, and marking guidelines for each subject.

- The Question Setting Board operates independently under the principle of direct interaction between the Chairperson of the Question Setting Board and each subject leader, not through full board meetings.

3. Powers and responsibilities of the Chairperson of the Question Setting Board

- Select participants for the examination question setting work and specify the requirements for compiling examination questions.

- Direct and organize the implementation of all examination question setting work strictly following the examination question setting procedures outlined in Article 21 of this Regulation.

- Review and decide on the selection of official and reserve examination questions and handle urgent and unusual situations regarding examination questions during the admission test period.

- Personally bear responsibility before the School's Management Council for the quality of professional work and the confidentiality procedures of examination questions and all related matters.

4. Tasks and powers of the Standing Member of the Question Setting Board

- Study and thoroughly understand the regulations on examination question setting work, prepare textbooks and necessary reference materials to assist the Chairperson of the Question Setting Board in managing the examination question setting work.

- Plan and schedule reviews of examination questions, record minutes of critiques and reviews during meetings between the Chairperson of the Question Setting Board and subject leaders.

- Plan and directly organize printing, copying, packaging, preserving, distributing, and using examination questions for examination venues and rooms.

5. Tasks and powers of the Head of Subject

- Fully grasp and implement the requirements for setting examination questions for the subjects they are responsible for as stipulated in this Regulation.

- Study proposed examination questions to select, refine, combine, and compile new examination questions meeting the requirements of the admission test. Propose schemes for selecting official and reserve examination questions (including answers and grading scales) for submission to the Chairperson of the Question Setting Board for decision.

- Assist the Chairperson of the Question Setting Board in monitoring, answering, and handling issues related to the examination questions they are responsible for during examination sessions.

- Subject leaders do not participate in deciding on the official examination questions for the examination period.

Article 16. Organization, tasks, and powers of the Examination Board

1. Composition of the Examination Board

a) The composition of the Examination Board includes:

- Chairperson to be concurrently held by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the School's Management Council.

- A permanent member who concurrently serves as the Head of the School's Secretariat Board.

- Members include some leaders from departments (Human Resources, Training, Student Affairs, Finance, Security, Administrative Services, Management, Dormitory Board...), some department heads, subject coordinators, invigilators, security officers, medical staff, police officers (where necessary, military control officers may also be included).

- If there are multiple examination venues, the Chairman of the Secretariat Board shall designate one member of the Board to serve as the Venue Chief at each venue.

b) Individuals with relatives (spouse, children, siblings) participating in the examination that year shall not be members of the Examination Board.

c) In cases where there is a shortage of invigilators, the Examination Board is permitted to invite teachers from other schools or staff working in higher-level management agencies of the school to serve as invigilators, but such invitations must be approved in writing by the school or the agency managing the staff and teachers.

2. Powers and responsibilities of the Examination Board

Directing all examination supervision work from arranging invigilation forces, monitoring examination rooms, protecting examination rooms, organizing examinations, collecting answer sheets to handing over answer sheets, ensuring safety for the examination period and candidates' answer sheets.

3. Powers and responsibilities of the Head of the Examination Board

- Responsible for directing all examination supervision work at the school, deciding on the list of Examination Board members, the list of invigilators, supervisors, security officers, medical staff, police officers, military control officers, and service personnel at each venue.

- Deciding on the handling of situations arising during examination sessions according to this Regulation.

- The permanent member of the Examination Board has the responsibility to assist the Head of the Examination Board in performing their duties.

4. Powers and responsibilities of the Venue Chief

Representing the Head of the Examination Board to direct all examination supervision work at the assigned venue.

- Assigning supervisors to monitor examination rooms.

- Handling situations arising during examination sessions. If the situation is complex, immediately report to the Head of the Examination Board for resolution.

- Before each examination session, organize a draw to assign invigilators.

Article 17. Organization, powers, and responsibilities of the Marking Board

1. Composition of the Marking Board

- Chairperson to be concurrently held by the Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the School's Management Council.

- A permanent member who concurrently serves as the Head of the School's Secretariat Board.

- Members include: Heads of marking subjects and marking staff.

The list of members and marking schedule must be kept confidential. Individuals with relatives (spouse, children, siblings) participating in the examination that year shall not be members of the Marking Board.

2. Powers and responsibilities of the Marking Board

Implementing all marking work according to this Regulation.

3. Powers and responsibilities of the Head of the Marking Board

- Selecting and nominating members of the Marking Board for the Chairman of the Secretariat Board to decide.

- Directing marking work. Being responsible before the School's Secretariat Board for the quality, progress, and process of marking.

- In cases of a shortage of marking staff, the Head of the Marking Board is permitted to invite staff and teachers from other schools to participate in marking. Contracts between the Marking Board and individuals invited must be confirmed by the school or the management agency.

4. Powers and responsibilities of the permanent member of the Marking Board

Represent the Head of the Marking Board to direct all marking work when authorized;

5. Powers and responsibilities of the Head of the Marking Subject

- Selecting and introducing marking staff to the Head of the Marking Board for decision.

- Prior to marking, organizing for marking staff within the subject to study answers, grading scales, and jointly mark 3 to 5 answer sheets, then convening discussions and drawing lessons.

- Implementing the marking plan and being responsible to the Head of the Marking Board for marking the answer sheets under their subject's responsibility.

- Regularly checking the quality of marking each answer sheet from the initial marking round, promptly correcting mistakes made by marking staff. If suspicious answer sheets are found, report to the Head of the Marking Board to organize checks on other subjects of the candidate and proceed with joint marking of those answer sheets.

- Recommending the Head of the Marking Board to change or suspend marking activities for marking staff who are irresponsible, violate the Regulation, or make many errors.

6. Marking staff

a) Are individuals with high sense of responsibility, impartiality, honesty, good professional qualifications, and currently teaching the assigned subject.

b) Teachers in their probationary period shall not participate in marking.

Individuals with relatives (spouse, children, siblings) participating in the examination at a certain school shall not serve as marking staff at that school. Secretariat Board members shall not participate in marking.

c) Marking staff have the responsibility to fulfill tasks assigned by the Head of the Marking Board.

Article 18. Organization, powers, and responsibilities of the Appeals Board

1. Composition of the Appeals Board

- The Chairperson shall be held by the Rector or Deputy Rector in charge of training.

- Members: A number of teaching staff with appropriate qualifications from relevant departments. The list of members and the working schedule of the Board must be kept confidential. Individuals participating in the Appeals Board cannot have relatives (spouse, children, siblings) taking the exam that year. Staff who have participated in the Exam Marking Board cannot participate in the Appeals Board.

2. Powers and Responsibilities of the Appeals Board

When there is a request for re-examination from candidates in accordance with the provisions of the Admissions Regulations, the Appeals Board has the responsibility to direct:

- Checking errors such as incorrect point totals, mistakenly recording points from one candidate to another.

- Re-marking papers where candidates believe there are errors or omissions compared to the official marking scale.

- Re-marking lost papers that have been found.

- Re-marking supplementary papers taken by candidates due to point shortages caused by errors of the Exam Marking Board.

- Submitting to the Chairman of the Exam Marking Board for decision on the final marks after re-marking.

Chapter III

SPECIFIC PROVISIONS IN THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

PART 1

 PREPARATIONS FOR THE EXAMINATION PERIOD

Article 19. Provisions on examination subjects, examination time, and examination rooms. Organizing the receipt of registration forms, examination fees, and sending admission notices to candidates

1. The number of examination subjects for admissions is two subjects. Examination subjects are decided by the Rector of the school and must be publicly announced eight months before the examination period. Admission examination subjects (excluding special skills subjects) must be subjects within the secondary education curriculum. Candidates must take all required examination subjects as specified by the school, otherwise they will not be considered for selection.

2. The prescribed examination period for admissions is three days: the first day for registration procedures, the second day for examinations, and the third day reserved for necessary contingencies. The examination time for each subject ranges from 90 minutes to 50 minutes.

The examination schedule for each day is determined by the Chairman of the Exam Marking Board.

3. At least one week before the examination period, the Exam Marking Board must organize examination venues and prepare the necessary number of examination rooms. Each examination room must have sufficient desks, chairs, chalkboards, ensuring good ventilation and adequate lighting. The distance between adjacent candidates must be at least 1.2 meters. Examination rooms must be safe and quiet. Each examination room must have two invigilators.

4. The Rector (or Chairman of the Exam Marking Board) assigns the Training Department (or Secretariat) to organize the receipt of registration forms, examination fees, and send admission notices to candidates in accordance with Article 12 of this Regulation, while directing relevant departments to implement activities.

Article 20. Requirements for the content of the examination questions

a) Examination questions must meet requirements to assess basic knowledge, application ability, and practical skills of candidates within the high school and middle school curricula, mainly focusing on the final grade level curriculum, suitable for the general level of candidates, consistent with the curriculum.

b) Examination questions must meet the requirement to classify the academic level of candidates and be appropriate to the time allocated for each subject.

The content of examination questions must ensure scientific accuracy, rigor, clarity, and absence of errors.

Article 21. Examination Question Preparation Process

1. Compilation and Introduction of Questions

a) Depending on the specific situation of each school, for each subject, the Head of the Question Board designates a number of teachers with high sense of responsibility and excellent professional qualifications to introduce examination questions.

b) The compilation of examination questions must be based on the requirements for the content of examination questions, the target group, the level of candidates, and other specific requirements of the Head of the Question Board to compile and introduce questions along with detailed answers and grading scales.

c) Within the deadline set by the Head of the Question Board, the person introducing the questions must submit the original to the Head of the Question Board. It is not allowed to type, copy into multiple copies, retain separately, or use the introduced content for tutoring or test preparation.

2. Selection and Completion of Questions

a) Based on the introduced questions, the Head of the Subject may recommend selecting two or three complete questions or choosing questions from different sets to form new sets of two or three questions. Afterward, detailed answers and grading scales are compiled for each set and submitted to the Head of the Question Board for review and decision.

b) Before the first subject examination, at a location isolated from external environments, the Head of the Question Board works directly and independently with each Head of the Subject in the presence of a permanent member of the Question Board.

c) The Head of the Question Board may change the order of questions, replace one question with another, and require the Head of the Subject to recompile. Based on the Head of the Question Board's comments, the Head of the Subject completes the proposed questions along with detailed answers and grading scales, signs the original, and hands it over to the Head of the Question Board.

3. Selection and Review of Examination Questions

a) The Head of the Question Board must organize reviews of the questions; each subject must have one reviewer; the reviewer needs to have experience and professional qualifications.

b) The reviewer must solve the questions in detail during a specified period without exchanging information or contacting the question setter; they cannot bring along materials, answers, or grading scales. Review comments should include the following:

- The degree of satisfaction with the content of the examination questions according to Article 20 of this Regulation;

- Comments on the answers, grading scales, difficulty level, and other errors;

- Suggestions from the reviewer.

c) After receiving the review document, the Head of the Subject must convene a meeting with the question setter and reviewer to unify opinions or make necessary amendments and supplements before reporting to the Head of the Question Board.

d) After the final proofreading of the questions, answers, and grading scales with the suggestions of the setters and reviewers of each subject, the Head of the Subject signs the original and hands it over to the Head of the Question Board.

đ) The Head of the Question Board assigns numbers to the questions and decides which among the proposed questions will be the official questions, with the remaining ones as backup questions, and simultaneously decides the grading scales for each part of the official and backup questions.

e) All questions introduced by teachers, proposed questions compiled by the Head of the Subject, official questions, backup questions, answers, grading scales, and related materials are securely stored by the Head of the Question Board under confidentiality regulations.

4. Typing, Printing, Packaging, Storage, Distribution, and Use of Examination Questions

The typing, printing, packaging, storage, distribution, and use of examination questions are carried out under the direct guidance of the Chairperson of the Examination Committee

a) Typing and printing examination questions.

- Members involved in typing and printing examination questions are not allowed to carry any communication devices or means of storing information.

- The computer used to type examination questions shall not be connected to the internet.

- The Head of Examination Subject shall directly type or directly inspect the questions after they have been typed by others. The Chief of Examination Questions shall designate officers with specialized expertise and high sense of responsibility to type and print examination questions.

- All old papers and documents must be cleared away before typing or printing examination questions.

- Examination questions must be typed and printed clearly, accurately, cleanly, beautifully, in accordance with specified formats, in the correct number of copies, without excess or shortage, and not using paper from other defective examination prints. Defective examination prints and original examination questions must be submitted to the Chief of Examination Questions for management.

- The Head of Examination Subject and the Chief of Examination Questions must thoroughly check the typed copy and both sign off on it before printing the examination questions.

- During the printing process, the Head of Examination Subject must check the quantity and quality of the printed copies, discard faintly printed, defective, dirty, torn, or blank pages. When printing examination questions on both sides of the paper, it must be done correctly and checked to prevent omissions.

- Each examination question must be typed or printed individually. Typing or printing of another examination question may only continue after the typing and printing area has been inspected, cleaned up, and all related papers handed over to the Chief of Examination Questions for the previous examination question.

- Absolutely no typing or printing of answers before the examination.

b) Packaging examination questions.

- The Standing Member of the Examination Questions Board must be familiar with the number of candidates for each subject group, location of the examination venue of the school to distribute examination questions, record the name of the examination venue, examination room, and the number of examination questions in each envelope, then hand them over to the person responsible for packaging or package them directly themselves.

- The person packaging examination questions must ensure the correct number of examination questions, the correct subject listed on the envelope, sufficient number of examination questions for each examination venue, each examination room without blank or defective pages.

- The envelopes containing examination questions must be sealed tightly, securely, without peeling edges, with complete labels and seals (half the seal printed on the label, half on the envelope).

- After completing the packaging of examination questions for each subject, the Standing Member of the Examination Questions Board must check the complete number of packaged envelopes and hand them over to the Chief of Examination Questions for management, including any extra, defective, faint, poor-quality, torn, or dirty printed copies that have been discarded.

c) Storing and distributing examination questions.

- Examination questions must be stored in boxes, cabinets, or safes with secure locks, sealed tightly, and guarded continuously. Keys to the boxes, cabinets, or safes shall be kept by the Chief of Examination Questions.

- The schedule for distributing examination questions to each venue is determined by the Chairperson of the Examination Committee. When transferring examination questions, there must be a record. When delivering examination questions to venues, police protection is required.

d) Using official and backup examination questions.

- Envelopes containing official examination questions can only be opened for use at the examination room on the designated day, time, and subject as uniformly prescribed by the Chairman of the Examination Management Committee for each examination period and used for comparison and checking the examination questions distributed to candidates or copied onto the board.

- Backup examination questions can only be used if the official examination questions are leaked, provided there is sufficient verified evidence and a formal conclusion from the School Examination Management Committee and the Provincial or Municipal Public Security Bureau according to Article 24 of this Regulation.

Article 22. Secrecy of Examination Questions

a) The Chief of Examination Questions shall only select trustworthy individuals to participate in preparing examination questions. Individuals whose relatives (spouse, children, siblings) are candidates at the school that year shall not be selected to prepare examination questions. The list of individuals participating in preparing examination questions must be kept confidential until the end of the examination sessions.

b) The place where examination questions are prepared must be safe, secluded, isolated, far from fences, and strictly guarded throughout the preparation period. Windows must be sealed tightly. There must be adequate security measures, fire prevention, and firefighting equipment. Personnel working in the area must wear special badges and operate within permitted areas.

c) All individuals involved in preparing examination questions from the moment they come into contact with the examination questions must be completely isolated from the external environment in all forms. In necessary cases, only the Chief of Examination Questions may communicate with the Chairman of the Examination Management Committee by phone under the supervision of security personnel.

d) Officers participating in compiling, reviewing examination questions, and serving the Examination Questions Board may leave the isolation area only after two-thirds of the final examination session's duration has passed.

đ) The Head of Examination Subject and officers preparing examination questions must remain on duty throughout the examination period to handle issues related to the examination questions they are responsible for.

Article 23. Use of the Admissions Software for Higher Vocational Training

Schools must necessarily use the unified admissions software for higher vocational training in the following stages:

1. Assigning registration numbers and compiling lists of candidates participating in the examination.

2. Compiling examination room lists based on the alphabetical order of candidate names by subject.

Absolutely prohibit grouping examination rooms according to the proximity of registration numbers for students from the same locality.

3. Printing examination notification papers for each candidate (which may also serve as admission cards).

4. Compiling statistical forms regarding the number of candidates registered for the examination by subject and province, and sending them to the Ministry of Education and Training one week before the examination date.

5. Compiling examination marking forms including instructions for bundling answer sheets, registration number-phách number comparison sheets, and examination marking records.

a) The bagging instruction sheet is a document for the Examination Board Secretariat to bundle exam papers into marking bags. For each subject and major, different bagging rules are applied to ensure the following principles:

- Within each subject and major, the bundling of answer sheets will be automatically performed by computer. Each bundle of answer sheets should not exceed fifty papers. No complete set of papers from a single examination room should be bundled together.

- After printing the bundling instructions for each subject and major, they must be placed in individual envelopes, clearly marked with the subject name on the outside, and sealed securely.

b) The name-number matching sheet is a document for the Examination Board Secretariat to assign numbers to each candidate's exam paper;

- Based on the bundling instructions, the Secretariat will proceed to assign phách numbers for each subject and major in separate locations. The phách numbers must start from a randomly generated number by the computer.

- After printing the registration number-phách number comparison sheets for each subject, they must be placed in individual envelopes, clearly marked with the subject name on the outside, and sealed securely.

c) The examination marking record (Form 4) serves as documentation for examination markers to record the results of each paper after independent marking and consensus on the results.

Examination scores must be recorded both in writing and numerically. If there are corrections, the Head of the Examination Subject must sign and stamp the corrections.

Bundling instructions, registration number-phách number comparison sheets, examination marking records, and all related information storage materials such as floppy disks, hard drives, programs, etc., must be kept by the Chairman of the Examination Board under confidentiality regulations.

6. After the examination results are finalized, compile the scores by category, region, and major for selection purposes.

7. Print score notification slips for each candidate. In cases where candidates lose their score notification papers and request confirmation, the Head of the Secretariat must verify the scores from the records, issue a confirmation paper, and submit it to the Chairman of the Examination Board for signature.

PART 2

 ORGANIZATIONAL WORK

Article 24. Admission Procedures for Candidates

1. Prior to the examination day, the Secretariat must complete the list of candidates for each examination room to be posted in front of each room. Each room must have a list of registration numbers accompanied by a list of candidate photographs (DSA) for examination supervisors to cross-check during the examinations.

2. Following the published schedule, on the first day of the examination period, the Secretariat assigns staff to disseminate the Regulations, guide candidates to their examination rooms, collect examination fees from candidates, and correct any errors in their application forms. These corrections must be confirmed on Application Form No. 2 and updated in the computer system by the school's admissions staff.

Article 25. Duties and Authorities of Examination Supervisors and Other Members of the Examination Board

1. Examination Supervisors (ES)

a) Individuals who have relatives (spouse, children, siblings) taking the exam at that school cannot participate as examination supervisors.

b) ESs are prohibited from using communication devices in the examination room; they cannot assist candidates in completing their exams in any form; they cannot engage in personal activities; they cannot smoke or consume stimulants while supervising; they must be present on time and continuously in the examination room to perform the following duties in sequence:

- Record the registration number in the seat of each candidate. After each session, change the seating arrangement of the candidates.

- Upon signal, one ES calls the candidates into the examination room, the second checks the items brought into the room by the candidates, and guides them to sit in the designated seats. Absolutely prevent candidates from bringing prohibited materials and items into the examination room as stipulated in Article 28 of these Regulations. Use admission cards and DSA to identify and verify candidates.

- Sign the examination papers and rough work papers of the candidates. Guide candidates to fold the examination papers correctly, write down the registration number, and fill out all necessary sections on the examination papers and rough work papers before starting the exam.

- Upon signal, one ES collects the questions, another reminds candidates of the examination room discipline.

- Upon signal, the ES collects the questions, enters the examination room, and holds up the envelope containing the questions so that candidates can see both sides of the envelope still sealed.

- Open the envelope containing the questions and distribute the pre-printed question papers to each candidate (before distribution, carefully check the number of questions; if there are excess, missing, or mixed questions, report immediately to the Chief of the Examination Center for handling).

- If copying the questions is required, one ES reads and writes the questions on the board, the other oversees. Then the second ES reads and checks, the other oversees. Only read aloud enough for clarity, write clearly, accurately, and verbatim, absolutely do not summarize or add/subtract. Afterward, pass the questions to candidates to self-check. The Chief of the Examination Center must visit each room to recheck the copying of questions.

- ESs must protect the questions during the exam, preventing them from leaving the examination room. ESs and other examination duty personnel are not allowed to discuss, copy, take questions out of the room, or explain questions to candidates.

- When candidates begin answering questions, one ES verifies the photograph in the admission card to identify the candidates, the other oversees. During the exam, one oversees from the front to the back of the room, the other from the back to the front until the end of the exam. ESs should not stand close to candidates while they are working.

- When candidates ask questions, ESs can only respond publicly within the prescribed scope.

- Allow candidates to leave the examination room earliest two-thirds of the examination time after collecting their questions and rough work papers. If candidates suffer unusual illness or have legitimate reasons to temporarily leave the examination room, ESs must inform the examination room supervisor to promptly report to the Chief of the Examination Center for resolution.

- If a candidate violates discipline, the invigilator must prepare a record for handling according to regulations. In case of unusual situations, they must immediately report to the Examination Center Director or the Examination Board Director for resolution.

- Fifteen minutes before the end of the exam time, inform candidates accordingly.

- Upon receiving the signal to end the examination session, require candidates to stop working on their papers and collect all candidates' papers, including those who have been disciplined. One invigilator oversees the examination room while calling out each candidate's name to submit their paper, while the other collects the candidates' papers. When collecting papers, count the number of sheets submitted by each candidate, ask the candidate to correctly record the number of sheets and sign the attendance list. Only after all papers have been collected can candidates be allowed to leave the examination room.

- Invigilators check and arrange examination papers in order of registration numbers. Any disciplinary records (if any) must be attached to the candidates' papers. Hand over the examination papers to the Secretariat Board member of the Examination Committee immediately after each examination session. Each envelope of examination papers must be publicly checked and compared with the number of papers and sheets listed on the attendance sheet and any disciplinary records and evidence (if any).

- After handing over, each envelope containing examination papers is sealed on-site by the Secretariat Board members. Each envelope has eight seals affixed to the center of three edges. On each label, seal stamps must be placed on both the right and left sides of the label (half the stamp on the label, half on the envelope). The Secretariat Board member receiving the handover and two invigilators clearly write their names and sign on the sealing label.

c) Absolutely prevent any confusion or loss of examination papers.

2. Examination room supervisors

Examination room supervisors represent the Examination Center Director to regularly monitor invigilators, security officers, and candidates; check and remind invigilators to thoroughly collect any unauthorized materials and technical devices brought into the examination room by candidates; prepare disciplinary records for invigilators and candidates who violate these regulations.

3. Security officers, police officers (and control officers if military personnel are assigned)

- Personnel assigned to guard a specific area are only responsible for maintaining order and security in that area and shall not operate in other areas.

- Do not allow anyone without responsibility to enter the examination area or approach the examination room; do not leave their post; do not entertain guests while on duty; do not enter the examination room; do not communicate with candidates.

- Report promptly to the Examination Center Director about any incidents occurring during the examination for timely handling.

- Police officers assigned to support Examination Committees also have the responsibility to escort and ensure the safety of examination questions and papers.

4. Medical staff

- Be present throughout the examination period at the location designated by the Examination Committee to handle cases of candidates falling ill.

- When the Examination Center Director reports an unusual illness among candidates during the examination, medical staff must arrive immediately for prompt treatment or hospitalization if necessary.

- Strictly prohibit the abuse of on-site medical services to engage in actions violating these regulations.

Article 26. Duties and rights of candidates during the examination period

1. One day before the examination (except for specialized schools with separate regulations), candidates must appear at the school where they registered to complete the registration procedures: presenting a temporary graduation certificate (for candidates who just completed the graduation examination) or a copy of the graduation certificate (for those who graduated in previous years).

- Pay the examination fee.

- Receive the examination card (if the notification slip does not include the examination card), receive the examination room assignment, and listen to the examination rules briefing.

If there are errors or mistakes regarding names, surnames, middle names, priority status, etc., candidates must report to the Examination Committee for immediate correction. In case of losing the examination card or other necessary documents, candidates must report and make a declaration for the Examination Center Director to consider under the delegation of the Examination Board Director.

2. Candidates must be present at the examination venue at the specified date and time. If a candidate arrives more than 15 minutes late after the test has started, they will not be allowed to take the examination. Candidates must complete all subjects prescribed by the school to be considered for selection.

3. Upon entering the examination room, examinees must comply with the following rules:

- Present the examination card to the invigilator when entering the examination room.

- Only bring pencils, pens, compasses, erasers, rulers, calculators without alphabetic keys, unused blotting paper, and scratch paper (if the school does not provide scratch paper) into the examination room.

- Do not bring carbon paper, erasing pens, documents, weapons, explosive, flammable substances, technical devices for transmitting information, recording, and playing audio, or other items into the examination room. Do not smoke or use stimulants in the examination room.

- Write down the full registration number (both the alphabetic and numeric parts) on the examination paper and scratch paper before starting the examination and request both invigilators to sign on both the examination paper and scratch paper.

- Answers must be legible, neat, not crumpled, and free from personal markings or symbols. It is strictly prohibited to write answers using two types of ink, pencils, or red ink on the examination paper (except for circles drawn with a compass which may be done with a pencil). Parts that are incorrectly written must be crossed out with a ruler.

- Protect your own answers and strictly prohibit any form of cheating.

- If needing to ask the invigilator something, it must be done openly. Maintain order and silence in the examination room. In case of unexpected illness, report to the invigilator for appropriate handling according to Article 25 of these regulations.

- Upon the end of the examination time, stop working and submit the paper to the invigilator. Even if unable to complete the paper, candidates must still submit the examination paper. When submitting the paper, candidates must clearly record the number of sheets submitted and sign the attendance list. Scratch paper cannot be submitted instead of the examination paper.

- Candidates have the right to identify and report any violations of the admission regulations for the Examination Committee to handle promptly.

Article 27. Handling Certain Abnormal Situations with Examination Questions or Leaked Questions

1. In case of errors in question formulation, printing, or copying questions onto the board

a) Upon discovering any errors, the examination center staff must jointly prepare a record with the examination venue director and promptly report to the examination question committee head and the school examination board chairman for consideration and decision on handling.

b) Depending on the nature and severity of the error, whether it occurs in one or multiple questions, in one or multiple examination rooms, and based on the early or late discovery time, the school examination board chairman must remind and decide on handling according to one of the following options:

- Order timely correction of the errors and inform candidates but do not extend the examination time.

- Order correction, inform candidates, and extend the examination time for candidates.

- Do not correct, allow candidates to continue answering, but handle during marking (answers and scoring criteria may be adjusted accordingly).

- Organize a re-examination.

2. Leaking of Exam Questions

a) The school examination board chairman decides to suspend the examination subject that has been leaked, informing candidates. Other examination sessions will continue normally according to the schedule. The subject with the leaked questions will be held immediately after the last session.

b) After the examination, the school examination board chairman works with the provincial or centrally-administered city police to verify, conclude the cause of the leak, identify those responsible for leaking the questions and related individuals, pursue responsibility, and report to the Ministry of Education and Training.

PART 3

MARKING WORK

Article 28. Marking Area

1. The marking area includes the marking location and the storage location for answer sheets. These locations need to be arranged close together, isolated from the outside, continuously guarded, equipped with fire prevention, security, and preservation facilities.

2. Doors are locked with two different locks; the marking subject head keeps the key to one lock, while the other key is given to the secretary board member to hold. The door can only be opened when both key holders are present.

3. Absolutely no personal documents, papers, or communication devices are allowed in the marking area.

Article 29. Marking Process

1. The marking committee head approves individual marking sheets designed to match the answers and detailed grading scales for each subject.

2. Marking is conducted in two independent rounds. The use of erasing pens or pens with the same ink color as the candidate's writing during marking is strictly prohibited.

a) First round of marking

After numbering, perforating, and matching the marking sheets, the secretary board and the marking subject head organize for the marking staff to draw lots for answer sheet bags and record the bag symbol drawn by the marking staff on the receipt list. The marking staff check the number of answer sheets, pages, and perforation numbers in each answer sheet simultaneously and sign the drawing list before marking. Only valid answer sheets are marked. Answer sheets written on paper different from the examination paper, rough drafts, answer sheets with two different handwriting styles or scribbles, marked answer sheets, or answer sheets written in two different ink colors are not marked.

During the first marking round, the marking staff cross out all remaining blank paper sections left by the candidate and absolutely do not write anything on the answer sheet. Component scores, total scores, and comments (if any) are recorded on the individual marking sheet, and the marking staff clearly write their full name and signature on each sheet.

Once a bag is marked, the marking staff directly hand over the answer sheet bag and all marking sheets to the secretary board.

b) Second Marking Round

After completing the first marking round, the secretary board retains the set of marking sheets and continues to have the marking staff draw lots for answer sheet bags for the second marking round, similar to the first round but measures must be taken to ensure the answer sheet bags do not return to the original marker.

The second round marker directly marks the candidate's answer sheet. They record component scores, total scores, and sign their full name on the candidate's answer sheet.

Once a bag is marked, the marking staff directly hand over the bag to the secretary board.

Article 30. Grading Scale and Point Handling Rules

1. Grading Scale

a) The grading scale for examinations is out of 10 points. Minor points can be awarded up to 0.25 points. If the total score has a remainder of 0.25, it will be rounded to 0.5, and if the remainder is 0.75, it will be rounded to 1.0.

b) For special talent subjects, a different grading scale may be applied, but the total score must be converted to a 10-point scale and then multiplied by the specified coefficient. Examiners grade according to the 10-point scale. The calculation of coefficients is performed by computer.

c) Examiners must give scores strictly according to the grading scale and the officially approved answers without rounding off scores during the initial grading. Additional points may be awarded for correct answers with creative or unique solutions differing from those in the official answers. The level of additional points is proposed by the examiner and decided by the Head of the Examination Subject, but the maximum additional point for one answer is 1 (one) point.

2. Handling Grading Results and Writing Examination Grading Records

The Secretariat compares the results of two independent gradings and handles them as follows:

a) If two examiners give the same score, they hand over the examination papers to these two examiners to agree on rounding off the scores, record the scores on the examination paper and Form 4, and sign to confirm on the examination paper and Form 4.

In cases where the total score is the same or differs by 0.25 points but the component scores differ, both examiners check and agree on the correct score according to the prescribed answers.

b) If the results of the two gradings differ by 0.5 points or more, the examination paper and the first marking sheet are withdrawn and handed over to the Head of the Examination Subject to organize a third direct marking using a different ink color.

If two out of three gradings yield the same result, that score becomes the final score. If all three gradings differ, the Head of the Examination Subject calculates the average of the three scores as the final score. The Head of the Examination Subject rounds off the score, records it on the examination paper and Form 4, and signs to confirm on the examination paper and Form 4.

Any incorrect bonus points must be corrected immediately.

Schools that have contracts with other schools for grading or cross-grading must negotiate plans and costs but still must comply with the examination grading regulations stipulated in this Regulation.

Article 31. Management of Examination Scores Before Announcing Selection Scores

Prior to announcing selection scores, all materials related to examination scores must be sealed and directly managed by the Secretariat Chairperson.

It is strictly prohibited to adjust scores upward or disclose scores before announcing selection scores.

PART 4

APPEAL AND REVIEW OF APPEALS

Article 32. Organization of Rechecking and Resolution of Appeals Regarding Examination Scores

1. Time Limit for Rechecking

The Examination Board only accepts appeals regarding examination scores within 15 days from the date of announcement of the scores and must respond to the appellant no later than 20 days from the date of receipt of the appeal (except for special talent subjects). Candidates requesting rechecking must pay the fee as stipulated by the school. If the score needs to be adjusted after rechecking according to this Regulation, the Examination Board will refund the rechecking fee to the candidate.

2. Organization of Appeals

a) The organization of rechecking is conducted subject by subject under the direct management of the Chief of the Rechecking Committee. The working area of the Rechecking Committee is designated by the Chairman of the Examination Board and is also protected like the grading area.

b) Before handing over the examination papers to the Review Board, the Examination Committee Secretariat performs the following tasks:

- Refer to Form 3 to find the examination number from the registration number. Retrieve the examination paper and compare it with the candidate tracking list to verify the examination paper number.

- Conduct a preliminary check on the condition of the examination paper, compare the parts requested for rechecking in the examination paper and the appeal letter. Sum up the component scores and compare them with the announced scores to detect any errors or mismatches. If any irregularities are found, a report should be made to the Chairman of the Examination Board for decision.

- Collect all papers of a subject into one or several bags, clearly mark the number of each paper in the bag, and hand over to the Rechecking Committee following the regulations as in the initial grading.

- During the process, at least two people must be present. Strictly ensure confidentiality between registration numbers and examination numbers, the origin of the examination papers, and avoid mixing examination papers.

- Rechecking is carried out independently by two examiners directly marking the candidate's work with a different colored ink.

c) After rechecking, the Secretariat processes the scores as follows:

- If the two recheckers give the same score, hand over the examination paper to the Chief of the Rechecking Committee to round off the score, record the score on the examination paper, and sign to confirm the final score.

- If the two recheckers give different scores, withdraw the examination paper and hand it over to the Chief of the Rechecking Committee to organize a third direct marking using a different colored ink.

- If two out of three rechecks yield the same score, that score becomes the final score. If all three rechecks differ, the Chief of the Rechecking Committee calculates the average of the three scores as the final score. The Chief of the Rechecking Committee rounds off the score and signs to confirm on the examination paper.

If a candidate moves from non-selection to selection (or vice versa) after rechecking, the Examination Board must organize a direct dialogue between the initial graders and the recheckers for all papers of the candidate whose scores were adjusted. If the Examination Board confirms that the initial grading was erroneous to the extent mentioned above, the Examination Board will publicly announce the list of initial graders for learning purposes or handle any negative behavior according to Article 39 of this Regulation.

The review score, after the dialogue between the two grading pairs and approval by the Review Board Chairperson and signed by the Examination Committee Chairperson, becomes the official score of the examination.

3. Adjustment of Examination Scores

After announcing the scores, if any confusion or errors in the scores are discovered, the Rechecking Committee must review and adjust the scores in the following cases:

- Incorrect recording or addition of scores in the marking form.

- Lost examination papers now found or missing examination papers due to the Examination Board's error which have been supplemented and marked.

- The score confirmed by the Chairman of the Examination Board after rechecking is the final score.

Adjusted scores are reported by the Chief of the Rechecking Committee to the Chairman of the Examination Board for decision, then reported to the Ministry of Education and Training (or the Department of Education and Training for local schools) and notified to the candidates.

Article 33. Reviewing the Results of Re-examination

1. After receiving the report on the results of re-examination from the Examination Board of the school, if there are complaints, the Ministry of Education and Training shall establish a Review Board for the Results of Re-examination. The Review Board of the Ministry shall be chaired by the Director of the Department of Vocational Education and include several members who are highly qualified staff and teachers not working at the school where the examination needs to be reviewed.

2. The Review Board of the Ministry of Education and Training has the final authority to decide on the official score of the examination after consulting with the Examination Board of the school.

Chapter IV

SELECTION AND CONVOCATION OF ADMISSION CANDIDATES

Article 34. Regulations on Establishing Selection Scores

1. Based on the enrollment quota assigned and announced by the Ministry of Education and Training, after deducting the number of students directly admitted and recommended, based on the statistical scores provided by the computer for different categories and regions participating in the examination; based on the framework of preferential score ranges, the Secretariat of the Examination Board will propose several selection schemes according to the unified model in Appendix 2 of this Regulation for the Chairman of the Examination Board of the school to consider. Schools enrolling students by major must establish separate selection score tables for each major.

2. In cases where candidates apply to multiple schools, the schools are permitted to establish selection scores for admitting students with appropriate reserve ratios and may not exceed 80% of the quota.

3. When the number of students admitted in the first round does not meet the required number, the school can supplement by lowering the selection score by 0.5 points, 1 point, 1.5 points... uniformly for all categories and regions until the required number of students is met.

4. If lowering the selection score uniformly for all categories and regions at a certain level leads to exceeding the number, the school may lower the selection score separately for each category and region in priority order: Region 1 Priority 1, Region 1 Priority 2, Region 2 - Ethnic Minority Priority 1, Region 2 - Ethnic Minority Priority 2, Region 2 Priority 1, Region 2 Priority 2...

For difficult-to-enroll majors of schools enrolling students by major, after determining the selection score at the permissible level according to the training requirements of the school but still lacking the required number, the school is allowed to admit candidates who did not pass other majors in their own school but achieved the required score and voluntarily enroll in the under-subscribed major. If the number of those meeting the transfer criteria exceeds the quota, they will be selected based on descending examination scores until the required number is reached through a public process.

Article 35. Determining Selection Scores and Notifying Candidates

1. Based on the proposed selection score determination schemes by the Secretariat of the Examination Board, the Chairman of the Examination Board of the school selects a scheme that ensures the number of students admitted and enrolled does not exceed the assigned quota. The Chairman of the Examination Board of the school signs off on the official selection score after reaching an agreement with the local Department of Education and Training (including central schools). In cases where setting the selection score is unreasonable, the Department of Education and Training requests the Examination Board to set it again.

Examination Boards of schools must send the record of determining selection scores to the Ministry of Education and Training (Department of Vocational Education), the competent authority, and publicly announce it through mass media.

2. In cases where candidates are missing scores due to Examination Board errors such as losing examination papers, the Chairman of the Examination Board of the school is responsible for informing the relevant ministries and departments (for central schools), the local Department of Education and Training (for local schools), and the candidates about the decision to organize supplementary examinations and the time of the supplementary examinations. The Examination Board of the school bears responsibility for the costs of candidates traveling and taking the supplementary examination. Candidates who do not take the supplementary examination will not be considered for selection.

3. In cases where candidates are missing scores due to Examination Board errors but the total scores of the remaining subjects are equal to or higher than the selection score for the school they applied to for their respective regions, the Chairman of the Examination Board of the school will notify the candidate of their admission score according to the registered major (if applicable) without needing to organize a supplementary examination.

Article 36. Summoning Successful Candidates to School

1. The Chairman of the School Management Board shall directly review the list of successful candidates admitted to the school and sign the summons for the candidates to attend the school. The summons must clearly state the necessary conditions for the candidates to complete the enrollment procedures.

2. Candidates must undergo a comprehensive health check organized by the school. The health examination must be conducted in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Circular jointly issued by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training. The health examination certificate shall be issued by the school's health examination board and supplemented into the student management file.

3. Successful candidates must submit the following documents:

a) High School Graduation Record Book or Junior High School Graduation Record Book (for each admission system).

b) Temporary Graduation Certificate for those who are admitted immediately upon graduation, or present the graduation diploma (and submit a copy) for those who have graduated in previous years. Those who only submit a temporary certificate must present the original graduation diploma at the beginning of the next academic year for verification.

c) Birth Certificate.

d) Certificates confirming preferential status (if applicable), such as certificates for children of martyrs, disability cards, certificates for benefits equivalent to those for disabled veterans from parents or themselves, permanent resident registration of the candidate...

For the documents mentioned in points a, b, c, and d above, schools need to collect valid copies.

e) Admission Notification.

g) Admission File (in the pre-printed format of the Ministry of Education and Training).

4. Candidates who enroll late at the school more than 15 days after the opening day without a legitimate reason will not be accepted. If they are late due to illness or accidents, with confirmation from a county-level hospital or higher, the schools will consider accepting them to study or allow them to retain their scores to enter the next year without retaking the exam.

5. Candidates who are admitted but prevented from attending school by local authorities have the right to appeal to the People's Committee of the province or centrally-administered city and the Ministry of Education and Training. Only the Chairman of the People's Committee of the province or centrally-administered city has the authority to issue a decision preventing attendance, but must explain the reasons and legal basis for that decision to the concerned party.

In cases where the locality or school has not resolved the matter correctly and the student has filed an appeal, after joint consideration by central and local competent authorities, the Ministry of Education and Training will make the final decision regarding the student's studies.

Article 37. Examination of Test Results and Files of Successful Candidates

After the admission test period, schools must conduct an examination of the test results of all successful candidates admitted to the school regarding the legality of all individual test papers; the implementation of this Regulation in all stages: marking work, comparing scores on the test paper with scores recorded in the marking record sheet, grade book, and score report. If violations of the regulations or suspicious cases are discovered, a report should be made to the Principal to take measures to verify and handle according to this Regulation.

During the process of collecting files or during the time students are studying at the school, if fake files are discovered, they should be reported to the school leadership for handling according to this Regulation.

Chapter V

REWARD AND VIOLATION HANDLING

Article 38. Awards

Individuals who have made significant contributions and actively completed the assigned admission tasks excellently, depending on specific achievements, may be awarded by the Chairman of the School Management Board or recommended for awards by the Ministry of Education and Training, the People's Committee of the province or centrally-administered city.

Award funds are taken from the admission budget.

Article 39. Handling of Recruitment Officers Violating Regulations

1. Those individuals involved in recruitment work who commit violations of these Regulations (discovered while performing their duties or after the recruitment examination period), if there is sufficient evidence, will be subject to criticism and appropriate handling according to the following forms based on the severity of the violation:

a) Reprimand: applicable to those who commit minor offenses while performing their duties.

b) Warning: applicable to those who violate any of the following offenses:

- Altering candidate's application materials to misrepresent information.

- Setting questions that do not conform to the curriculum or exceed the scope of the curriculum for the intended candidates.

- Intentionally allowing candidates to copy answers, bring and use materials or communication devices such as recording and transmitting equipment during the examination room, discovered by examination supervisors or recruitment inspectors.

- Writing questions on the board with errors but failing to promptly check, discover, and correct them.

- Losing examination papers during collection, transportation, or grading.

- Grading examinations or adding points with numerous errors.

- Revealing candidates' scores before the School Council officially announces the selection results.

c) Depending on the level of violation, they may face demotion in salary grade, demotion in rank, or dismissal from position (if they are civil servants or public officials), or forced withdrawal from studies (if they are students or pupils participating in the examination supervision) for committing any of the following offenses:

- Setting incorrect questions.

- Participating in negative actions such as leaking examination questions or bringing solutions from outside into the examination room during the examination period.

- Directly solving questions and guiding individuals or groups of candidates during the examination period.

- Cheating when grading examinations. Giving scores that do not comply with regulations, exceeding the score range, or lowering candidates' scores.

d) Forced termination of employment for those who commit any of the following offenses:

- Negligence in the management of examination questions leading to loss or damage of examination questions.

- Leaking exam questions, buying or selling exam questions.

- Altering candidates' answers;

- Unauthorized correction of scores on examination papers, marking sheets, or score lists;

- Swapping candidates' examination papers, identification numbers, or scores;

- Deception in the selection and summoning of successful candidates (including altering school records, cheating in bonus point calculations, high school graduation scores, or middle school graduation scores to admit candidates directly or as successful candidates).

đ) For other criminal acts, depending on the nature, degree, and impact, they will be handled according to the forms mentioned above. In cases of serious violations causing significant consequences, criminal responsibility may be pursued.

e) If examination questions are leaked, the Principal, Chairman of the Examination Board, and relevant Department Heads will be disciplined from reprimand to forced termination of employment, depending on the consequences, impact, and level of involvement.

2. The Chairman of the Examination Board of the school and related staff members of the Question-setting Department, Grading Department, or teachers of the school who set examination questions or grade examinations for other schools, if they violate current regulations on setting questions or grading, will be handled according to corresponding forms.

3. If the Chairman of the Examination Board sets unreasonable admission criteria leading to exceeding quotas significantly, they will be disciplined from reprimand to forced termination of employment depending on the extent of the violation.

Article 40. Handling Candidates Violating Regulations

For candidates violating these Regulations, a record must be established and disciplinary action taken according to the following forms based on the severity of the violation:

1. Reprimand: applicable to candidates who commit a single offense: looking at another candidate's paper; exchanging or discussing with another candidate (this form is decided by the Examination Supervisors). A candidate reprimanded in a particular subject will have 25% of the marks for that subject deducted.

2. Warning:

a) Applicable to candidates who violate any of the following offenses:

- Having been reprimanded once but still continue to violate the Regulations during the examination period of that subject.

- Bringing weapons, explosive substances, flammable materials, alcohol, or other harmful items into the examination room.

- Exchanging answer sheets or scratch paper with another candidate.

- Copying another person's work. Papers found to be identical will be treated equally. If the person being punished can provide sufficient evidence proving they were actually copied, the Principal of the Examination Board may consider reducing the punishment from warning to reprimand.

b) A candidate warned in a particular subject will have 50% of the marks for that subject deducted.

c) The warning form is recorded in the record by the Examination Supervisors, confiscating evidence, and clearly stating the proposed disciplinary action in the record.

3. Suspension from Examination:

a) Applicable to candidates who violate any of the following offenses:

- Having been warned once but still continue to violate the Regulations during the examination period of that subject.

- After opening the examination paper, it is discovered that they still carry: materials; technical means for recording, transmitting, or audio recording.

- Leaking examination questions or bringing solutions from outside into the examination room.

- Writing slogans or scribbling on examination papers.

- Engaging in behavior to snatch another candidate's examination paper.

- Engaging in aggressive behavior or threatening examination officials or other candidates.

b) A candidate suspended from examination during a particular subject will receive zero marks for that subject and must leave the examination room immediately after two-eighths of the examination time has passed, and cannot take subsequent subjects; they also cannot participate in examinations at other schools in the same year.

c) The suspension form is recorded in the record by the Examination Supervisors, confiscating evidence, and decided by the Examination Room Head.

4. Disqualification from admission to the school in the same year and deprivation of the right to participate in admission examinations to schools for the next two years. In severe cases, criminal responsibility may be pursued by competent authorities for candidates who commit any of the following offenses:

- Misrepresenting information in the application to benefit from preferential policies based on region or category in admissions.

- Using fake graduation certificates.

- Asking others to take the examination or complete the examination on their behalf in any form.

- Engaging in destructive actions during the examination or assaulting examination officials or other candidates.

This form of handling is decided by the Chairman of the Examination Board.

5. For other violations, depending on the nature and degree of the violation, the Principal or Chairman of the Examination Board of the school will apply disciplinary measures according to the forms mentioned in this Article.

The record of disciplinary action against candidates must be made known to the candidates and signed by the candidate and two Examination Supervisors. If the candidate refuses to sign the record, the record remains valid. If there is disagreement between the Examination Supervisors and the Examination Room Head regarding the handling method, both parties' opinions should be noted in the record for reporting to the Chief Supervisor for decision.

Article 41. Handling Individual Offenders Violating the Regulations

1. Officials, students, and pupils from universities, colleges, vocational schools, high schools, and middle schools who do not participate in the admission process but engage in negative actions such as taking exams on behalf of others, organizing the leakage of exam questions to the outside, providing solutions to candidates, causing disturbances that disrupt order in the examination area, disclosing candidates' scores before the school's Admission Committee officially announces the selection results, shall be subject to disciplinary measures ranging from warnings to dismissal (if they are civil servants or public officials) or suspension of studies for a period or expulsion (if they are students or pupils).

2. The aforementioned disciplinary measures shall be decided by the Rector or the Chairman of the School's Admission Committee (if the violator is under the management of the school) or a record shall be made to request local police agencies, provincial education and training departments, and the Ministry of Education and Training to take appropriate measures (if the violator is not under the management of the school). During the examination and grading periods, if the examination supervision teams established according to the Ministry of Education and Training's regulations discover clear violations of the regulations, they shall make records on the spot and request the Chairman of the School's Admission Committee to handle them according to this regulation.

Article 42. Handling Special Cases Discovered During Grading

The Secretariat and the Examination Board have the responsibility to identify and report to the Head of the Examination Board cases where there are signs of violations of the regulations that need to be addressed, even if there is no record from the Examination Supervision Board. After the Head of the Examination Board has reviewed and concluded on the violation cases, they shall be handled according to the provisions below:

1. Deducting Exam Scores

For exam papers suspected of having marks that indicate intentional misconduct, if there is sufficient credible evidence for the exam graders and the Head of the Grading Team to conclude that it is the candidate's deliberate fault, then fifty percent of the total score will be deducted.

2. Assigning Zero Points to Parts of Examination Papers or Entire Papers:

a) Papers done on scratch paper, unauthorized paper, crumpled or with unusual folds.

b) Submitting two papers for one subject or papers written in different types of characters or ink.

In particular, for exam papers torn and crumpled by other candidates, if confirmed by two exam graders, separate grading or re-examination for the candidate may be organized if necessary.

3. Annulment of Examination Results for Candidates:

- Writing slogans or scribbling on the exam paper.

- Asking someone else to take the exam or complete the exam on their behalf in any form: correcting, adding, or subtracting from the submitted work; using another person's paper to submit.

Chapter VI

REPORTING AND RECORD KEEPING REGIME

Article 43. Reporting System

1. Seven days before the official exam date or the admission review date (for schools without exams), the schools must report to the Ministry of Education and Training and the competent authority on the following contents:

- Decision to establish the Admission Committee.

- Number of candidates registered for admission, direct admission hotline, email, fax number, exam date (admission review date), examination venue, and number of examination rooms (for schools conducting exams).

2. Immediately after the last exam ends, the schools' Admission Committees must send a quick report, exam questions, and answers to the Ministry of Education and Training.

3. After the admission period, the schools must send reports to the Ministry of Education and Training and the competent authority on the situation and results of admissions, grade books, and lists of successful candidates in that year's exam (on a floppy disk).

4. After the school's Admission Committee announces the selection scores, send grade books and lists of successful candidates to the provincial education and training departments where candidates who successfully passed the admission test in that year are enrolled.

The Chairman of the Examination Board of the school is responsible for the content and timing of the above reports.

5. Before November 15 each year, the schools must send plans for the next year's admission to the Ministry of Education and Training.

Article 44. Retention regime

All documents related to the admission period and examination papers must be kept and retained by the school for the duration that the student studies at the school in accordance with the Archives Ordinance./.