NDQ - Exam invigilator
Created by Mats Brenner, mats.brenner@kvalitetskompetens.se
Member of the NDQ network:

📗 Different roles during exams

The number of exam invigilators depends on how many participants there are (keep in mind that there may be several different tests taking place in the same room). Often there are several exam invigilators, especially in larger areas, then there could be rules that there must be, for example, at least two. During examinations, there are often several different roles involved with different areas of responsibility. The roles may be:

  • examiner
  • education administrator
  • chief invigilator
  • exam invigilator

Examiner

It’s always the examiner who is responsible for the test and examination. The examiner should not be physically present but easy to get hold of. The rules often state that the examiner, or the person appointed by the examiner, should be available by telephone during the test. The examiner’s phone number must appear on the test’s information found among the material from the education administration/education provider or the person appointed by the examiner. This can, for example, be making the decision that someone should get extra writing time because of something that happened during the exam time.

Education administrator

The education administrator or responsible for carrying out the exam session may work at the company giving out the test/exam or at their own test center. They might bring any material needed for the test (aids, paper exams, etc.) It is the education administrator who is contacted if there is any administrative error, such as the non-existence of a participant on the attendance list. It is also the education administrator who is contacted if unannounced participants arrive to the exam. This contact is most often handled by the Chief Invigilator.

Chief Invigilator

There is one Chief Invigilator per test occasion or examination room depending on how many participants there are or what the venue demands. The Chief Invigilator’s task is to organize and keep the work together during the exam. The Chief Invigilator is also the one who distributes the tasks in the room.

Exam invigilator

The exam invigilator monitors the participants, check their identification and provides assistance if they have questions about, for example, bathroom visits or extra writing paper as well as intended and approved aids. The exam invigilator must also be able to monitor the digital samples given in a room or virtually during a digital exam.

Benefits of working as an invigilator


Working as an invigilator during a test/exam is often an excellent extra job with several benefits. The tasks are varied and include, among other things, identification checks, oral presentations of instructions to test participants, handling of test materials and monitoring of participants. The role requires being accurate, solution-oriented and comfortable with public speaking as well as having some digital competence during digital exams. The manual provided is very detailed and serves as a support throughout the day, allowing even beginners to feel at ease.


The job also provides personal development – training leadership, administration and problem solving. It’s a good merit for your CV, showing responsibility and the ability to handle stressful situations. In addition, it’s a meaningful effort where you contribute to creating a safe and fair environment for participants.


After your first assignment it becomes easier to return – you often only need to fill in an expression of interest without submitting a CV or attending the training again. This job provides both experience and extra money a few times a year.

Network
My requests