Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERMENT POLICICIES IN EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND CULTURE 1994 > PART II Chapter 4 Section 2 1

University entrance examinations prepared by the NCUEE were first administered in fiscal 1990. The purpose of NCUEE examinations is to eliminate excessively difficult and idiosyncratic questions and provide consistently high-quality questions that can be used to evaluate students' achievement of the basic learning provided in upper secondary schools. These examinations are also designed to be used in appropriate combination with the second-stage examinations conducted by individual universities, thereby providing a way to individualize and diversify the entrance examination system.

The use of NCUEE examinations does not aggravate the problem of university ranking, since each university can choose the number of subjects for which it will use NCUEE examinations. In addition, the examinations can be used by private universities as well as national universities and local public universities.

A growing number of private universities are participating in the NCUEE examination system. The system is operating effectively and is generally well regarded by those involved at the university and upper secondary school levels. Efforts are now focusing on measures to ensure the smooth implementation of the system and promote its use ( Table II.4.2).