Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
General
01.
How is this certification going to help me?
There are various benefits of this certification. Whether you are a student or a professional, this certification will help you upskill your DSA fundamentals and will open up a bundle of opportunities for better job/career prospects.
02.
How is the certification different from the online CodeChef ratings?
Ratings are based on relative performance while a certification is based on absolute performance. A high rated user who has good rating points is likely to have a good grasp of the subject. However, low ratings do not truly reflect one's lack of understanding of the subject. We do believe that ratings take time as one has to take part in a series of contests to improve on and get to a point where they reflect one's new prowess (which is more about one's ability to perform in a contest vs others' ability to do so). Whereas a certification offers a shorter time span for assessment of one's skillset. Also, the certification will be in an invigilated environment and hence should have more credibility.
03.
How can companies use CodeChef certification?
Companies can contact CodeChef to get access to the data of the users who clear the certification and want to get hired.
04.
What skills does the certification measure?
Knowledge and understanding of Data Structures and Algorithms and an ability to write code to solve problems applying that knowledge.
05.
I am new to CodeChef and have not solved any problem here. Can I still register for the certification course?
Yes, you can and you should. You just need to enroll for the exam and prepare using our learning resources . We have also created a Mock Test for each level for you to assess yourself before taking the exam.
06.
I am a highschool student. Can I register for this exam?
Yes. You certainly can and we encourage you to do so. In fact anyone who knows programming can take this up. This certification will go a long way in making your understanding of Data Structures and Algorithms better. Go for it!
07.
I have more questions regarding Certification program. Who do I contact?
You can mail us at ccdsap@codechef.com.
Registration
01.
What if I don't complete the registration process after payment?
If you don't complete the registration process, your Admit Card will not be generated and you will not be allowed to sit for the exam. The exam enrollment process has 2 steps. The first step is to make payment and book your slot for the upcoming exam. The second step is required to fill in your details for your identity verification and details for your Admit Card. Hence, we require you to complete you enrollment process as early as possible to avoid any inconvenience.
02.
Can I register for the Advanced level course, even though I have not cleared the Foundation level?
Yes, only if your CodeChef rating is 3 star and above, then you can take the Advanced level course directly.
03.
What kind of supporting documents are required to fill up the application form for the course?
Any one of these: PAN card, Passport, Voter ID card, Driving license, Aadhaar card
04.
Is it mandatory to have a Government recognised identity card to register for the exam?
Yes. It is and it should be from the above
mentioned list. Please note that you have to carry the original identity card along with you
when you go for exam. Also, this has to be the same id that you upload while filling up the
registration form. If you fail to do so, you will not be allowed to take part in the exam.
Also in such cases, no reschedule or refund will be entertained.
Note: If you don't have any Government authorised photo identity Contact
Us .
05.
What is the exam reschedule policy? Will I be allowed to give my CCDSA exam in the next available slot?
You can only reschedule incase if you are unable
to attend the exam due to unavoidable reasons. To process your request you must drop an
email at ccdsap@codechef.com
mentioning the exact reason. As a next step, a voucher to the
immediate next available slot will be provided to you by deducting the below mentioned
reschedule fee. This voucher is only valid for six months from the date of issue.
Please note: If you were to reschedule then you must do it 4 days before the test,
else your
test fee will be forfeited and we will not be able to process any requests further.
Duration | Rescheduling |
---|---|
Before 10 days of the exam date | 25% of the exam fee |
Between 10 days to 4 days before the exam date | 50% of the exam fee |
06.
What is the last date to register for the certification exam?
The registrations will be open as long as the seats are available for a particular month.
Payment
01.
Can I book a slot without making a payment?
No. You can not book a slot without making a payment. First you pick the slot and only after you make the payment, the slot is booked for you.
02.
Is the price of the certification refundable?
No. We urge you to be sure about your plans before you book your seat. As per our refund policy, once you have received the seat confirmation, you will not be eligible for refund under any circumstances.
03.
What are the accepted modes of payment?
We have integrated 3rd party payment gateway in our registration portal. You can use any online mode viz. Netbanking, Credit Card, Debit Card, UPI or Wallets
04.
Can I cancel my registration? Will I get a refund?
Yes, you can cancel your registered seat. You will get NO REFUND if you are cancelling your registration.
Centre
01.
My city is not listed in the centres hosting the upcoming contest. What should I do?
Let us know. Fill up the form asking for your city. We will come to your city if we see that there are a good number of candidates wanting to take the certification from your city.
02.
Can I change my centre after booking the slot and making the payment?
No. Under normal circumstances you cannot do so. However, you can make a request by sending us an email to ccdsap@codechef.com to check if this can be done. We do not encourage you to do so.
03.
Can an examination centre be cancelled?
CodeChef reserves the right to suspend/cancel any centre without any prior intimation whatsoever. In such cases the exam fees for the students affected may be refunded in full.
Environment
01.
What if there is an issue with the system that has been allotted to me (or it fails during the examination)
We will always be making provision of backup systems at the centre. You will be given an alternate system to continue the exam. You have to escalate this to the invigilator immediately so that you can be transferred.
Exam
Before Exam
01.
Do I need to carry anything along with me while going for the examination?
You need to carry your original identity card (government recognised) and just carry couple of pens, if you require.
02.
Am I allowed to carry any study materials with me in the examination centre?
No. You cannot carry any type of material (printed or soft copy in the exam). If a candidate is caught possessing any such material, she will be disqualified from the exam. Also she will be barred from taking any certification exams in future.
03.
What if the identity card that I have uploaded while registering is different than that I carry in the examination centre?
If you fail to do so, you will not be allowed to take part in the exam. Also in such cases, no rescheduling or refund will be entertained.
During Exam
01.
Will there be any clarification regarding the questions during the exam?
There is a commenting module below each problem. You can ask your problem specific doubts using that. Our team of judges will be looking into your doubts and only if they feel that the doubt needs to be answered, they will do so. It is usually unlikely that the problem statement leaves any room for ambiguity.
02.
I appeared for an exam. I feel that there was something wrong with the test data. What should I do?
This is very unlikely to happen because we take special care in preparing the problems and making sure there should not be anything wrong. Still if you think that there was something wrong with the test data, you can contact us at ccdsap@codechef.com along with the test case for which you think the issue happened and we will look into the matter.
After Exam
01.
How and when will the results be declared?
The results will be declared within a week of your taking the exam.
02.
Will I get a score after the exam??
Yes. The scores will be emailed to you separately and you can also find them on your dashboard (that will appear after your exam).
03.
How is my score calculated?
Every problem will have a score. You may get a partial score for partially solving a problem. Your total score will be the sum of scores that you get in each problem. Your total score will have to be more than a passing score to pass the exam. The passing score will be different for each level of exam.
Code of Conduct
01.
What if a participant is caught cheating during the certification examination?
If a participant is caught cheating during the examination (or does not adhere to the Code of Conduct ), the candidate will be disqualified from the exam. Also she will be barred from taking certification exams in future. We also verify the submissions for plagiarism after the contest. Participants whose submissions are found to be similar, will be interrogated.
02.
What happens if a candidate tries to forge the certification report/result?
If CodeChef determines that a candidate has used unethical means or altered the certification report in any way, the candidate will be ineligible to appear for the Certification exams in future and his existing certification(s) will be revoked.
03.
Can a participant get banned from getting a certificate?
Yes. If the participant tries to impersonate someone else or tries to use any unethical means.
04.
Can I discuss the questions that will appear in my certification exam on any public forum?
No. You are expected not to discuss the solution / approach or any other information about the problem with anyone else. In case if a participant is found doing so, her certification may be revoked. You are strictly instructed not to share any information about the contest problems on any forum or with friends.
Certificates
01.
Will I be awarded a certificate if I fail in exam?
No. The certification will be awarded only if you pass the exam.
02.
I am certified, when will I receive my certificate?
The certificate will be uploaded in your dashboard on the website within 15 days from the date of completion of the exam.
03.
Will I get a hard copy or a soft copy of the Certificate?
We will provide you a digital certificate. We will explore the possibility of providing a hard copy of a certificate at an additional cost, if we get enough requests.
04.
Can the CCDSA certificate be shared on different social media platforms?
Yes, we have certificate share feature through which you can share your received certificates on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. You also have the option of pasting the shareable url to other platforms. To share your certificate with others, log in to CodeChef and open the link: https://www.codechef.com/certificates Click the share button to choose your desirable social medium.
05.
Can I add the certificate to my Linkedin profile?
Yes, you can showcase your CodeChef certificate on your Linkedin profile. To add the certificate, click on the Add profile tab on your Linkedin Edit profile page and go to Accomplishments section. Fill in the details in the form and the certification url along with other mandatory details. You can leave the license number field blank. To know more about adding certificate to your Linkedin profile you can visit the help link and click on ‘Manage Certifications’.