Fetch one exam category

GET

/v1/{organizationId}/exam-category/{categoryId}

Bearer token
Permissionexam-category/read
Per organization

Returns one of the organization’s exam categories, active or not.

An id that names no category in this organization answers 404 not_found, and an id that is not 24 hexadecimal digits is refused with 400.

An exam’s category on listExams and getExam is already this record, so you only need this call for a category id you hold on its own. A read only: nothing changes, and it is safe to repeat.

Parameters

Path parameters

Name	Type	Description
`organizationId`required	stringpattern `^[0-9a-f]{24}$`	The organization’s `_id`: 24 hexadecimal digits, as `listOrganizations` (`GET /v1/organization`) lists it. Example `64b7f0c2a1d3e4f5a6b7c8d9`
`categoryId`required	string	The category’s `_id`, as `listExamCategories` lists it or as an exam’s `category._id` carries it.

Responses

200 OK

Success: message is "Category fetched successfully.".

Body

successbooleanrequired
Always true on a success.
one oftrue
messagestringrequired
exampleCategory fetched successfully.
dataobject · ExamCategoryResponserequired
A subject an organization runs exams in.
9 fields of data
- _idstringrequired
  The category’s id.
  example6650a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9e3
- namestring
  The category’s name, as students see it.
  exampleMathematics
- altNamestring
  A second name for the category, where one is set.
  exampleMaths
- ordernumber
  Where the category sorts among the others, lowest first. The available-exams tree is in this order.
  example1
- isActiveboolean
  Whether the category is live. No exam in an inactive category is open for applications.
  exampletrue
- nonAcceptedReplacementsarray of string
  Ids of the categories an application in this one may not be moved to: moveApplication refuses such a move.
  example["6650a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9ea"]
- studyMaterialLinksarray of string
  Links to study material for the category.
  example["https://example.org/study/mathematics"]
- createdAtstring
  When the record was created.
  formatdate-timeexample2026-09-01T09:30:00.000Z
- updatedAtstring
  When the record last changed.
  formatdate-timeexample2026-09-02T14:05:00.000Z

Headers

X-RateLimit-Limit integer: Requests your account may make to this operation per window (100).
X-RateLimit-Remaining integer: Requests left in the current window.
X-RateLimit-Reset integer: Seconds until the current window ends.

Example

{
  "success": true,
  "message": "Category fetched successfully.",
  "data": {
    "_id": "6650a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9e3",
    "name": "Mathematics",
    "altName": "Maths",
    "order": 1,
    "isActive": true,
    "nonAcceptedReplacements": [
      "6650a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9ea"
    ],
    "studyMaterialLinks": [
      "https://example.org/study/mathematics"
    ],
    "createdAt": "2026-09-01T09:30:00.000Z",
    "updatedAt": "2026-09-02T14:05:00.000Z"
  }
}

400 Bad request

bad_request: categoryId is not 24 hexadecimal digits.

When

bad_request
categoryId is not 24 hexadecimal digits.

Example

{
  "error": {
    "code": "bad_request",
    "documentation_url": "https://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#bad_request",
    "message": "Invalid value for '_id': expected ObjectId.",
    "request_id": "0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e"
  }
}

Fields of the error body

errorobject · ErrorDetailrequired
What went wrong.
5 fields of error
- codestringrequired
  A stable machine code: branch on this. Each one is explained at documentation_url.
  one ofinvalid_emailbad_requestunauthorizedforbiddennot_foundconflictpayload_too_largeunsupported_media_typeunprocessable_entitytoo_many_requestsinternal_errorservice_unavailable
  examplenot_found
- messagestringrequired
  Written for a person, and may change: never branch on it.
  exampleNot found!
- documentation_urlstringrequired
  Where this code is explained.
  formaturiexamplehttps://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#not_found
- request_idstringrequired
  This request’s id, also sent as the X-Request-Id response header: the one you sent, when it was acceptable, or else one the API made. Quote it when you report a problem.
  example0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e
- detailsobject
  Present only where an operation says so, and then with the shape that operation documents — the rows it could not accept, say. Treat it as absent everywhere else, and ignore a details you do not recognise.

401 Unauthorized

unauthorized: The token is missing or malformed, is not signed with your account’s apiSecret, breaks the iat and exp rules, has expired or been revoked, or its account is not active. All of these answer the same.

When

unauthorized
The token is missing or malformed, is not signed with your account’s apiSecret, breaks the iat and exp rules, has expired or been revoked, or its account is not active. All of these answer the same.

Example

{
  "error": {
    "code": "unauthorized",
    "documentation_url": "https://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#unauthorized",
    "message": "Authentication is required or the provided credentials are invalid.",
    "request_id": "0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e"
  }
}

Fields of the error body

errorobject · ErrorDetailrequired
What went wrong.
5 fields of error
- codestringrequired
  A stable machine code: branch on this. Each one is explained at documentation_url.
  one ofinvalid_emailbad_requestunauthorizedforbiddennot_foundconflictpayload_too_largeunsupported_media_typeunprocessable_entitytoo_many_requestsinternal_errorservice_unavailable
  examplenot_found
- messagestringrequired
  Written for a person, and may change: never branch on it.
  exampleNot found!
- documentation_urlstringrequired
  Where this code is explained.
  formaturiexamplehttps://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#not_found
- request_idstringrequired
  This request’s id, also sent as the X-Request-Id response header: the one you sent, when it was acceptable, or else one the API made. Quote it when you report a problem.
  example0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e
- detailsobject
  Present only where an operation says so, and then with the shape that operation documents — the rows it could not accept, say. Treat it as absent everywhere else, and ignore a details you do not recognise.

403 Forbidden

forbidden: The token is valid, but no role on your account allows exam-category/read on the organization in the path, or a role denies it.

When

forbidden
The token is valid, but no role on your account allows exam-category/read on the organization in the path, or a role denies it.

Example

{
  "error": {
    "code": "forbidden",
    "documentation_url": "https://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#forbidden",
    "message": "Insufficient role permissions",
    "request_id": "0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e"
  }
}

Fields of the error body

errorobject · ErrorDetailrequired
What went wrong.
5 fields of error
- codestringrequired
  A stable machine code: branch on this. Each one is explained at documentation_url.
  one ofinvalid_emailbad_requestunauthorizedforbiddennot_foundconflictpayload_too_largeunsupported_media_typeunprocessable_entitytoo_many_requestsinternal_errorservice_unavailable
  examplenot_found
- messagestringrequired
  Written for a person, and may change: never branch on it.
  exampleNot found!
- documentation_urlstringrequired
  Where this code is explained.
  formaturiexamplehttps://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#not_found
- request_idstringrequired
  This request’s id, also sent as the X-Request-Id response header: the one you sent, when it was acceptable, or else one the API made. Quote it when you report a problem.
  example0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e
- detailsobject
  Present only where an operation says so, and then with the shape that operation documents — the rows it could not accept, say. Treat it as absent everywhere else, and ignore a details you do not recognise.

404 Not found

not_found: organizationId is not the _id of an organization.
not_found: categoryId names no category in this organization.

When

not_found
organizationId is not the _id of an organization.
not_found
categoryId names no category in this organization.

Example

{
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "documentation_url": "https://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#not_found",
    "message": "Organization not found!",
    "request_id": "0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e"
  }
}

Fields of the error body

errorobject · ErrorDetailrequired
What went wrong.
5 fields of error
- codestringrequired
  A stable machine code: branch on this. Each one is explained at documentation_url.
  one ofinvalid_emailbad_requestunauthorizedforbiddennot_foundconflictpayload_too_largeunsupported_media_typeunprocessable_entitytoo_many_requestsinternal_errorservice_unavailable
  examplenot_found
- messagestringrequired
  Written for a person, and may change: never branch on it.
  exampleNot found!
- documentation_urlstringrequired
  Where this code is explained.
  formaturiexamplehttps://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#not_found
- request_idstringrequired
  This request’s id, also sent as the X-Request-Id response header: the one you sent, when it was acceptable, or else one the API made. Quote it when you report a problem.
  example0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e
- detailsobject
  Present only where an operation says so, and then with the shape that operation documents — the rows it could not accept, say. Treat it as absent everywhere else, and ignore a details you do not recognise.

429 Too many requests

too_many_requests: Your account has made more than 100 requests to this operation in the current 60-second window. Wait the seconds in Retry-After before sending again.

When

too_many_requests
Your account has made more than 100 requests to this operation in the current 60-second window. Wait the seconds in Retry-After before sending again.

Headers

Retry-After integer: Seconds to wait before sending again; a request sent sooner is refused too.

Example

{
  "error": {
    "code": "too_many_requests",
    "documentation_url": "https://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#too_many_requests",
    "message": "Too many requests to this operation. Wait the number of seconds in Retry-After, then try again.",
    "request_id": "0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e"
  }
}

Fields of the error body

errorobject · ErrorDetailrequired
What went wrong.
5 fields of error
- codestringrequired
  A stable machine code: branch on this. Each one is explained at documentation_url.
  one ofinvalid_emailbad_requestunauthorizedforbiddennot_foundconflictpayload_too_largeunsupported_media_typeunprocessable_entitytoo_many_requestsinternal_errorservice_unavailable
  examplenot_found
- messagestringrequired
  Written for a person, and may change: never branch on it.
  exampleNot found!
- documentation_urlstringrequired
  Where this code is explained.
  formaturiexamplehttps://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#not_found
- request_idstringrequired
  This request’s id, also sent as the X-Request-Id response header: the one you sent, when it was acceptable, or else one the API made. Quote it when you report a problem.
  example0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e
- detailsobject
  Present only where an operation says so, and then with the shape that operation documents — the rows it could not accept, say. Treat it as absent everywhere else, and ignore a details you do not recognise.

500 Internal error

internal_error: Something failed on our side. Retry later, and quote request_id if it goes on.

When

internal_error
Something failed on our side. Retry later, and quote request_id if it goes on.

Example

{
  "error": {
    "code": "internal_error",
    "documentation_url": "https://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#internal_error",
    "message": "An unexpected error occurred.",
    "request_id": "0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e"
  }
}

Fields of the error body

errorobject · ErrorDetailrequired
What went wrong.
5 fields of error
- codestringrequired
  A stable machine code: branch on this. Each one is explained at documentation_url.
  one ofinvalid_emailbad_requestunauthorizedforbiddennot_foundconflictpayload_too_largeunsupported_media_typeunprocessable_entitytoo_many_requestsinternal_errorservice_unavailable
  examplenot_found
- messagestringrequired
  Written for a person, and may change: never branch on it.
  exampleNot found!
- documentation_urlstringrequired
  Where this code is explained.
  formaturiexamplehttps://hub.main-team.org/api/errors#not_found
- request_idstringrequired
  This request’s id, also sent as the X-Request-Id response header: the one you sent, when it was acceptable, or else one the API made. Quote it when you report a problem.
  example0b5c6d0e-8f7a-4b1c-9d2e-3f4a5b6c7d8e
- detailsobject
  Present only where an operation says so, and then with the shape that operation documents — the rows it could not accept, say. Treat it as absent everywhere else, and ignore a details you do not recognise.

Example request

# $TOKEN: a short-lived token you minted with your API key and secret
curl -sS 'https://api.main-team.org/v1/<organizationId>/exam-category/<categoryId>' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $TOKEN"

const token = process.env.TOKEN; // a short-lived token you minted with your API key and secret

const res = await fetch('https://api.main-team.org/v1/<organizationId>/exam-category/<categoryId>', {
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${token}`,
  },
});
const body = await res.json();
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${res.status} ${body.error.code}: ${body.error.message}`);
console.log(body.data);

<?php
$token = getenv('TOKEN'); // a short-lived token you minted with your API key and secret

$ch = curl_init('https://api.main-team.org/v1/<organizationId>/exam-category/<categoryId>');
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
    CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
        'Authorization: Bearer ' . $token,
    ],
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
]);
$response = curl_exec($ch);
if ($response === false) {
    throw new RuntimeException(curl_error($ch));
}
$status = curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_RESPONSE_CODE);
$body = json_decode($response, true);
if ($status >= 400) {
    $error = $body['error'];
    throw new RuntimeException("$status {$error['code']}: {$error['message']}");
}
print_r($body['data']);