Students whose public exams go missing will be allowed to resit their tests from this year, the Examinations and Assessment Authority announced yesterday.
Authority chairman Irving Koo Yee-yin said the measure was in response to public demand.
Candidates whose A-level or Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination papers are misplaced are now given a combined assessment based on the rest of their public tests in the subject, a practice Mr Koo said was widely used overseas.
But both the ombudsman and legislators have expressed concern about missing exam papers.
Between 1999 and last year, 77 went missing, with one marker losing seven in 2000.
Under the changes, affected students will have the option of resitting the lost exam paper or accepting a combined assessment.