The nationwide college entrance exam scheduled for December 3 will be held under special circumstances this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students showing suspected symptoms, confirmed patients and those in self-isolation will take the exam in separate rooms, sites or at hospitals and quarantine facilities.

In efforts to prevent the spread of the virus leading up to the exam, all high schools will completely shift to online classes from November 26, one week prior to the exam.

The Education Ministry and the National Council of Governors of Education on Monday announced a set of measures to this effect related to the College Scholastic Ability Test, after consulting with the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

Even in the hypothetical case of South Korea raising social distancing to the highest Level Three, the CSAT will go ahead as planned.

Each test room will accommodate no more than 24 students and partitions will be installed around each desk.