Student Fails University Exam for Not Wearing Mask Properly

A student who failed to wear their mask properly failed their university entrance exam in Japan. Authorities say the student, one of more than 535,000 who took the standardized exam at 681 locations across Japan Saturday, was disqualified because they didn't wear their mask over their nose and repeatedly disobeyed instructions to adjust it, Kyodo News reports. The student was disqualified after the seventh and final warning, according to the National Center for University Entrance Examinations. The center says the student, whose age and sex were not made public, did not explain why they were refusing to cover their nose.

The center says students taking the exams are required to wear masks correctly, but those who have a valid reason not to wear a mask can take the exam in a separate room if they provide notice one day in advance. "We made our decision comprehensively because the test-taker, who was not even coughing, continued not to cover the nose intentionally," an official at the center said, per the Asahi Shimbun. "It is not misconduct to occasionally uncover noses when participants feel difficulty in breathing. The test-taker was disqualified for repeatedly refusing to follow the instructions." (More Japan stories.)