Updated at 4.10pm with KSU reaction 

Law students sitting for their final-year examinations on Wednesday morning were ushered out of the exam room after it emerged that the paper handed out was wrong. 

Sources who spoke to the Times of Malta described how, after about 15 minutes, University of Malta law students in their final year were suddenly asked to stop writing and hand over the paper.

It soon emerged that the paper contained questions about topics from other units which were not meant to be in the exam.

The students were then ushered out of the lecture hall, which was serving as an exam room, and told they would be informed at a later stage when the exam would be held.

"Obviously everyone started shouting 'this isn't our paper"," one student sitting for the exam said.

As confusion spread, faculty officials and the registrar were both called in. After confirming that the students' concerns were valid, the rector gave orders for the exam to be postponed.

Students have now been told the exam will be held at 5pm on Wednesday. 

Some students opted to wait at the university campus and revise some more, while others headed home and would return later, the student said.

The exam is crucial for final year students, as it consists of units considered to be the most important of the entire law course.

University apology, law students' demands

A University spokesperson apologised to students for the error. 

"The University is currently looking into the matter with the Board of Examiners," they said. 

The students' union KSU called the situation "unacceptable" and said students should be "compensated" for the error. 

In a statement endorsed by Malta Law Students' Society (GħSL), the European Law Students' Association and the Junior Chamber of Advocates, it also demanded that the University review its processes and consider setting up internal procedures detailing what should happen if the situation were to repeat itself. 

The KSU urged any students with further complaints to get in touch at education@ksu.org.mt. 

Earlier, GħSL issued its own statement in which it said students affected by the "grave injustice" should be guaranteed a set of marks. 

"Undue stress has been placed on these students," the society said. 

GħSL said it had contacted the Faculty of Laws about the matter and was waiting for a reply.