If the subject code, paper number or materials look wrong in an SEC written examination, raise your hand and ask the invigilator to check. Leave the paper closed until staff tell you to open it. If you discover a missing or unreadable page once you are allowed to look inside, report the specific problem promptly.
SEAB publishes syllabuses by subject level for the 2027 Singapore-Cambridge Secondary Education Certificate (SEC). Your personal examination instructions identify the paper you are sitting. The 2026 GCE handbook required candidates to wait for permission before turning over the paper or starting. Follow the current SEC instructions and staff directions for the sitting.
- Check the exact subject, syllabus code and paper number.
- Wait until instructed before turning over or opening the paper.
- Signal to an invigilator if a page, insert or cover detail is wrong.
- Follow the instructions given for any replacement materials or timing.
Check the identifiers you can see
When staff allow you to check the cover, compare its subject and paper number with the paper you are registered to sit. Where printed, compare the syllabus code too. SEAB’s 2027 directory, for example, lists G3 Mathematics as K310 and G3 Additional Mathematics as K341. A subject name that contains the word Mathematics is too broad a check.
A different paper number can matter even when the subject code matches. Suppose the personal schedule lists Paper 2 and the material you can see says Paper 1. Keep the papers at your desk and signal. Tell staff both paper numbers so they can verify the mismatch.
Report missing or unreadable pages
Once staff tell you to open the paper, use any page-count and materials checks on the cover or announced in the room. If the numbering jumps, a page is printed twice or a diagram is cut off, say which page or question is affected. A blank page explicitly marked as blank may be part of the layout. Staff can check if you are unsure.
Some questions refer to an insert or separately issued material. If you cannot locate it when you are permitted to check, ask the invigilator. Keep the materials together so staff can see exactly what you received.
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Let staff resolve the mismatch
A candidate who receives an unexpected cover should avoid swapping materials with a neighbour. Raise your hand and give a short description such as “My schedule shows Paper 2, but this cover shows Paper 1.” Staff may need to check the seating plan, your registration or the materials issued for the session.
If a replacement is issued, follow staff instructions on what to hand back and when to start or continue. If the incident interrupts your work, ask staff how to proceed. A replacement paper does not by itself establish an individual timing adjustment.
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Read unfamiliar questions once the materials are confirmed
A new layout or unfamiliar topic can feel like the wrong paper. After the paper details and materials have been confirmed, use the printed instructions to find the required sections and answer spaces. The examination may present familiar skills in a different order from your practice papers.
Before exam day, rehearse reading the subject, syllabus and component together on your own schedule. Save the current schedule for each sitting. This makes the room check faster when you have several examinations close together.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I open the paper early to check the number of pages?
Wait for the invigilator’s instruction. Report visible concerns without opening the paper early.
Is the syllabus code my candidate number?
The syllabus code identifies a subject syllabus. Your candidate identifier is shown separately on your personal examination documentation.
What if only one diagram is unreadable?
Alert staff and identify the page and question. They can inspect the affected material.
Can I ask the next candidate if their insert is missing too?
Ask the invigilator. Staff can check your materials and decide whether the issue affects anyone else.