UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 
OFFICE OF THE DEAN OF STUDENT AFFAIRS 
FROM THE DEAN’S DESK 
NOTES FROM THE DEAN’S DESK. 
VOL. 1 NOVEMBER, 2011

The Office of the Dean of Student Affairs provides representation to the University about ways of enhancing the quality of students life; furthermore, ensuring the maintenance of cordial relations among the various student groups and the student body as a whole, to ensure that they obtain maximum benefit from their University experience.


In a few days time, we shall be in the period of examinations. I would urge students to take note of the following so that the period would run smoothly for all. I wish you the best of luck in the examinations.

REGULATIONS GOVERNING UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS
A University examination shall be:
(a) set to curricula and syllabuses approved previously by the Academic Board
(b) taken at the times prescribed previously by the Academic Board, normally December for the First Semester and May for the Second Semester
(c) assessed by examiners approved previously by the Academic Board.

Venue of University Examinations
(a) University examinations shall be taken only at approved premises. Practical or oral examination will normally be conducted in the Departments concerned.
(b) Approval by the Academic Board may be given for University examinations to be taken outside the University for the benefit of a student in hospital or others who cannot report at the University.

Time-Tables
(1) The draft examination time-tables shall be put up on the University Notice Board not later than the seventh week of every Semester.
(2) Suggestions for amendment may be made through the Head of Department.
(3) The final time-tables indicating day and hour of each examination shall be posted on the University Notice Board normally at least four weeks before the commencement of the end of semester examinations. (4) From the duration of the examinations, a daily time-table indicating day, hour and venue of each examination will be issued at least twenty-four hours in advance.
(5) Notice of at least forty-eight hours shall be given if the time and hour given on the general time-table have to be changed on the daily time-table. interim assessment wherever provided for.

Instructions to Candidates 
(1) A candidate for a University examination must have followed the approved course as a regular student over the required period, and must have registered for the examination.
(2) Entry to the examination shall be by registration on a form on which the papers to be written shall be indicated by title, and the registration form duly endorsed by the Head of Department shall be submitted to the Director of Academic Affairs not later than six weeks before the commencement of the semester examination.
(3) The modalities of endorsement to be advised by a committee shall include a Dean, two Heads of Department and the Director of Academic Affairs
(4) A candidate shall not be admitted to a University examination if: (a) the candidate has not been entered for it as is required, (b) the subject of the examination has merely been audited, unless the course had been followed previously, (c) the candidate owes fees to the University or Hall, (d) the candidate is under suspension or has been dismissed from the University.
(5) It is the duty of the candidate to consult the daily timetable (to be made available at least twenty-four hours ahead of time) to ascertain the papers one-half hour before the examination.
(6) A candidate may be refused admission to a University examination if the candidate reports to the examination more than half an hour after its commencement.
(7) It is the responsibility of the candidate to provide a pen, pencil and an eraser as needed, and to ensure that the right question paper and any other material needed for the examination are given to the candidate.
(8) A candidate attending at an examination shall sign his or her name in the register of candidates for the examination.
(9) A candidate shall not bring to the examination centre or to the washroom of the examination centre any notes, books, cellular or mobile phones, unauthorised electronic devices or any other unauthorised material.
(10) The material shall not be deposited at the entrance to the examination room or the washroom.
(11) A candidate shall not enter the examination room until the candidate is invited or called or requested to enter the examination room.
(12) A candidate who is seen with notes, books, cellular or mobile phones, unauthorised electronic devices or any other unauthorised material in the examination centre shall be banned from the examination and awarded a grade X.
(13) A candidate who is suspected of hiding unauthorised material on the candidate's person may be asked by the invigilator to submit to a body search. Refusal to submit to a body search is tantamount to misconduct.
(14) A candidate shall, for the purpose of identification by the invigilator, place the student identity card on the examination table to enable the invigilator to ascertain the identity of the person writing the examination.
(15) Communication between candidates is not permitted in the examination hall; and (a) a candidate shall not pass or attempt to pass information or an instrument from one to another during an examination; (b) a candidate shall not copy or attempt to copy from another candidate or engage in any similar activity; (c) a candidate shall not disturb or distract any other candidate during an examination; and (d) a candidate may attract the attention of the invigilator by raising his or her hand.
(16) Smoking or drinking of alcoholic beverages is not allowed in the examination room.
(17) Candidates may leave the examination room temporarily, and only with the express permission of the invigilator. In which case the invigilator shall be satisfied personally that a candidate does not carry on his or her person an unauthorised material.
(18) A candidate who is allowed to leave the examination room temporarily will be accompanied while outside the examination room by an attendant designated by the invigilator.
(19) A candidate who finishes an examination ahead of time may leave the examination room after surrendering his or her answer books. But the candidate shall not be allowed to return to the examination room.
(20) At the end of each examination, candidates should ensure that they do not take away any answer books, whether used or unused, from the hall.
(21) Candidates should not in any way interfere with the stapling in the answer books. Any complaints about the answer books should be brought to the attention of the Invigilator.
(22) A candidate who fails to be present at an examination without satisfactory reason shall be awarded a grade X.
(23) The award of grade X in a required paper means a failure not just in that paper but in the examination as a whole.
(24) The following shall not normally be accepted as reasons for being absent from any paper at a University Examination: (a) mis-reading the time-table; (b) forgetting the date or time of examination; (c) inability to locate the examination hall; (d) inability to rouse oneself from sleep in time for the examination; (e) failure to find transport; (f) loss of a relation; or (g) pregnancy
(25) A breach of a provision of the Regulations made for the conduct of University examinations may attract one or more of the following sanctions: (a) a reprimand; (b) loss of marks; (c) cancellation of a paper in which case zero shall be substituted for the mark earned; (d) withholding of results for a period; (e) award of grade X.
(26) In a case of a breach the particulars and the sanction shall be entered on the student's transcript of academic record.
(27) Further to subsection (25) a grade Z leading to failure in a University examination, shall be awarded wherever it is established that a candidate had attempted to gain an unfair advantage in an examination whether in a principal subject or in an ancillary or any other paper.
(28) Further sanctions may include: (a) Being barred from a University examination for a stated period, (b) Being barred from a University examination indefinitely; (c) Suspension from the University, or (d) Expulsion from the University.
(29) The results of University examinations shall be posted on the University Notice Board for the result of an examination taken; but, alternatively, the candidate may write to the Director of Academic Affairs to enquire about the results or request details of the results for which purpose the candidate may provide a stamped addressed envelope.
(30) A candidate who is not satisfied with the results of a University examination affecting the candidate may request a review by submission of an application to the Registrar and on payment of a review fee which shall be determined at not less than three times the normal examination fee.
(31) An application for a review shall be submitted to the Registrar not later than twenty-one days after release of the results and shall state the grounds for review.
(32) An application entered on a candidate's behalf by a person other than the aggrieved candidate shall not be entertained.
(33) An action shall not be taken on an application which is submitted outside the time stipulated in subsection, and a review shall not proceed unless the review fee is fully paid.
(34) The Board of Examiners may authorize the Registrar to amend the results as released in the light of the review.
(35) Where it emerges that a complaint is frivolous or ill motivated, the Board may prescribe further sanctions which may include barring the complainant from taking a University examination for a stated period or an indefinite period.

 Examination Malpractices or Offences
(1) Examination offences include an attempt on the part of a candidate to gain an unfair advantage, and a breach of the Examination Regulations and Instructions to candidates including refusal on the part of a candidate to occupy an assigned place in an examination room, any form of communication with another candidate, possession of a book, paper or written information of any kind except as required by the rules of a particular examination, smoking, leaving an examination room without permission of the Invigilator, or refusal to follow instructions.
(2) The chief invigilator or an examiner shall report to the Registrar as soon as practicable an instance of a breach of Examination Regulations, and in respect of offences occurring outside the precincts of an examination room, the Dean shall cause an enquiry to be made into the reports that reach the Dean who shall submit the findings on the report to the Registrar.
(3) The Board of Examiners shall review the reports received in connection with an examination malpractice or an offence.
(4) On the basis of its review, the Board of Examiners may impose a sanction involving loss of marks in a particular paper.
(5) A grade Z shall be awarded where it is established that a candidate had attempted to gain an unfair advantage in an examination whether in a principal subject or in an ancillary or any other paper and the candidate may be debarred from taking a University examination for a stated period or indefinitely or expelled from the University.
(6) In all instances of examination malpractices or offences a formal report shall be made to the Academic Board as soon as practicable.
(7) The Academic Board may review all the reported cases and may vary the sanctions as it thinks fit.