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A total of 200 participants of the Independent Selection Examination (USM) at Politeknik Negeri Ketapang (Ketapang State Polytechnic) (Ketapang State Polytechnic, POLITAP) took part in the Independent Track New Student Admission Selection (PMB). The examination was held on Friday and Saturday (24-25/7/2020). This year's Independent Track Entrance Exam differed from previous years. This year, the exam was conducted during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic, so it was carried out virtually (online) using a Computer Based Test (CBT) system.
The exam was conducted at the POLITAP campus by implementing health protocols. In addition, for participants who could not attend the POLITAP campus in person, the exam could also be taken from home online. This alternative arrangement was intended to reduce human mobility between regions in an effort to prevent the spread and transmission of COVID 19, considering that exam participants came from various sub-districts across Ketapang Regency and North Kayong Regency.
Vice Director for Academic Affairs Adha Panca Wardanu, as the person in charge of the PMB program, stated, “Exam participants present at the POLITAP campus were required to follow the exam rules and regulations. They had to arrive one hour before the exam began, wear masks, and adhere to health protocols. Participants underwent body temperature checks and were required to wash their hands. Exam participants who did not wear masks and were detected having a body temperature of more than 37.5 degrees were also not allowed to enter the campus area. This was carried out to prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” he explained.
The exam on the first and second days was divided into two sessions: the first session took place from 09:00 to 11:10 WIB and the second session started from 13:30 – 15:10 WIB. The exam was held in the computer laboratory of the Information Technology Study Program. Prior to starting the exam, participants were briefed on the procedures for answering questions using the CBT system; in addition, participants were given the opportunity to take a 10-minute trial test before commencing the exam.
The entrance examination activities conducted at the POLITAP campus ran smoothly and orderly; however, some participants taking the exam off-campus were hampered by unstable internet connections in upstream areas. This was conveyed by Nelly Kurnila as the person in charge of PMB activities. “However, overall, the implementation of the 2020 POLITAP USM ran smoothly and orderly despite the COVID 19 pandemic conditions, while still strictly adhering to health protocols,” she added.
For information, the POLITAP USM Independent Track is the final pathway for admission to POLITAP, following earlier entrance exams through the SNMPN and SBMPN tracks conducted nationally and simultaneously across 43 State Polytechnics throughout Indonesia. For this year, POLITAP will admit 480 students across the three admission tracks to be trained into skilled vocational professionals in their fields through the study programs available at POLITAP. (apw)