This year, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) has expanded its digital trials and pilots programme, and 5140 pupils from 55 secondary schools across the country will sit their NCEA exams online.
Of those, 661 will be from six Otago secondary schools.
An NZQA spokeswoman said a digital pilot was an exam that pupils could sit instead of the equivalent paper examination, and counted towards their NCEA marks.
Digital pilot exams were available for NCEA levels 1 and 2 in English, media studies and classical studies this year, she said.
A digital trial examination did not count towards a pupil's NCEA marks, but might provide evidence towards a derived grade.
King's High School year 11 pupil Curtis Whyte said he was looking forward to sitting his NCEA level 1 English exam online rather than doing it ''the old-fashioned way''.
''It's a much more familiar way for me to write.
''It'll be quicker and easier for me too because I'll have the spell-checker and I won't get writer's cramp.''
NZQA deputy chief executive Kristine Kilkelly said the 5140 pupils sitting digital examinations were among about 146,000 pupils preparing for their end-of-year NCEA and New Zealand scholarship examinations, which begin on November 9 and end on December 1.
The largest examination will be level 1 English on the morning of November 13, which will be sat by about 47,100 pupils.
She said it was a stressful time for both pupils and their parents.
''Parents and whanau want to help, but sometimes worry they don't know enough about particular school subjects or that they've been out of the classroom too long to give valuable advice.
''You don't need to be an expert in NCEA or the subjects your child is taking to be able to support them to achieve.''
She said parents could provide support for their children and help them remain stress-free by providing a suitable study environment; making sure they balance study with free time; making sure they know how they are going to get to their examinations, what the examination room rules are and what they need to take with them; reminding them to carry their admission slips; and making sure they know the examination timetable.
Nearly 120 exams will be held at 411 examination centres around New Zealand, and will be marked by more than 1670 markers.
It is hoped the results will be released in mid-January 2018.
NCEA exams 2017
Exams start on November 9 and end on December 1
60,400 pupils will sit NCEA level 1
55,800 pupils will sit NCEA level 2
42,400 pupils will sit NCEA level 3
9770 pupils will sit New Zealand scholarship
119 exams will be held at 411 examination centres around New Zealand
More than 1670 markers have been contracted to mark exams
Results will be released midJanuary 2018.
