ENS Lyon: Candidates are required to retake the French test

It’s a cold shower for the candidates of the highly selective competition at the Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) in Lyon. In the press release published on May 3, the prestigious school reports that A “The envelope of copies of the French composition exam that took place on April 13 did not reach the ENS admissions and competition service after being sent by the writing center on April 17.” After a week of fruitless searching, ENS declared his copies finally lost. That is why the exam was canceled and the candidates were invited to the substitute exam on May 13, which was followed by student protests.

” They support rigor, perfection, but we get the impression that they don’t respect our work. », breathes Ludmila Kos, 20 years old, in Khagne (literary preparatory class) at Fenelon Secondary School, 6th grade.^e Paris area. When I left the race on April 13, I was happy with myself, I felt that I had given my best… We’ve been working like hell for two years, I’m bored.”continues the young woman.

” We are under the impression that they are incompetent, it is still a joke for a school that presents itself as the nation’s elite. Dagmo Zhanna (students referred to by their names requested anonymity) in Khagne Lyceum Kaptal (8^e Paris area). “But we know we have no choice, that we will have to follow through on this decision.”regrets

“Financial injustice” and lack of solutions

There is no retaking of the exam for the student “very serious” Because he had a feeling he didn’t “I didn’t do very well” at first ; On the other hand, he condemns “Financial Injustice” and the lack of solutions proposed by ENS. The competition is held in forty-five exam centers across France, with some candidates taking tests in other cities in addition to their studies. “I did the competition in Strasbourg because I have relatives there, so I will have to buy tickets again… It was already the price the first time.” Joan admits.

For Ludmila Kos, first of all, the sequence of events is hard to swallow. By mid-April, the competition had already been disrupted by a ten-day postponement of the geography test after a subject was revealed by mistake in one of the centres. “The test was conducted five days ago, I had almost no break, and the orals arrive at the beginning of June.” The girl is worried. In Nina’s prep class in Paris, the two-day class will be standardized so students can pass the competition. “Days that would be very useful for oral revision”The girl protests.