Dr Dulangi SJ speaks up for more than 16,000 students, sparking inquiry into Victoria’s 2026 VCE Biology exam
The former research scientist and Casey Tutors director challenged the fairness of the exam. Her concerns made the front page of the Herald Sun on 6 November and drew scrutiny from the Science Teachers Association of Victoria.
After more than 16,000 students sat Victoria’s VCE Biology exam on Monday 2 November, Melbourne VCE Biology specialist Dr Dulangi SJ reviewed the paper question by question. She lodged a formal complaint about its accuracy and fairness, prompting the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) to investigate.
Dr Dulangi SJ was the only person the Herald Sun named as having lodged a formal complaint about the Biology paper. She said she spoke up on behalf of every student who sat the exam. For Sri Lankan families in Victoria whose children are preparing for university, her concern comes down to how much can turn on a handful of marks. “A few marks change study scores and ATARs, which decide university places,” she told the newspaper.
One of her concerns centred on a single word. In question 2 of Section A, the paper used “translation” where Dr Dulangi SJ said “transcription” was intended. The terms describe different biological processes. She said one of her students lost time during the exam trying to work out which process the question was asking about. A medical expert consulted by the Herald Sun shared her concern about the wording.
The report also identified Section A questions 6, 11, 21 and 25 among those she queried. Dr Dulangi SJ said some multiple-choice questions had more than one scientifically reasonable answer. She also questioned the inclusion of material she described as “university level content” beyond the published VCE Biology study design.
In Section B, she raised concerns about written questions 2c, 5b, 8a and 11b. Question 8a asked students to distinguish between types of immunity using the case of Tim Friede, an American man who had reportedly injected himself with snake venom and volunteered to be bitten by snakes. The exam referred to the bites. Dr Dulangi SJ said students who knew about the injections could reasonably consider either natural or artificial immunity. Students also questioned the wording in an online forum.
The Science Teachers Association of Victoria (STAV) said it was also looking into the concerns Dr Dulangi SJ had raised. It told the Herald Sun it planned to consult biology experts about the questions she had identified and hoped the VCAA would address the issues promptly.
At the time of the 6 November report, the VCAA said its subject experts were investigating and had yet to identify any errors. A spokesperson said the authority had procedures to ensure no student would be disadvantaged if problems emerged during marking.
Read Mary Papadakis’s original report in the Herald Sun, published 6 November 2026
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