Who Invented Exams and Why Are They Crucial for Students' Assessment?

Exams evaluate learning, develop critical skills, and track progress, serving as an essential part of every student’s education.

Exams are a crucial part of a student's academic journey. They act as a tool to evaluate their learning and level of understanding. Further, there are many kinds of exams: online, mock, practice, term-end or mid-term exams. And that's why students are constantly appearing for one or the other kind of exam. But have you ever wondered who started this tradition of taking a test? Who invented it, and why is it so important? Well, no need to ponder anymore, as this article will address this same question in detail. So let’s take a quick look at the invention of exams.

The invention of exams

The idea of teaching in classrooms and taking tests based on the learning dates back thousands of years. The ancient account of having a classroom learning environment has found its traces in the Asian culture. More specifically, in the Sui Dynasty, by the Chinese emperor Sui Wen. He ruled around 605 AD, so more than a thousand years ago. But was it the same as it is today? Let’s find out.

The Chinese Imperial Examination System

The examination was known as “Keju” or, as historians like to call it, the “Imperial Examination”. The story is based on morals and equality. So, to employ government employees, the government used to select them based on their merit. This was quite rare and revolutionary. If one considers the time when this process started, being from a royal family was good enough. Now, one must wonder, what did they ask in these exams? It tested the candidate’s knowledge of Confucian philosophy, poetry and politics/governance. Candidates used to study for years to master the knowledge and then appear for the exams. Hence, this is one of the earliest known forms of conducting exams.

Later, this method of testing reached Europe. Here it was widely popularised by a professor, Henry Fischel, in the 19th century. He is also credited with the standardisation of the method in the Western education system. Another question now is, after knowing the history, how important is this method? Let's look at a detailed point-wise explanation of the same.

Why are exams so crucial for students’ assessment?

Contrary to popular belief, an exam serves many purposes. Here are a few listed below:

They encourage regular learning: Exams appear at regular intervals, which encourages students to study regularly. Every semester usually has two exams, and this keeps the students on their toes to study daily.
Helps evaluate the learning: Exams are a good way to track a student’s progress. The teacher can track and evaluate how the student has been performing. In simple terms, it lets the teachers see the progress the student has made in a year.
Develops critical thinking: Exams are not only about testing how much a student can remember, but also how they use their knowledge. Logical and critical thinking are some of the few goals that teachers try to teach via exams.
Provides feedback: Further, exams also provide a space for the teacher to share feedback. This way, they understand the student’s weaknesses and strengths. Which makes helping them much easier.
Prepares for future challenges: Working under pressure, following rules and a format, and working under a time limit are all key skills. The professional world is full of challenges. Exams serve as a medium to teach students skills that can help them throughout their lives. Further, students can also opt for an exam helper to find simple solutions and easy help.
Helps maintain academic standards: Having a standard layout helps evaluate students from all over the world equally. This is one of the key systems that make learning fair. In today's world, the practice of maintaining academic standards has become more difficult with plagiarism. However, students can use a free online plagiarism checker for 20,000 words to change the content.

Some other ways to assess the students:

Written exams are important, but they are not the only way of assessing students. Especially in today’s time, with rapid changes in the education system, the methods are evolving. Here are a few trusted ways that teachers use to assess the students:

Group projects and assignments.
VIVA or oral presentations
Practical tests and activities
Class participation
Group discussions

These were some of the more popular ones that teachers are using as an alternative to mere memorisation. These are creative tasks that require teamwork and proper communication.

What a fascinating dive into history to understand the present. Exams are and will be an important part of learning and growing. However, knowing the history behind it provides a sort of understanding and also hints at its importance. And with the creative ways of testing nowadays, one can see the evolution of exams as well. Further, if there are any issues in learning, one can always opt for exam help. Here, one can find professional guidance and solutions. Lastly, it is important to understand the power of a balanced mix of activities. This way, testing and coursework can all lead to a fuller, richer learning experience.