The exam aims to comprehensively assess the candidates' abilities.

- Could you tell us how the exam questions are developed?

Designing exam questions is relatively difficult; how can we achieve the goal of comprehensively assessing the candidates' abilities?

The exam preparation process went through four phases, at different locations, and was kept confidential in accordance with the requirements of a national entrance examination.

- What is the structure of the exam, sir?

The exam structure consists of 180 questions, divided into sections: Section 1 comprises 50 questions on mathematics (quantitative reasoning) and Section 2 comprises 50 questions on literature (qualitative reasoning). For the optional section, candidates can choose one of two components: Natural Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) or Social Sciences (History, Geography, Civic Education), each consisting of 40 questions.

Candidates will take the test for 195 minutes to assess their abilities, covering knowledge from high school textbooks and primarily focusing on content from the 12th-grade curriculum.

The exam aims to encourage students to study comprehensively and thoroughly, avoiding rote learning or focusing only on certain topics. Students need to acquire genuine knowledge, not be tricked.

Candidates taking the multiple-choice exam this morning, September 10, 2014 - Photo: Bui Tuan

- What is the objective of the competency assessment test, sir?

The goal of the exam is to assess the suitability of candidates for their chosen fields of study: humanities, natural sciences, technology, etc., and whether they are compatible with talent-based, advanced, high-quality, and internationally standardized training programs.

All students can solve the exam questions at different levels. The math section requires more concentration from candidates due to the time limit for each question. Some questions can be answered immediately, while others require quite careful thinking.

The resolution of the exam results achieves the goal of classifying students, fostering their aptitude in natural sciences, social sciences, foreign languages, and humanities.

- How was the exam administered during the first session, sir?

Based on initial feedback from candidates and information gathered from the admissions committees, the exam questions were deemed suitable for differentiating candidates. All candidates were able to answer the questions at varying levels, demonstrating abilities across different knowledge areas.

High-achieving students were able to complete the exam earlier than the allotted time. These are initial signs of success for those of us who created the exam.

Some photos from the multiple-choice test at Vietnam National University, Hanoi this morning, September 10, 2014 - Photo: Bui Tuan

Exam supervisors answer candidates' questions.

and guide candidates on the principles of answering exam questions.