HSC breach: Site shut down as marks released early on website

A “bungle” has allowed some HSC students to get their results early – making the agonising wait until the official release even worse for the majority who missed out.

A “BUNGLE” has allowed some HSC students to get their results early – making the agonising wait until the official release even worse for the majority who missed out.

Between 8am and 10am on Saturday, students were able to use their student login to find out their individual subject marks – but not their ATAR – on the NSW Education Standards Authority website.

HSC students are in a tailspin today after marks were released early on the NSW Education Standards Authority website

Students are talking about it on the

HSC discussion group.

Students who woke up to news the results had dropped early were in disbelief.

“I woke up this morning and checked the HSC Facebook group and people posted that they got their results. I called up a couple of mates and played with the NESA sites ... it didnt believe it was real until my mates did it too,” 18-year-old student Abubakar Abdullah said.

“Everyone had been waiting for the day marks come out next week so it was a shock.

“It’s one of the biggest organisations for our education, and for them to just accidentally release our marks is a big mess up, and a bit of a security concern.”

The Blacktown teen said he was relieved to finally get the results out of the way, and he was happy with his marks.

Abubakar Abdullah and Eddie Younes at Casula today after learning of their HSC marks five days early. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Students gained access to subject marks but weren’t shown ATAR numbers.

Students had access to their individual subject marks but were not shown their ATAR number.

“Bro wtf … I just got access to my marks early. Has this happened with anyone else?” one student vented on Facebook.

“We broke the NESA website, good job guys,” another said.

A spokesperson for the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), which oversees the HSC, said investigations were under way as to how the breach occurred.

“For a short period this morning, some students were able to access a preliminary set of 2022 HSC results,” the spokesperson said.

“NESA is investigating the cause of the issue and sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused.

“Final HSC results will be released this Thursday.”

The bungle had added to student stress, said Prue Car.

Labor’s education spokesperson Prue Car said the leak had added to students’ stress.

“The Perrottet Government has dropped the ball on what should be a well-established process,” she said.

“This bungle has just added unnecessary stress on students, many of whom have no certainty if they were shown their final results or not.

“The NSW Government should give certainty to all HSC students today and ensure all students can see their results equally.”

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said she was “very disappointed” by the error and had sought an explanation as to how it occurred.

“This morning I was informed by NESA, the independent body who administers the HSC, of an IT issue which allowed a small number of students to have an early look at their HSC results,” she said.

“(NESA) have assured me that the error has been fixed and everything is on track for HSC results to be released on Thursday.

“On behalf of NESA I apologise for the confusion and stress this has created for students.”

Ms Mitchell said she was disappointed with comments by Labor about the leak.

“It is incredibly disappointing that NSW Labor, with no understanding of the issue, chose to add to student stress and confusion,” she said.

“This shows weak leadership from Chris Minns and a lack of empathy for HSC students.”

It’s not the first time such a blunder has occurred.

In January, thousands of 2021 HSC students were given a sneak peek into their results after merit lists were mistakenly published on the NESA website days before results were set to be released.

Students who received a mark of 90 per cent or above received their marks on Monday January 17, ahead of the official release of results the following Thursday.

Results came later for the 2021 cohort, after HSC exams were delayed due to Covid.

Meantime in 2019, NESA printed the wrong date on thousands of students’ physical HSC certificates which then had to be reprinted.

Originally published as HSC breach: Site shut down as marks released early on website