DSE candidate's selfie raises mark penalty concerns

As the final core subject Citizenship and Social Development of the Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) exam was held on Tuesday, a social media post by a candidate -- which included a photograph taken within the examination venue -- has raised concerns regarding the possibility of mark deductions.

The uploaded selfie captured a candidate in a red shirt inside the examination venue before the start of the test.

Although the post was subsequently removed, another self-portrait reportedly captured in the restroom of the examination venue emerged online, containing a caption indicating that the candidate was compelled to write a report and delete the initial post.

According to the Candidate Handbook published by the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, students are not allowed to take photos in the assessment hall during or after a test, anyone violating the rules can result in a mark penalty from their papers. 

If a candidate displays related images, recordings, or audio publicly or electronically, a subject downgrading will be received.

However, whether this incident will affect the candidate's performance rating remains unclear.