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CKAD horrible PSI experience

nareshsharma.23
nareshsharma.23 Posts: 1
in LFD259 Class Forum

Dear Linux Foundation Certification Team,

I am writing to formally request a reinstatement of my CKAD exam attempt, which I took on 2nd June 2025 at 7:00 PM, due to repeated and severe technical issues encountered with the PSI browser-based platform.

This is the third time I’ve experienced significant disruptions with PSI. My first two CKA attempts were also plagued by extreme terminal lag and instability — I was unable to complete more than 9 questions in each attempt. While I did eventually pass the CKA on my third try, it came only after enduring considerable frustration, time loss, and mental fatigue — none of which were due to lack of preparation.

During today's CKAD exam, the PSI terminal once again kept crashing, causing repeated loss of all unsaved configuration changes. I had to redo several tasks multiple times, costing me valuable time and severely affecting my performance.

I logged a P1 support ticket with PSI (ID: 4954907) and was also assigned a Linux Foundation JIRA case TCCS-143203. The proctor attempted to involve PSI support mid-exam, but mentioned that timer will continue to run. As is unfortunately common with PSI, support response time was 30–45 minutes, which makes it impossible to recover fairly within the exam window.

This recurring experience has been deeply disheartening. At $300 per attempt, candidates expect a stable and professional testing environment — especially for time-sensitive, skill-intensive certifications like CKAD, CKA and CKS. It is extremely concerning that these platform issues persist despite continued feedback from the candidate community.

I respectfully request a free retake of the CKAD exam and strongly urge the Linux Foundation to reassess its relationship with PSI, or at minimum, enforce urgent improvements in platform stability and support responsiveness.

Thank you for your understanding and prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to a fair resolution.

Best regards,
Naresh Sharma

Comments

  • fcioanca
    fcioanca Posts: 2,397

    Hi @nareshsharma.23

    We apologize for the issues encountered during the exam and the inconvenience they have caused. It looks like you already opened a ticket with the Linux Foundation Customer Support team at trainingsupport.linuxfoundation.org - all exam-related issues are handled by them. Please note that response time may take up to several business days, as each ticket is addressed in the order it is received. The ticket opened with PSI will not be processed as they are not authorized to handle inquiries related to Linux Foundation exams.

    Regards,
    Flavia
    Linux Foundation Education

  • abarthel
    abarthel Posts: 9

    @nareshsharma.23 I am glad I am not alone having issues with PSI. It is a nightmare which makes it feels Linux Foundation Certification a near fraud...
    Shared it here too: https://forum.linuxfoundation.org/discussion/861764/psi-browser-and-my-first-nervous-breakdown#latest

  • azek
    azek Posts: 5

    Me as well I had terrible PSI experience twice, with both, the exam and retake. The terminal kept getting stucked or blocked all the time. It's incredible that Linux Foundation is having this poor quality of the systems. It's actually a shame.

  • apvazquez
    apvazquez Posts: 1

    Hello Everyone.

    I had a terrible experience a few days ago. I logged a ticket in their Jira system.
    Has anyone who posted in this thread received a proper solution from the Linux Foundation?

    Thanks

  • briandrichardson
    briandrichardson Posts: 1

    I concur with the poor experiences described here.

    I attempted to take the CKAD exam and experienced severe lag frequently throughout the exam. I was prepared for some latency in the terminal, but not for the shocking dire performance throughout. I have completed and passed 3 other exams (KCSA, KCNA and CKA) with reasonable satisfaction with the exam experience, however, after this occasion I think this might just be the last exam I take through PSI/LF.

    I persevered with the issues, extreme latency throughout the exam environment, both in the terminal and the browser. Keyboard, mouse and interface were often completely unresponsive. When somewhat responsive, keyboard input frequently became scrambled and required me to delete and re-type many times over; wasting so much time and exacerbating pressure and stress during the exam. I tried using the Chat feature, but of course this was pointless because I could not type their either! With half an hour remaining, I was kicked out of the exam completely. I managed to rejoin again after having to repeat the entire check-in drill with only 5 minutes remaining. I completed approximately two thirds of the exam and received a 50% score, requiring 66% to pass. In my opinion, I would have passed this exam quite comfortably if it had not been for the terrible exam environment.

    My PC and internet connection are more than adequate for the exam. I am a computer professional whom works from home regularly and would know if my equipment wasn't fit for the exam.

    This is not acceptable. I prepared for several days to sit the exam, including clearing my office and taking leave from work.

    I created a support ticket and am too awaiting any response.

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