When it comes to taking exams, most students experience the anxiety that comes with it. They prepare as much as they can, maintaining focus through finals, hoping to do well and pass. Definitely, there are some things that are under our control, for example, emotions. For emotional control keeping, read our blog about college students and mental health.  However, what if something unexpected happens during the exam? What if someone passes away? It’s a morbid thought, but it’s important to be aware of what procedures are in place in case of such a tragic event. In this blog post, we will explore a scenario that is often discussed but rarely understood: what happens if a student dies during an exam? Stay tuned to find out.

This happened once at The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. There was a candidate who was attempting his surgical FRCS for the umpteenth time. In those days, you could sit the exam multiple times. This poor candidate was from oversees and was very stressed and had arrived a little late. He was very agitated, and as the viva examination started, he suddenly became sweaty and collapsed, and suddenly dropped to the floor. Attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead.  – By Zahid Raza

“Pass-By-Catastrophe”

Myth Many people may be curious about what happens if someone dies during an exam, and there are many myths surrounding this topic. Like this superstitious one:

His spirit will haunt students taking exams in the future.

 – By Hilyna 

But one of the most common myths is that if someone dies during an exam, the other students will automatically pass. This is a popular urban legend known as the “pass-by-catastrophe” myth, and it is a complete misconception. The notion suggests that if an unexpected event occurs while an exam is being administered, it guarantees that all students taking the test will pass. This legend is not limited to just death during the exam but also includes natural disasters, like earthquakes, fires, floods, and other catastrophic events.

If someone dies during an exam, all the present students pass. If a natural disaster occurs during an exam, all present students pass. If a university burns down or is destroyed, all current students graduate with a bachelor’s degree.
– By Kaintal Prep School  

The underlying belief behind this idea is that students who experience such incidents deal with circumstances beyond their control and encounter something over which they have no power. We can’t gauge how well they would perform if the test occurred on an ordinary day. That’s why it’s supposedly unfair and inappropriate to hold students responsible for their performance on the test. However, you should know that this is just an urban legend that has spiraled out of control and has nothing to do with the truth.

Possible Outcomes

Determining the outcome of a situation where an individual passes away during an examination can be challenging. It is difficult to predict the exact course of action as it depends on various factors such as the cause of death, the timing of the incident, and the exam regulations in place.

The decision to terminate or continue the exam will depend on various factors such as the severity of the situation, the type of exam, and the number of students affected. In some cases, the exam may be terminated, and the remaining students may be given an opportunity to retake the exam at a later date. In other cases, the exam may continue, and the affected student will be given a grade based on their performance up until the point of the incident.  – By Next-Gen-Gadgets

It goes without saying that if someone dies during an exam, the exam will most likely be stopped immediately. The invigilators will call emergency services and attempt to provide first aid if necessary. Once the ambulance arrives, the person will be taken to the hospital or morgue. The cause of the student’s death is thoroughly investigated to determine if it was a natural death or if any foul play was involved. In case of natural death, the student’s family is informed, and arrangements are made for the body to be returned to them.

If a student dies in an exam,the teacher would’ve called the office for some help support and try to handle this situation by calling the ambulance only if he’s pronounced dead by the whole school,the school would have to call the victims parents and let them know that he is in the hospital due to an accident in the school and try to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible,then the parents would rush to the hospital later on and see if hes okay but the doctor would tell them that he is pronounced dead and can never be recovered,if so then the victims parents would have to arrange a funeral just days later and bury him peacefully by the churchs officials. By Plumboy Weasley (https://qr.ae/py2TGr)  – By Next-Gen-Gadgets

If it was a suicide, the necessary authorities are informed, and investigations are carried out to determine the cause of the suicide.

This is going into pure theory. Take this answer with a grain of salt. The student would likely show obvious signs of distress that would necessitate medical intervention, or the student flat out passes out. It is very unlikely for someone to just die on the spot unless they are murdered. (Which is another story for another time.) The test is stopped so that trained individuals and EMS can attempt to resuscitate the student (which ultimately fails, because the student will die.) Since someone under medical duress and eventually dying is quite the traumatic experience, the test would likely be postponed for an in-school test (i.e.: one given by a teacher or professor), with the original test thrown out. Also, regardless of the level of education, expect counselors to be available for grieving students that witnessed the events. If it is an exam administered by the state’s education board, or a third party (e.g.: SAT, ACT, etc.), there will be a scheduled makeup date for the exam due to the circumstances.  – By George R. Reid

It is also important to consider the emotional impact on the other students and faculty members involved. Counseling and support services may be needed for those affected. Ultimately, the outcome will depend on the specific circumstances of the situation and the actions taken by the specific educational institution. Therefore, it is important to have a clear protocol for such emergencies to ensure a timely and appropriate response.

Although I had a couple of exams disrupted due to technical issues, I’m very pleased to say that all my exams had a 100% survival rate! Even the ones where the students took one look at the question paper and immediately felt sick!  – By Bob Lang

While it’s a rare occurrence, the death of a student during an exam is a possibility. Let’s now focus on the potential academic consequences that may arise from an incident where a student passes away during an examination.

Passing Mark

We’ll start with the least likely scenario, as it is very rare for a whole class to receive a passing grade, even in the aftermath of a tragedy. Earlier, we have already busted the “pass-by-catastrophe” myth and discovered that it’s just a fallacy. But never say never, so we can’t deny the possibility of such an outcome. For example, in other countries, such a scenario can be more common than in the US:

In Sweden, this is true. but only for those who are taking the exams in the same room as the fellow student passed in. Not sure how often this happens though, I cannot imagine this to be frequent. This might not be true for where you live though.

 – By David Paul 

In a highly distressing and traumatic situation, the entire class may be granted a passing grade. The only possible explanation here can be when fellow students were subjected to witnessing an incredibly violent death.

In the most drastic case, a person noisily keels over, vomits blood everywhere, and screams in agony before noisily croaking. It is most likely that the exam would be stopped, all papers collected, and the room cleared.
 – By Bob Lang 

Under such circumstances, the university may deem it too harsh to require the students to retake the exam. Additionally, the university may also choose to forego another exam if the death garners significant media attention due to its high-profile nature.

This will be reported to media and the examination board will may come in trouble if it is found that the question was more harder than expected or out of syllabus etc.
 – By Ashish Pandey 

Suppose if a student dies in the examination hall during the examination & this whole case is reported in media,then the following scenarios will take place.
   – The whole student community, some wokes & intellectuals will start protesting against examination system, claiming that the examination environment is killing students.
   – Hashtags will start trending in social media apps such as Twitter, eg #canceleexaminationculture #examinationkills…
  – Some celibrities will also start posting against the examination culture…
  – The Gen-Z students will start talking regarding this with their Parents & will start telling them that ‘Parents shouldn’t force their children regarding studies & examination & should encourage their children to follow the passion’(even if they don’t have any😂).
  – And that’s how 2–3 weeks will pass and then everything will become normal. 
 – By Aayush Mishra 

Cancelation

In case a student passes away during an exam, one more likely option is that the exam will be called off, especially if it is a mid-term exam that holds no significant weight.

The student will be removed and taken to a morgue for a physician to perform an autopsy to find out the cause of death and thence sign up the death certificate. In the mean time, the unfinished test will be declared null and thrown in the garbage can.  – By Durca Candin

Nevertheless, it’s important to note that the exam cancellation doesn’t necessarily guarantee a passing grade for the course. The final grade can be calculated in other ways. For instance, the professor may assess the overall performance of the students throughout the semester to determine the grade for each individual. Alternatively, the college may request the professor to redistribute the weight of other assignments and exams to come up with a final grade. Another possibility is that the professor may put a predictive grade for each student based on their performance in previous exams. And the last option is that the professor may assign a secondary task in place of the canceled test.

Postponement

And the most realistic outcome when a student dies during an exam is that the exam will be rescheduled to allow students to come to grips with the ordeal, cope with the emotional distress, and be adequately prepared for the upcoming exam.

An exam has one goal. That the student shows that he can master some skills. The most likely thing that might happen in such a case is that the exam is stopped and will be repeated at another time. I do not believe any school would ask students to continue working in case on of their colleagues or teachers lies dead on the ground.

 – By Stefan Papp 

However, it’s difficult to predict when the exam will be postponed. Typically, the educational institution may delay the exam for a couple of weeks. There might be some flexibility if the exam is in the middle of the semester. But, if it’s the final exam, the rescheduled exam could be arranged quickly. This is because the grades must be entered into the system to determine the student’s total credits.

Conclusion

The death of a student during an exam is an incredibly rare and tragic occurrence. While the immediate priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of the student and those around them, it is also important for schools and universities to have protocols in place to handle these types of situations. These protocols should include notifying emergency services and the student’s family as soon as possible, providing counseling and support for other students and staff who may have been affected, and ensuring that the integrity of the exam is maintained. Ultimately, the loss of a student in such a manner is a sobering reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of valuing every moment we have.