Invigilation (US: proctoring) is responsible for the integrity of an exam: confirming candidate identity, enforcing the rules, and intervening when something goes wrong. Use this article as the introduction to invigilating in Cirrus. For the dashboard and actions, see Invigilation overview and Invigilator actions and print options.
Invigilation is the UK English label; proctoring is the US English label. The same Cirrus feature. The user's regional setting decides which label they see.
Cirrus supports two invigilation styles:
- In-house, using the Cirrus invigilation dashboard. Typical for brick-and-mortar test centres.
- Remote, through integrations: Proctorio (AI-based), Proctorio Live (AI plus a live invigilator), ProctorU (live human).
This article focuses on the in-house flow. For the remote-invigilation flows, see the integration articles above.
The invigilator's job
Scheduled to a specific exam by the scheduler, the invigilator:
- Checks each candidate's identity.
- Distributes login material (keycode slips, PINs).
- Watches the exam in progress and intervenes when needed.
- Confirms that each candidate hands in their work properly before leaving.
Most invigilators work from a paper list of candidates plus the invigilation dashboard.
PINs for high-stakes exams
High-stakes schedules often use a PIN as an extra layer of security.
- Use PIN is set on the assessment or the schedule. Candidates cannot start until they enter the PIN.
- The PIN is distributed by the invigilator at the start of the exam (written on a whiteboard, given verbally, or otherwise mass-distributed).
- The PIN is the same for every candidate on the schedule.
Best practice:
- Phones must not be allowed during the exam, otherwise candidates can share the PIN.
- For dual scenarios (with and without PIN for the same content), use separate assessments. For example, ProctorU schedules created through an integration cannot use the PIN reliably.
- Regenerate the PIN after about 15 minutes from start. Stops late candidates from joining with a leaked PIN and prevents the PIN being smuggled outside the room.
See Invigilator actions and print options > Generate a PIN code.
The invigilation overview
After signing in, the invigilator selects Delivery > Invigilation (or Proctoring in US English).
The overview lists every schedule the invigilator is assigned to (action access) or has view-only access to. Status columns show whether candidates have started, are in progress, or have submitted. See Invigilation overview for the full column and filter reference.
During the exam
From the dashboard, the invigilator can:
- Pause and resume the exam for one or more candidates.
- Grant extra time.
- Send a one-way message to candidates.
- Generate a new PIN code.
- Void a candidate's attempt when misconduct is confirmed.
- Print the candidate list, keycode slips, and attendance sheets.
See Invigilator actions and print options for each action.
Connection issues
When candidates experience connectivity problems during a remote exam, the heartbeat monitor gives the invigilator a real-time view of connectivity and warns the candidate before they lose any answers. See Connection loss (heartbeat monitor).
Permissions
To work as an invigilator the user needs the relevant site-role permissions (Site roles) and either:
- To be added to the schedule's Invigilators list, or
- The View user logs permission, which gives view-only access but no actions. See Invigilation candidate logs.