NCA Exam Proctoring: The Complete Technical Setup Guide (2026)

The short answer: The NCA uses MonitorEDU for remote proctoring (not MonitorEDU — that platform is not used for NCA exams). The exam runs through a secure browser installed from securebrowser.paradigmtesting.com — not Chrome or Firefox. Your phone connects as a secondary camera via Google Meet throughout the exam — airplane mode is prohibited. The systems test must be completed by 6 PM Eastern the day before your exam at monitoredu.com/faq. Get all of this right before exam day. Technical failures are the most preventable cause of disqualification — and the most avoidable with the right setup.

The Three Components of NCA Technical Setup

NCA online exams require three separate technical components operating simultaneously. Understanding what each does prevents confusion on exam day.

The Secure Browser (Paradigm Testing)

Computer Requirements

• OS: Windows 10/11 or macOS 10.15+ (confirm supported versions at nca.legal before each exam)
• Webcam: 720p minimum — most laptops satisfy this
• Microphone: Required for proctor communication
• Internet: Stable connection, minimum 3–5 Mbps upload and download. Test at speedtest.net before exam day. If below 3 Mbps, use a wired ethernet connection — the simultaneous HD webcam feed and screen sharing that proctoring requires will not reliably run on a weak WiFi signal
• Computer must stay plugged in throughout the exam — do not rely on battery

Before Installing the Secure Browser

• Disable your VPN completely — VPNs are prohibited during NCA exams and will prevent the secure browser from connecting
• Disable browser extensions in any standard browsers (this prevents conflicts)
• Close all applications — the secure browser requires exclusive system access
• Temporarily allow the secure browser through your firewall if prompted

The Phone Setup (Critical — Read This Carefully)

Your phone is the secondary camera for MonitorEDU. The proctor watches your room, hands, and screen through it simultaneously with your computer webcam. Most technical disqualifications involve phone setup errors — almost all of them are preventable.

Required Phone Settings

1. Airplane Mode: OFF — prohibited by the NCA. Phone must stay fully connected.
2. Google Meet: Active — join the proctor's Google Meet link before the exam starts. Gmail required.
3. Do Not Disturb: ON — suppresses notifications and call interruptions during the exam. Google Meet functions normally under DND.
4. Bluetooth: OFF — remove all connected Bluetooth devices (earphones, watches)
5. Charging cable: Plugged in throughout exam — do not rely on battery. A phone dying mid-exam is a disqualification risk.
6. Battery: 100% before starting — charged overnight, plugged in at start

Phone Positioning

• Use a phone stand, stack of books, or a cup to hold the phone — it must stay still throughout
• Position it behind you and to the side, showing your face, your hands, and your computer screen simultaneously
• Test the exact angle during the systems test — confirm the proctor can see all three
• Do not hold the phone by hand or prop it against anything unstable

The MonitorEDU Systems Test

The systems test confirms that your computer, webcam, microphone, internet connection, and secure browser all function correctly with the MonitorEDU platform before exam day. It is not optional. If the systems test reveals a problem — a permission issue, webcam not detected, internet too slow — you need time to fix it. That time is only available if you test the day before, not exam morning.

Room Preparation

The Ideal Setup

• Desk: Clear surface — only your permitted hard-copy notes and ID
• Chair: Standard chair without a high back — the proctor needs to see your upper body
• Background: Plain wall preferred — remove distracting items behind you
• Lighting: Bright enough for clear facial recognition; avoid backlighting from windows (close blinds or sit with your back to walls, not windows)

What Must Be Removed or Covered

• Second monitors: Unplug and face away from you — a second screen visible to the camera will trigger a flag
• Smart watches and earphones: Remove completely before the exam begins
• Unauthorised notes: Only hard-copy permitted materials allowed — the NCA exam is open-book, hard copy only; no electronic notes
• Mirrors: Cover any mirror visible to the camera
• Other people: Ensure no one enters the exam room for the full 3 hours — an interruption will be flagged

Bathroom and Comfort

You cannot leave the camera field during the exam. Once connected to the proctor, you must remain at your desk for the full session. Prepare accordingly:

• Bathroom immediately before connecting to MonitorEDU
• Water bottle (clear, no label) within reach on the desk
• No food during the exam
• Room temperature set before starting — you cannot get up to adjust it

Exam Day Protocol

30 Minutes Before

• Restart your computer — clears background processes that might interfere with the secure browser
• Close all applications
• Launch the secure browser (reinstalled fresh for this exam)
• Open your Gmail on your phone — you need the Google Meet link the proctor will send
• Have your government-issued photo ID within reach

Login Process

1. Log in to the exam via the secure browser through takemytest.live/can-all-organizations, 15 minutes before your scheduled start time
2. Complete identity verification — photo ID presented to webcam, face scan
3. Join the Google Meet link the proctor sends to your Gmail on your phone
4. Wait for the proctor to connect and clear you — this can take 5–10 minutes; do not be concerned by the wait
5. The proctor will ask you to: perform a 360-degree room scan with the phone, show your desk surface, show your permitted materials
6. Exam begins only after the proctor confirms you are cleared

During the Exam (3 Hours)

• Keep eyes primarily on your screen — frequent off-screen glances trigger a review flag
• No talking unless communicating a technical issue to the proctor
• Do not stand up, leave camera view, or leave the room for any reason
• Phone must remain positioned and the Google Meet connection must remain active throughout
• If you finish early: you must stay connected to the proctor for the full 3 hours — you may not browse the internet or access any other application while waiting for the session to end. Doing so is a disqualification violation.
• Answer format: keyboard only — no scanned documents, no photographs, no attachments

If Technical Issues Arise

Phone Disconnects from Google Meet

• Reconnect immediately — do not touch any materials while doing so
• If your phone battery died: this is a violation risk — plug in and reconnect as fast as possible, document the time
• The exam timer continues running during any disconnection
• Document the exact time and nature of the issue for any post-exam report

Secure Browser Crashes

• Relaunch the secure browser immediately
• Re-log in via takemytest.live/can-all-organizations — the proctor will reconnect you
• The exam timer continues running — do not waste time panicking; reconnect as quickly as possible
• Contact the NCA after the exam to document the technical failure

Proctor Cannot See You

• Adjust your room lighting — turn on additional lights, close blinds if backlit
• Reposition your phone or laptop webcam
• The proctor may ask you to adjust during the exam — comply immediately and without discussion

After a Technical Failure

If your exam is disqualified or significantly disrupted due to a technical issue that was not caused by a rule violation:

1. Document everything immediately — exact time, what happened, duration, screenshots if possible
2. Contact the NCA within 24 hours of the exam with full documentation
3. Request an accommodation for a re-sit — this is generally granted where the disruption is documented and not attributable to a candidate rule violation
4. Review your setup for the re-sit — most technical failures trace back to phone battery dying, airplane mode enabled, or the secure browser not reinstalled

The Night-Before Checklist

• Systems test completed at monitoredu.com/faq (before 6 PM Eastern tonight)
• Secure browser reinstalled from securebrowser.paradigmtesting.com
• Google Meet tested on phone — Gmail account ready for proctor link
• Phone charged to 100% and charging cable located for exam
• Phone stand tested — angle shows face, hands, and screen
• Room cleared of all unauthorised items and second monitors unplugged
• Internet speed tested and confirmed 3 Mbps+ (ethernet connected if borderline)
• VPN disabled; firewall configured to allow MonitorEDU and secure browser
• Government-issued photo ID located and within reach
• Permitted hard-copy notes organised and ready on desk

Morning-Of Checklist

• Computer restarted — all background applications closed
• Secure browser launched and tested
• Phone plugged into charger — Do Not Disturb ON — airplane mode OFF
• Gmail open on phone — ready to receive proctor's Google Meet link
• Bathroom before connecting to proctor
• Water bottle (clear, no label) on desk
• ID within reach
• Logged in to exam platform 15 minutes early

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Next Step

Technical preparation is entirely within your control. Every technical disqualification in the NCA's history was preventable. The setup is not complex — MonitorEDU for proctoring, secure browser from Paradigm Testing for the exam, Google Meet on your phone for the secondary camera, systems test completed by 6 PM ET the day before. Run through the checklists above the night before and on the morning of your exam, and the technology will not be what stops you.

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