GUIDANCE FOR RAMADAN – 2017

The period of Ramadan starts on 27 May 2017. This falls within the University’s Spring Semester exam period which commences on 22 May ending to 8 June 2017. There are nine examination days which coincide with Ramadan. Students and staff will be taking guidance from Muslim organisations and Imams on the expectations, and, during this time, some students may decide not to take any particular steps and to continue with their Fast as usual during the exam period. Others may have decided or been advised that their examinations are sufficient justification to permit them not to Fast, either just on examination days or perhaps for the whole examination period.These are personal decisions.

Given the number of examinations which are taking place in May/June 2017, the numbers of students involved, concurrent papers with UNMC/UNNC, and the numbers of students for whom alternative arrangements are put in place to accommodate disability and long-term medical conditions, it is not possible at Nottingham to reschedule exams for individuals who would wish to take them at other times in the Spring Semester or at other times during the assessment period. Therefore the University’s assessments during this period continue as normal.

The NHS has produced an excellent booklet on staying healthy during Ramadan to offer advice and guidance on how to observe Ramadan without taking any unnecessary risks. The booklet has been put together by medical experts, Islamic scholars and researchers, who have stayed within the spirit of Islam, while ensuring the medical advice and suggestions are scientific and culturally sensitive.

However we understand the additional challenges which the overlap presents and in the following ways have sought to offer mitigation:

  • Students have been able to submit Religious Observance forms in the usual way;
  • We have been particularly mindful in setting the examination timetable accommodating as much as can be done in a 9am slot in the cooler part of the day.
  • Ensuring that our procedures relating to the number of exams in a day are followed paying particular attention to consecutive exams trying to avoid any consecutives but with particular emphasis on evening before/morning next day consecutives and those which are 1.30pm/4.00pm.
  • Alerting invigilators to the fact that some students may be fasting and to be aware of this when overseeing exams; the usual safeguards for students taken ill during examinations will be in place.
  • Students taking exams in May/June 2017can use the ECs policy if their performance in an examination is interrupted by symptoms related to fasting (please ask for confirmatory supporting evidence from the invigilator at the end of examination and submit with your ECs form). Consideration of ECs submitted during this time and actions taken would be a matter for ECs Committees and School Exam Boards in the usual way in line with the normal outcomes available which may include scaling up from elements of assessment already taken (Assessment Policy); first sit attempts in August 2017; Exam Board consideration.
  • Students who make a personal choice to Fast through the period will be allowed to withdraw from examinations with effect from 27 May 2017. You will need to submit ECs with confirmatory supporting evidence from a religious adviser in advance of the examination period which starts on May 22nd 2017.This would allow you to defer remaining examinations until August 2017. In making this decision it may be helpful for you to know the following:

The Exam period in August is seven days. There is a likelihood of a more compressed timetable than in the Spring assessment period;

Failure to pass in August may mean that you may be unable to progress further with yourprogramme in 2017/18 without further assessment with/without attendance in 2017/18;If you defer examinations until August and then need to submit ECs in August, you be unable to progress further with your programme in 2017/18 taking assessments from 2016/17with/without attendance in 2017/18.

-If you require further guidance on the implications of withdrawing from examinations in May 2017, please contact your Student Service Centre in the first instance.