Panels must mitigate known candidate circumstances
If the panel knew about it, the panel owns the response.
The MPC has reviewed cases where candidates disclosed personal circumstances, caring responsibilities, illness, bereavement, before or during interview, and the panel proceeded without adjustment. The test the MPC applies is not whether the candidate raised it well enough; it is whether the panel was on notice and what it did.
If the panel is on notice of a circumstance that may affect a candidate’s performance on the day, and proceeds without considering a reasonable adjustment, the process is vulnerable. Reasonable adjustments might include rescheduling, allowing written responses, adjusting the format, or weighting other evidence sources more heavily.
“We didn’t know what to do” is not a defence. “We considered the circumstance and made the following adjustment” is.