Check the attire instructions for your SEC sitting before wearing a jacket, cardigan or sweater into the examination venue. SEAB’s 2026 GCE rules addressed outerwear for both school and private candidates. They required candidates to keep unauthorised materials and devices out of it and allowed staff to ask candidates to remove it for checks.
The 2027 Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC) is a new examination cycle. Follow the school or centre directions for your component. A jacket you wore for one written paper may need to be handled differently in a lab or a supervised waiting area.
- Check attire and outerwear instructions for the actual venue.
- Empty every pocket before entering, including zipped and inner pockets.
- Follow staff directions if the jacket needs to be inspected or stored.
- Ask in advance about any approved arrangement that affects what you wear.
Choose the jacket before exam day
For a school candidate, start with the school’s instructions about acceptable attire. A private candidate should use SEAB’s current candidate guidance and the venue notice. If you plan to bring an extra layer because the room may be cool, choose one you can check quickly and store as directed.
Read the notice for each component. A practical may have separate clothing instructions, while an oral component may use more than one room. Ask the centre what to do with your outer layer if the paperwork leaves that unclear.
Check the pockets you rarely use
Empty the main pockets, then check the lining, inside pockets and small zipped compartments. Common items to catch are earbuds, a folded revision slip or a storage device tucked away after a previous lesson. Check detachable pouches too. Carry only what the current examination rules and centre permit.
For example, a student finishes revising at breakfast and slips a vocabulary card into an inner pocket. The card can stay there even after the student empties the two outside pockets. Put the jacket on a chair and check every pocket before packing it.
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What to do if staff ask to inspect it
Follow the staff member’s directions about removing or placing the jacket. Ask the invigilator if you are unsure where to put it. If you discover an item you should not have brought into the venue, alert staff immediately and let them handle it.
If you expect to need an extra layer for a reason that affects your examination arrangements, contact the school or SEAB in advance. Confirm any approved conditions before the paper starts.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a zipped pocket count in the check?
Check zipped and inside pockets along with the obvious ones. The 2026 GCE rule addressed the contents of the outerwear.
Does the same jacket rule apply in the Science lab?
Use the practical notice and ask where the jacket should stay.
Can I keep a switched-off phone in the jacket?
Follow the rules about possession and device storage. Switching a device off does not itself make it authorised.