Invigilators told me my score will be CANCELED if I file a complaint about noise? Need advice.
I would like to file a formal complaint regarding the testing conditions during my IELTS paper-based exam today (April 11th). During the listening section, the headphones of the candidate sitting next to me malfunctioned. We were only 70–80 cm apart; this setup felt extremely cramped and, based on IELTS global requirements for desk spacing, it didn't seem to meet standard venue regulations.
Furthermore, the noise from the resulting conversation between the candidate and the invigilators severely disrupted my concentration during Part 4, causing me to miss approximately five questions.
When I brought this up, the invigilators told me that if I filed a formal complaint, my grade would be canceled. This sounds ridiculous—I prepared so hard for this, and now I'm being told I might lose my results because of their equipment failure and staff noise. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it true that they can just cancel my score for complaining?