Oxford University extended exam time to decrease gender gap

Exam times for selected courses were increased in order to help women achieve higher scores during the 2017 summer assessment period. 

According to the Telegraph article, only half of women achieve first-class degrees compared to their male counterparts. This has prompted dons to take measures in order to boost performance in female students by offering both male and female students an extra fifteen minutes in exams.  

Contrary to the original article title claiming that only women had been given an extension, it was confirmed that both male and female students were awarded the same extra time to finish their papers.

Third-year student and equality representative Arietta Valmas said the article was "misleading as the exam time was increased for all candidates not just women."

She added that the academic disparity between men and women at Oxford "is an incredibly complex and deep-rooted issue that I personally don’t believe can be or should be fixed by preferential treatment of women during exams."

After discussing this discrepancy, we both agreed that this is an issue that calls for more investigation into the numerous factors that contribute to the gender gap.