06 May,2023
Table of Contents
Examinations are part and parcel of students’ life. They provide the perfect opportunity for you to test your skills and assess whether you’ve comprehended the fundamentals of a particular topic.
Now, you might hate examinations from the bottom of your heart, but that doesn’t mean these are of no use to you. Examinations have been a common occurrence in the educational sector for decades. But before you dive into an exploration of the history of examinations, let’s find out what an examination entails.
An examination is the official evaluation of a student’s knowledge regarding a particular topic. It assesses what students have learnt throughout the entire academic year or a particular period and whether their knowledge level is up to the mark.
You’ll encounter all kinds of questions in examinations – objective, subjective, multiple choices, questions where you have to answer in one or two words, critical thinking, etc. Grading is easier for objective questions where there is only one correct answer. But in the case of subjective questions, the examiner assesses the quality of your answers.
The vital factors reviewed include the following:
There are different levels of examination. For example, school or college-level exams test whether a student has sufficient knowledge of a topic to proceed to the next level. You’ll also encounter competitive examinations, such as the GMAT, GRE, CAT and NEET, which are more advanced and include more complicated questions.
The credit for the invention of examinations goes to one person – Henry Fischel. However, there’s a catch! Some sources credit Henry Fischel, the American businessman and philanthropist who lived in the 19th century with inventing examinations.
On the other hand, some sources give credit to Henry A. Fischel, a professor of Near Eastern languages and cultures at Indiana University.
In India, it is believed that the first official treatise that established the concept of public servant recruitment, or the Kautilya Arthashastra, was written by Chanakya or Vishnugupta in 313 BC. However, it is not considered an official introduction to examinations.
There is no official source that clarifies who invented examinations for the first time. So, take this information with a grain of salt.
Henry A. Fischel, a professor at Indiana University, is credited worldwide for inventing examinations.
Henry A. Fischel’s contributions to spreading Jewish culture have been appreciated worldwide. Whether he was the true inventor of examinations or not, there’s no doubt that he deserves immense praise for his contributions to the academic world.
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Throughout history, there have been several instances of informal examinations. For example, soldiers would be examined on their strengths before being assigned to ranks. But academic exams are another ball game.
Going back through time, the first instance of an official nationwide examination took place in Ancient China in 605 AD during the Sui Dynasty. The exam was also called the Imperial Examination or the keju and was adopted by the Chinese government to select the top scholars from the literary elite of society for government jobs.
The merit system was first introduced in China and gradually got popular worldwide. However, with the fall of the Empire in 1905, this method of appointment to government posts was abolished.
The Civil Service Examinations evolved from the Chinese Imperial examinations. Initially, in 1806, England adopted this form of examination to select capable candidates for serving under the Majesty’s Civil Service. But later on, this form of merit-based evaluation was extended to academics.
In the 19th century, the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge were tasked with coming up with standardised testing for males.
The primary purpose of examinations is evaluation. Now, the simple answer here would be – “to evaluate a student’s understanding of a particular subject.”
But there’s more to exams than that.
The concept of examinations has evolved drastically from the times of Ancient China. Nowadays, students are constantly evaluated on their performance through all kinds of assessments and tests. These include periodicals, term papers, dissertations, research papers, case studies, projects, essay evaluations, etc.
The three major types of assessments you’re most likely to encounter in academia are –
It involves taking pre-tests to determine a student’s prior knowledge of a particular topic to be taught.
It involves quizzing students on the topic being taught so educators can adjust their instruction level according to the students’ retentive capabilities.
It involves testing a student’s knowledge on a topic once that unit is complete.
Once an educator compares the results of the diagnostic assessment with the summative assessment, it becomes easier to understand how students’ knowledge has expanded on the topic. Based on the results, the educator can opt for a revision session or proceed to the next stage.
Cambridge assessments are acclaimed and recognised internationally for being one of the top standardised tests globally. The tests are specifically tailored to meet global education standards and support the recruitment of students across multiple educational institutions.
These assessments came about when England approached the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge in the 19th century to come up with standardised to assess the capabilities of males in the country. Back then, only men were allowed to take exams.
Following this request, the first Cambridge assessment took place on 14th December 1958. The test reviewed students’ skills in various subjects, including Latin, English, French, Mathematics, Politics, etc. The exam took place in schools and churches across England and was overseen by external invigilators from across the country.
The modern version of the Cambridge assessment is quite reputable amongst all standardised tests and is considered one of the top choices to test a student’s skill in the 21st century.
The concept of standardised testing first came into existence when Horace Mann suggested students should give written tests to prove their merit. Until 1845, examinations were conducted orally. But according to Mann, oral examinations have their shortcomings.
Instead, Horace Mann wished to use the results from the written tests to figure out the best teaching method and apply it everywhere so all students could get the best education.
However, the credit for inventing the first standardised test goes to Frederick J. Kelly, who came up with the first multiple-choice exam in 1914. During this time, there was a national crisis due to the overwhelming number of students and the lack of teaching faculty. As a result, the need for a streamlining of the testing process became inevitable.
Of course, standardised testing was the best solution to resolve this issue.
As a student, exams are sources of stress and anxiety. Every year, millions of students struggle under academic pressure and spend all-nighters preparing for their exams to the point where they end up compromising their physical and mental health.
But even if all students worldwide hate exams from the bottom of their hearts, there’s no doubt that there are multiple benefits to taking exams. The top reasons why examinations are still important are because –
The words ‘exams’ and ‘tests’ are interchanged frequently, but they are not exactly a mirror-images of each other. There are certain specific characteristics that separate tests and exams from each other.
| Tests | Examinations |
| 1. Tests are simplified. | 1. Exams are more complex and extensive. |
| 2. Tests recur throughout the academic year to evaluate a student’s progress in class. | 2. Examinations are usually conducted at the end of the year to receive a grade that determines if they progress to the next stage. |
| 3. Tests adopt an informal format. | 3. Examinations are a formal affair. |
Exams became troublesome to students the moment people lost the big picture and started treating exams as the be-all and end-all in academics. The main purpose of an examination is to check a student’s progress and adjust the teaching methodology if something doesn’t work.
Unfortunately, instead of changing the teaching method or trying to help students who struggle to keep up with what’s being taught in class, these students are left to fend for themselves.
As a result, instances of anxiety and depression have risen significantly among students. The stress levels rise when –
The concept of examinations has received criticism from several academics. But currently, no better alternative has popped up to replace exams.
Whether you’re in school or university, you can’t escape homework. As soon as you complete a unit in class, your professors will assign you projects, essays, or presentations to check whether you’ve understood the fundamental concepts.
Now, over the years, several academics have looked into possible correlations between homework and examinations. While some believe that students who do homework regularly perform better in exams than those who don’t, no conclusive evidence has popped up that confirms this belief.
Generally, working on your homework helps you to revise what you’ve learnt without risking forgetting crucial details. This naturally leads to better exam performance.
However, there are exceptions.
In a few cases, students do well in their homework but falter during examinations because of intense pressure. Therefore, it is not possible to determine whether exams and homework have a positive or negative correlation.
Ans:The first written standardised tests in America spread during 1840-1875 when educational institutes changed their focus from educating the elite few to educating the masses. During this time, there was a mass transition from oral exams to written forms of evaluation.
Ans:Henry Fischel, an American businessman and philanthropist, is credited with having invented exams. According to Fischel, examinations would be able to test a student’s knowledge in a particular field and their ability to apply their knowledge in practical situations. They can also help these students assess their strengths and weaknesses and improve their skills.
Ans:The first official exam recorded in history was the Imperial Exam in China which was conducted in 605 AD during the Sui Dynasty. The candidates who participated in the exam are believed to be the first group of people who gave a proper examination to get selected for government jobs.
Ans:Horace Mann is also known as the Father of Education. He had an instrumental role to play in the unification of the school systems in America. Mann believed in “common schools,” or educational institutions where all students would receive the same education, regardless of their financial backgrounds. Therefore, he was quite vocal about abolishing oral exams and adopting standardised tests to assess students.
Ans:From the historical record, Confucius is deemed as the no. 1 teacher in the world. The Chinese philosopher was from a noble family and was therefore allowed to partake in education. During those times, the only people who had access to education were either from the royal family or from the nobility. However, Confucius spread his teachings to all those who wished to learn. Hence, he is often referred to as the “teacher of teachers.”
Ans:The first instance of a standardised written exam was in China in 605 AD. So, it’s safe to assume that written examinations have been around for over 1400 years. But oral examinations were present for longer than that. That’s why it’s not possible to specifically mention the number of years that oral exams have been followed in various countries across the globe.
Ans:Final exams exist to conduct a summative assessment of the student’s understanding of the topic taught in class. Throughout the instruction period, teachers conduct small tests to check whether students are able to comprehend the concepts. And the final examination tests students on everything they have learnt throughout the year.
Ans:While some tests are not graded, final examinations are always graded to receive an objective overview of a student’s performance. However, if you’re too nervous about the exam, you might not perform well, which can lead to a low grade. Therefore, experts often argue that an exam conducted for a few hours cannot determine a student’s full capabilities.
Ans:While the concept of homework has existed for a long time, the kind of homework that we know today was first introduced by Roberto Nevelis. The educator was disappointed to see student limiting their studies to the classroom. Therefore, he invented homework to punish students since corporal punishment in schools was banned.
Ans:The credit for inventing the concept of schools and education belongs to Horace Mann. Known as the Father of Education, Mann was adamant about creating a universal schooling system where the quality of education students receive won’t be dependent on their financial status.
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