The online registration system for the 2025 assessment exam conducted by the National University of Hanoi faced significant overload issues as it opened on February 23, 2025. Students experienced frustrating delays as they attempted to navigate the crowded portal.
Registration commenced at 9:00 AM on February 23, aiming to provide access to around 90,000 exam slots across 16 locations within 10 provinces and cities, primarily focusing on Hanoi. The National University of Hanoi has made it clear this exam is pivotal, especially considering its value—approximately 90 higher education institutions will use the results for student admissions this year.
According to GS.TS Nguyễn Tiến Thảo, the Director of the Examination Center at National University of Hanoi, from the moment registration began, the system was inundated with traffic, which resulted in major slowdowns and delays. "The number of accounts accessing the exam registration portal was very high," Thảo stated, reflecting the intense demand from students eager to register.
Within the first hour, surveillance data indicated over 250,000 users were attempting to access the system. Many students, like Nguyễn Phương Anh, had difficulty logging on initially. She reported waiting over two hours before successfully registering for her exam around 11:10 AM. Comments on social media mirrored her experience; other students and parents expressed similar frustrations, with many stating they had waited interminably to complete their registrations.
Many parents, like Trần Thị Hạnh, were also caught up in the crisis, highlighting the determined efforts of families to assist their children. Her child, who waited patiently on the computer, could not access the system due to the overload. Eventually, after considerable frustration, registration was successfully completed later on.
The pressure on the system was compounded by students facing the risk of losing out on desirable exam slots due to delays. The statistics became alarming quickly: by 11:50 AM on the same day, nearly 89,196 slots had already been filled, reaching 99.8% of the total capacity for the exam. Given the limited number of slots, additional opportunities for selecting exam times were scarce following registration closure on March 2, 2025. Students were only permitted to select one exam time between February 23 and March 2, and any desire to pick another would have to occur after March 3, contingent on availability.
GS.TS Thảo elaborated on the regulations governing registration, stating, "Students have 96 hours to complete the exam fee payment; if they fail to do so, their selected exam slot will be automatically canceled." This stipulation enforced strict deadlines and increases the urgency surrounding the registration process and payment completion.
Despite the advanced infrastructure and upgraded technological provisions put in place by the university, the surge of simultaneous users created exponential demands on network resources. Officials stated they had attempted various measures to limit server overload, such as engaging with large cloud service providers to reinforce their systems. Nonetheless, if users were not well-prepared prior to the registration period—even after specific recommendations to establish accounts beforehand—they still found themselves grappling with access issues.
The response from the community of students and parents highlights the real-world effects of these technological burdens. Many families resorted to collective strategies to help their children complete registrations, using multiple devices or moving to internet cafes with more reliable connections—efforts reminiscent of team-based strategies common during exam periods.
Many who successfully registered reported having reserved slots by using alternative strategies, such as leaving home early for faster internet access elsewhere. For future exams, it highlights the consequences and urgency of preparation—both for students and school administration. Yet it also brings attention to the recurring issues surrounding exam registrations and the infrastructure intended to support them.
The registration period for the National University of Hanoi's exam closes soon, underscoring the high stakes involved as students vie for limited opportunities. It remains to be seen whether the university will adapt its system to mitigate future challenges, ensuring fair and equitable access for all students. The example from this registration period is one among many demonstrating the challenges and pressures of modern academic assessments, reflecting both the students’ resilience and the continuing evolution of educational systems.