A student taking their standardised university entrance exams in Tokyo, Japan was disqualified after disobeying instructions to wear their mask properly during the exam multiple times.

Student disqualified from Japan university entrance exams for not wearing mask properly

The first round of the exams, which was held over the weekend on Jan. 16 and 17, involved over 535,000 applicants at 681 venues across the country, according to Kyodo News.

According to the exam operator, the student, whose gender and age were not disclosed, refused to cover their nose with a facial mask despite exam supervisors repeatedly telling them to do so for a total of seven times.

The student's reason for not wearing a mask properly was not disclosed.

Warned seven times in total before disqualification

While the student arrived at the venue wearing a mask, they partially removed their mask multiple times, and was warned by supervisors to wear their mask properly six times before being warned of possible disqualification.

On the seventh and last instruction, the student's conduct was taken as cheating, and subsequently failed in the exam, Nikkei reported.

The National Centre for University Entrance Examinations in Japan has indicated on its website and leaflets for students that people are not allowed to take the exams unless they wear facial masks "correctly".

Those who are unable to wear facial masks due to valid reasons such as medical issues are allowed to take the exams in a separate room, as long as they ask to do so at least one day before the tests.

However, the student did not provide any special reason beforehand, said the centre, according to Kyodo.

Japan's Covid-19 cases topped 300,000 last week on Jan. 13. The country is facing an accelerating surge of cases, with daily reported numbers in the thousands.

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