CIOT error?

CIOT exams

Didn't find your answer?

I had the bizarre news this morning that the CIOT “cannot find” two thirds of the exam paper I took in May 2016.

I took the awareness paper having already passed the advisory paper but they say they can only find the VAT section and cannot find the IHT and CT sections. I scored 78% on the VAT section alone and 0% on the CT and IHT sections accordingly. This is considered the “easiest” paper and CT would have been my strongest module.

I am a mature (i.e old) ‘student’ and was granted the use of a laptop because of a material disability I have.

They claim that they can only find the VAT section answers in the USB stick the laptop was programmed to save the Word document to. I was not advised of this until I got the shock results on Wednesday and queried it.

I was the only person using a laptop and was in a room of 2 other CIOT officers (or subcontractors). At the end of the exam, the gentleman would have saved the word document and taken out the USB stick and taken the laptop (I believe the autosave feature was on as well). It was an apple laptop but the £ sign was not working so had to use another sign instead.

The CIOT say they are satisfied that all procedures were correctly followed and what was submitted has been marked. I am unclear what their procedures are but something has happened for them not to have the full word document.

I am a mature professional and I have my own (successful) practice. I am taking these exams for my own reasons (having not completed the full papers a very long time ago but did pass my other professional qualification) and not because I have a mandatory necessity for it (as I am sure other self employed practitioners can relate to). I have however invested time and effort on my studies thus far (which could have been spent growing the practice or spending time with family) and feel aggrieved as to what has happened.

Most importantly, my trust and motivation is fading fast so taking them again and progressing to the remaining paper is not necessarily an option.

I have asked for a forensic investigation of the IT equipment and have offered to consider paying for it.

The CIOT are still looking into this but does anybody have any practical advice or perhaps ideas as to what could have possibly happened?.

Replies (8)

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Portia profile image
By Portia Nina Levin
25th Jul 2016 13:32

Did you try turning it off and on again? It sounds like an IT issue, and that is the IT panacea.

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Replying to Portia Nina Levin:
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By Accountpract
25th Jul 2016 13:41

I appreciate the gag but on a serious note I was not permitted to do anything other than type. The monitors (not sure they are actually employed by the CIOT) processed the usb stick and laptop when I left.

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Portia profile image
By Portia Nina Levin
25th Jul 2016 14:54

You might try setting up a meeting with Jude Maidment and/or Rosalind Baxter to see if you can find away forward. Realistically though, whatever the cause, if the examiners had no material to mark, the only mark that can ensue is 0%. The probable outcome is having to take the exam again, but without being charged an examination fee.

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Worm
By TheLambtonWorm
25th Jul 2016 14:55

Bit of a tough one really, I guess it's going to come down to how the document is saved.

If 3 documents (one for each part of the exam) should have been saved onto the USB stick for example, and there's only one - then it sounds like one of the officers ballsed up.

Even if they did admit fault though, I can't imagine them giving you a pass unless they can locate the data and prove that you did.

I'd start by asking them has this ever happened before, and what their procedures are for such circumstances.

I'd also ask exactly how the data, and in what format it is transferred to their marking team. I doubt it will bear any fruit though.

Good luck.

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Replying to TheLambtonWorm:
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By Accountpract
25th Jul 2016 15:12

Thank you. I have asked for further information on the procedure. An admisson would at least restore some trust as the procedures can be changed and made more robust. For example why not print or email the answers at the end of the exam. Seems risky relying on a basic USB stick.

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By Accountpract
25th Jul 2016 15:39

As an add on, the CIOT say the examination venue providers have confirmed there is no exam material on any of the laptops used (prior to an actual forensic examination and this comes nearly 3 months after the actual exams). The venue provider is in fact a football club. I do not know if we were using laptops owned by the football club but the fact that the laptops were not even owned by the CIOT is worrying and the reliance on a football club and its staff is also worrying (with every respect to the clubs staff who I do not know and hence cannot provide any opinion on).

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Replying to Accountpract:
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By Duhamel
25th Jul 2016 16:10

I have sympathy but I don't know what you can do. My concern would be 1) not paying the exam fee again 2) gaining some sort of assurance that it will not be repeated - i.e. a detail of the procedure.

Perhaps a written note of acceptance by the invigilator that your script has been received?

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Replying to Duhamel:
Worm
By TheLambtonWorm
25th Jul 2016 16:22

I'd also see if you can do anything about the time-barring thing.

If I remember correctly - I think it all has to be done within 5 sittings of passing your first written exam, and they may have wasted one of those for you.

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