1. Introduction

Welcome to the CQI’s learner guide for online exams. The purpose of this document is to provide you with all the information you need to take a CQI and IRCA online exam. It includes details of our regulations and requirements as well as advice on how to ensure your exam runs smoothly on the day.

CQI and IRCA online exams are delivered through an online assessment system called SARAS. 

You will have access to two SARAS portals – one for your practice questions portal and the other for your exam portal. 

1.1 Rollout schedule

• 7th November 2022, all OMS. OHSMS and EMS lead auditor, combined lead auditor and auditor conversion courses delivered in English must use CQI's online exam.

• 1st February, 2023, CQI's online exams now required for ISMS, FSMS and FSSC lead auditor and auditor conversion courses delivered in English.

• From May to July 2023, Roll out of online exams in other languages.

• 1st September 2023, Current paper-based exams (first attempt or resit) will not be permitted for any QMS, OHSMS, EMS, ISMS, FSMS/FSSC lead auditor, combined auditor or auditor conversion courses.

1.2 Online exam credentials and portals

To log into your practice questions and exam you will need a username and password. 

You will receive TWO (2) emails from the CQI, as following email samples: 

• If you haven’t received the emails in your inbox, please check your junk email folder. 

• If you provided your work email address to your training provider and you haven’t received the emails, please also check with your IT team to see if the company’s mail server has blocked the emails. If you have not received the emails by the end of your course, please contact your training provider.

• Once you have logged into SARAS, you will have access to your learner homepage. This will either display details of your scheduled practice questions or your scheduled exam, depending on which portal you have logged into. Please check these details are correct. If any information is incorrect, please contact your training provider.

CQI/IRCA practice questions portal (sample email)		CQI/IRCA online exam portal (sample email)
From: CQI Admin (no-reply-Production) <assessment@cqiquality.org> Date: 25 Feb 2023 Subject: Login details for CQI online exam practice questions To: <name@domain.com>		From: CQI Admin (no-reply-Production) <assessment@cqiquality.org> Date: 25 Feb 2023 Subject: Login details for CQI online exam To: <mame@domain.com>
Dear [ First Name ],   Thank you for choosing a CQI and IRCA certified training course.   You have been registered to take the online exam for the CQI and IRCA [ ISMS ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor course ]  All learners taking a CQI online exam have access to a set of practice questions. These are designed to help you familiarise yourself with the functionality of the online assessment system and the format of the questions. They also give you a flavour of the content covered in the exam.    To access the practice questions, click on the following link: https://practice.quality.org/TNA/PracticePortal If the link fails to open, copy and paste the link into your browser. Use the following credentials to log in and follow the directions on the screen. Username: name@domain.com Password:  ErguFyxD You can access the practice questions as many times as you like between the following dates: Start: 25 February 2023    <----- depends on the "course registration" date and/or "course start" date End: 31 March 2023    <----- expiration date Please note, you will receive a separate email which contains the login details for your online exam. If you have any problems, please visit our help page Need Help ? | CQI | IRCA This email is sent from an account we use for sending messages only. If you reply to this email, you will not receive a response. Good luck with your exam! Kind regards, CQI Learning and Development team		Dear [ First Name ],   Thank you for choosing a CQI and IRCA certified training course.   You have been registered to take the online exam for the CQI and IRCA [ ISMS ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Auditor course ]  To access the exam, click on the following link: https://assessment.quality.org/TNA/Testplayer/Login/Login.aspx If the link fails to open, copy and paste the link into your browser. Use the following credentials to log in and follow the directions on the screen. Username: name@domain.com Password:  ErguFyxD You can take your exam any time between the following dates. Start: 1 March 2023    <----- valid date, the last day of the training course End: 31 March 2023   <----- the online exam expiration date Please note, you will receive a separate email which contains the login details for your online exam practice questions. If you have any problems, please visit our help page Need Help ? | CQI | IRCA This email is sent from an account we use for sending messages only. If you reply to this email, you will not receive a response. Good luck with your exam! Kind regards, CQI Learning and Development team

2. Exam Format

All Lead Auditor and Auditor Conversion online exams are structured as follows:

Open book exam

The online exams are [ open book ] , so you can refer to your notes from your training course. 

However, you are not permitted to use the internet to search for answers to questions. 

You will need access to a copy of the ISO management systems requirements standard associated with your course to answer some of the questions. The standards can be paper or electronic format.

All questions will be computer-marked. 

Once you have answered a question and clicked "Next", you will not be able to navigate backwards to review or change your answer. 

This is a security measure to reduce the risk of cheating.

Practice questions portal

To help you prepare for your exam, we have created 24 practice questions for the Lead Auditor training course online exam and 20 for the Auditor Conversion training course online exam. 

We strongly advise you take the practice questions before taking your online exam to familiarize yourself with the question types and how SARAS works. see the following references:

• ISO 9001 Lead Auditor (Quality Management Systems) Training Course - Online Examination - Practice

2.1 Online exam arrangement

In general, as part of our course programme that TKSG and/or our subcontractor will to arrange and facilitate the online exam in the afternoon of last training day. (i.e., Day 5 for lead auditor training programme). 

2.2 Re-sit online exam

• The resit exam shall be taken within 12 months after the course.

• There are only one re-sit exam allowed. If the learner fail the resit exam, then have to re-take the full course. 

• The resit exam result will be released within 3 weeks after the exam is taken. The course certificate will be able to download from the original course sessions.

• The TKSG planned to held the resit exams according to the following schedule. Please plan ahead. 

3. Remote Proctoring

CQI and IRCA online exams are invigilated remotely, using Easy Proctor (AI). 

The AI system will: 

Details of acceptable forms of photo identification can be found below in the section ‘Online Exam Regulations’.

Once you have completed the exam, the Easy Proctor (AI) will compare your photo ID with your facial image to verify you are the same person and will analyse the recording of your exam session for any anomalies such as unexpected sounds, movements, objects, or people. It will then flag these incidents to the CQI for further investigation.

4. Reasonable Adjustment

If you need extra support or time to take the exam due to a physical or learning disability or require a female CQI member of staff to review your proctoring video recording for religious reasons, you must notify your training provider as soon as possible and well in advance of taking your exam so they can submit a reasonable adjustment request to the CQI on your behalf. 

If you are taking your exam in English, and English is not your first language, you can request an additional 30 minutes.

If you are unable to take your exam within the scheduled time period with TKSG e.g. due to illness, you can request an extension to your exam schedule. 

Please refer to Appendix 1 CQI’s Reasonable Adjustments Policy for more information.

5. Equipment and System Requirements

To take a CQI and IRCA online exam you will need:

5.1 A computer or laptop with a working webcam and microphone (Please note, smart phones, iPads/tablets, touchscreens, and 2-in-1/hybrid laptops with front and rear cameras are not permitted).

• You may use a second screen if you need to access a digital version of the standards and/or your course notes

• If using a laptop, we recommend you connect to an external monitor to optimise your online exam experience

5.2 A system that meets the following minimum requirements:

5.3 Continuous, stable internet connection. 

Cellular connection and/or VPN are unsuitable due to their unreliability and unstable nature. A wired connection is ideal, but a strong and stable Wi-Fi connection should be sufficient.

5.4 To enable video proctoring, the following bandwidth is required:

The landing pages for the [ practice questions portal ]  and [ exam portal ] provides the following tools:

• System Check Tool, also links to an Audio and Video Streaming test

• Test Your Camera

• Test Your Microphone

We strongly recommend using these tools to check that your laptop or computer meets the minimum requirements and that your webcam and microphone are working correctly.

Please test the device that you are going to use for your exam. Do not assume, for example, that if your work laptop meets the IT requirements, your personal laptop will too.

It’s recommended to run the system test at about the same time of day you expect to take your exam to get a better feel for the internet connectivity you are likely to have. 

If you run the system test at 10:00 pm and take your exam at 2:00 pm, the bandwidth available may be quite different.

6. Online Exam Regulations

Please read the following regulations carefully. 

Before you can start your exam, SARAS will ask you to confirm that you have read, understood, and accept CQI’s regulations for online exams. If you decline, you will not be able to take the exam.'

6.1 Course continuous assessment and exam qualification

Full participation and successfully completed the following course continuous assessment activities are required: 

• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills that achieve the enabling objectives in each session. 

• Complete and submit the session tasks. 

• Demonstrate competence in planning, conducting, reporting, and closing an audit and managing the audit programme.

• Complete daily self-assessment and feedback

• Complete the evening work (if applicable)

• Complete the course satisfaction online survey.

6.2 Photo identification

At the start of the exam, you will be required to show photo identification so that we can verify the identity of the person taking the exam. 

You must present one of the following forms of government-issued identification:

• Current valid passport (validity more than 6 months) 

• Current photocard driving license

• National identification card

If you do not have any of the above, please contact CQI at assessment@quality.org as soon as possible to discuss alternative arrangements.

Learners who do not present valid photo identification may be disqualified.

6.3 Exam environment conditions

You can take your exam in any location, provided it meets the following requirements:

• Quiet: Somewhere where you will not be disturbed by others or external noise e.g. building work or traffic noise.

• Well-lit: Do not sit in front of a window or bright light. If you are backlit, draw shades or curtains and/or turn off lights behind you

• Private: Make sure others cannot see your computer or monitor

• Access to a power socket: So you can plug in your laptop to ensure it does not run out of battery during the exam

6.4 Learner conduct

You must always behave professionally and honestly during the exam.

• Your face must be uncovered for the duration of the exam. If you wear a headscarf, you must show your ears. Hoodies, hats, and sunglasses are not permitted

• Your webcam and microphone must remain switched on for the duration of the exam. When using your webcam, please ensure that your head is positioned in the center of the camera image, facing the camera head-on and that the webcam is not pointing to the side, above, or below your face.

• You must remain silent for the duration of the exam

• You are permitted a 10-minute break. You must use the ‘Take a break’ button so that it is logged as an official break for proctoring purposes. If you leave the room at any other time, the proctoring system will record your absence and flag it to CQI for further investigation.

• Do not bring any food into the exam room. You are allowed to bring a drink but at your own risk as spillage may compromise the functionality of your computer and, therefore, your ability to complete the exam

• Smoking and vaping are not permitted

• You must not attempt to communicate either in person or electronically with anyone inside or outside the exam room

• Do not bring any unauthorized electronic devices into the exam room. This includes mobile phones, iPads/tablets, smartwatches, headphones, and earphones. The only electronic equipment you are permitted to use is the device you are using to take your exam

6.5 Responsibilities to protect CQI’s intellectual property rights (IPRs)

You must not do anything that could infringe CQI’s intellectual property rights and/or compromise the confidentiality and integrity of CQI online exams. 

Examples of misconduct include but are not limited to:

• Providing access to, disclosing, distributing, copying, photographing, recording, downloading, transmitting any exam questions, answers, or content in any form or by any means

• Misrepresenting your identity or impersonating another individual during the exam

• Being in possession of any non-authorized items whilst taking the exam, such as mobile phones, electronic devices, smart watches, headphones, earphones

• Helping others with the exam or receiving assistance either online or in person during the exam

• Using the internet to research answers to questions.

• Turning off your webcam and/or microphone, obscuring your face with a face covering, positioning your webcam so that there is not always a clear image of your face

• Continuously looking around in any direction or looking at your wrist

CQI will investigate any potential breaches of the Online Exam Regulations in accordance with our Malpractice and Maladministration policy. 

If you are found to have committed malpractice, CQI reserves the right to void your exam result and disqualify you from future CQI exams either for a fixed period or indefinitely.

7. Exam and Results

Once you have completed your exam, the CQI will review the findings from your proctoring recording and if there are no issues, the results will be available within 21 working days.   

The exam fees for the initial course exam or re-sit exam： USD 200 (NET, BEFORE VAT)

If you have not received your results within 30 working days of taking your exam, please contact your training provider.

8. Special Consideration

You can submit a request for special consideration if you feel that your exam performance was adversely affected by an event outside of your control either during or just before taking your exam e.g. death of a relative or illness. 

Please refer to Appendix 2, CQI’s Special Consideration Policy, for more information.

9. Appeals

An appeal considers whether the correct policies and processes have been followed and applied fairly. 

You can submit an appeal in relation to the following:

• Appeal against a ‘Fail’ result

• Appeal against a malpractice decision

• Appeal against a decision made in relation to a reasonable adjustment or special consideration. 

Please refer to Appendix 3, CQI’s Appeals Policy, for more information.

10. Exam Checklist

At least 3 days before taking your exam:

When ready, log into your learner home page on SARAS and click ‘Start Exam’.

SARAS will ask you to hold up your Photo ID to your webcam and take a picture. The picture of your ID must clearly show your name and photo and fit within the red frame on the screen. You will have a chance to review the picture before submitting it to SARAS, so please check all the required information is visible. 

Next SARAS will ask you to take a photo of your face. Please ensure that your head and face are not covered by a hat or face covering, that you are looking directly at the camera and that your face fits within the oval red frame on the screen.

When you are satisfied with the quality of both images, submit your photos. You will then see some instructions on how to navigate the exam and allocate your time. 

You will also be asked to accept CQI’s Online Exam Regulations. Once you click ‘accept’ you can then start your exam.

If you have any problems during the exam, please contact the CQI at assessment@quality.org. 

Please note this inbox will only be monitored during UK working hours.

Good luck! And don’t forget to complete the Learner Experience Survey at the end of the exam.

Appendix：

Appendix 1: CQI and IRCA Online Exams: Reasonable Adjustment Policy

Appendix 2: CQI and IRCA Online Exams: Special Consideration Policy

Appendix 3: CQI and IRCA Online Exams: Appeals Policy

Please feel free to contact us for more information or support needed：info@tksg.global