Unveiling the Origin of Exams: Who Made Exam?

Examinations, although being a method of assessing knowledge, are a major source of stress for most students. Have you ever wondered who designed exams and why? 

Some Highlights on Origin of Exams 

• In the late 1800s, Henry Fischel, an American businessman and philanthropist, introduced the notion of examinations. 
• China was the first country to adopt this idea on a national level, holding the world's first exam, the Imperial Examination.
• Furthermore, some experts credit another specialist with the same name, Henry Fischel, with the creation of standardized evaluations. 
• During the early twentieth century, he was a religious studies professor at Indiana University. Exams have been dreaded, despised, and disliked by students for a long time. 
• As the exam date approaches, students feel increasing pressure to do well. Most of us are already debating whether or not to write an exam before we even get to the question paper.

The Imperial Examination System in Ancient China

• Exams as a concept were developed in Ancient China, according to historical evidence. 
• In 605 AD, the Sui Dynasty instituted the Imperial Examination System, often known as the 'Imperial Review,' to select candidates for certain government positions. 
• The approach was thought to choose people based on merit rather than birth order.
• Candidates who meet the qualifications would join a renowned group of government officials led by Emperor Yang of Sui. 
• Under Empress Wu Zetian, the Tang Dynasty adopted the notion of written examinations to choose worthy candidates. 
• She also instituted changes in the imperial review, in which members of the top bureaucracy came from modest backgrounds.

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Henry Mishel Invented Exams

• "The guy who devised tests," according to several sources, is Henry A. Fischel. However, because the information available on this statistic is so hazy, it's better to take it with a grain of salt. 
• Henry A. Fischel was a well-known Indiana University professor of Near Eastern languages and cultures.
•  He is credited with founding the Jewish Studies program and the Department of Religious Studies at Indiana University.
• Exams were developed in the late 19th century by Henry Fischel, an American businessman and philanthropist, according to historical texts. 
• Furthermore, some experts credit another specialist with the same name, Henry Fischel, with the creation of standardized evaluations. 
• During the early twentieth century, he was a religious studies professor at Indiana University.

Also read more about- List of Competitive Exams in India.

Who Invented Exams in India: An Insight

• The Kautilya Arthashastra was written in 313 BC by Chanakya or Vishnugupta during the Mauryan Period. 
• Historians disagreed on Kautilya's identity, with some saying that he was the same person as Chanakya and Vishnugupta, but the majority disagreed. 
• The Kautilya Arthashastra is the first known treatise that established the requirements for public servant recruitment.
• In 1853, India became the first country in the world to introduce examinations. Civil officials in India were appointed by the East India Company's directors based on nominations until 1853. 
• In 1853, the English Parliament eliminated the nomination system. From that point on, government workers were chosen through competitive tests, regardless of race. 
• The tests were only held once a year in August in London, and candidates had to complete a mandatory horse-riding test as part of the process.
• Following the East India Business's collapse, the British Civil Service assumed regulatory responsibility for the bankrupt British joint-stock company. 
• The Indian Civil Service examinations were not held simultaneously in England and India until the advent of the Early Nationalists, sometimes known as the Moderates. 
• This was accomplished by social reforms such as the formation of the Public Service Commission (PSC) and a House of Commons resolution.

Education in British India

The British built the modern education system in India, which is still in use today. They replaced the country's previous educational systems with English-based methods. The following are some of the more details about the Education of British in India-

• The 'Gurukula' method of education was prevalent in ancient and medieval India. 
• Students and the teacher, or 'guru,' shared a home under this setup. 
• However, India was known for numerous worldwide institutions at the time, notably Nalanda. 
• From Sanskrit to the sacred books, and from mathematics to metaphysics, the guru taught whatever the youngster wished to know. 
• The pupil stayed as long as she wanted or until the guru thought he had covered all of his bases. 
• All learning was intertwined with nature and living, rather than being limited to memorizing facts.
• The education system in India was destroyed as a result of the colonization period. 
• For the first sixty years or so, the British paid no attention to improving the country's educational system. 
• As their dominion grew and they began to control money and governance, it became necessary to educate the Indians in English in order to get personnel. 
• Later, the British embarked on a quest to dismantle the country's traditional gurukul system, sowing the seeds of the country's cultural and linguistic turmoil.
• Since the early 1900s, Indians have pressed the British to enable native exam boards.
•  As a result, the Calcutta University Commission was established(1917-19).
•  In India, state boards of secondary education began to emerge. The first one was the United Province Board of High School and Intermediate Education. 
• The UP board's jurisdiction comprised present-day Uttar Pradesh, the United Kingdom, Haryana, and the princely territories of Rajputana, Central India, and Gwalior. 
• The UP Board of Trustees has said that they will not be able to manage as many students beyond 1927. 
• The Indian government has proposed that each state in Uttar Pradesh have its own board, or that all states have a single board. 
• That is how the Board of High School and Intermediate Education operated in 1929. 

Also read more about Toughest Exams in the World. 

Major Insights on Evolution of Exams and Development of School Exams

Some of the important insights on examination system origin are elaborated below: 

1. History of Standardized Testing: Standardized testing, as it is now, in 19th century Europe and North America. The concept was created to have uniformity in measuring knowledge and abilities among students. In 1845, the American educational reformer Horace Mann introduced standardized written tests to Boston schools in place of oral testing to ensure consistency and objectivity in grading tests. Standardized testing became the common means of measuring and testing student performance, which eventually evolved over time into the kind of testing seen in the 20th-century SAT and ACT. These tests are now administered today for many purposes, from university entrance tests to massive measures of educational outcomes.
2. Development of school tests: School tests developed gradually over the space of centuries.  Formalizing school exams in Britain was highly played in the 19th century by the introduction of a written assessment intended at the determining uniform measure of student knowledge. The use of written exams gained wide application in schools in the late 1800s, beginning with areas such as mathematics and classical studies. The pattern spread throughout the world with European colonization introducing formal education systems to many parts of the world. This process standardized the assessment process and shifted from oral tests to written ones that could assess many people fairly and consistently.
3. Chinese Imperial Exams (Earliest forms of standardized exams): The earliest forms of standardized exams were found in ancient China during the Han Dynasty, that is during 206 BC – 220 AD when the imperial examination system was implemented. These tests helped select candidates for civil service so that government officials were chosen on the basis of merit. The exams that selected such candidates covered items such as Confucian philosophy and poetry along with an ability to conduct administrative work were stern tests of competence. The system has lasted over a thousand years and continues to influence education in later history, including modern standardized testing methods developed in the West.

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What is the Purpose and Impact of Exams in Modern Times?

• Traditionally, examinations have been regarded as the cornerstone or mode of academic evaluation and assessment of skills. 
• They have been structured as means to measure a student's understanding of subjects and concepts, ensuring that learners meet some expected educational benchmarks. 
• Exams indicate where students are doing well and where they are lacking, and therefore guide educators and learners as to how to address certain learning strategies. 
• Apart from testing academic skills, examinations reproducibly find their relevance in subjectively measuring one's practical skills in their respective disciplines in order to ensure the readiness of individuals to face real-life challenges. 
• Standardized exams serve as gates to higher education and professional careers and thus influence career advancement in some measure by furnishing the necessary certification. 
• In some industries, others need to take specific exams that serve as prerequisites for licensure or promotion because doing so demonstrates that they have earned some measure of credibility and competency in their fields. 

Criticism of Exams

Exams, however broad their use, may face considerable challenges to their usefulness. Some of them are:

• One significant criticism against them is based on the belief that exams are limited to-memory work and do not assess a student's deeper knowledge or creativity. 
• High-stakes exams put pressure and stress on a student, causing anxiety and thus affecting performance, moreover mental health issues are also associated with them. 
• However, the traditional exam format may not cater to other learning styles and prevent others from showing their capabilities. 
• Counters such as continuous assessment and project-based learning have emerged as alternatives to overcome these awful feelings. 
• Continuous assessment uses more frequent testing than is the case with traditional examinations, often including class participation, quizzes, and homework assignments, promoting continuous learning with less exam anxiety. 
• Rather than taking it with the books, students engage their core subject knowledge through real-life projects using project-based learning. 
• These approaches offer a glimpse into the future of a more holistic and nurturing classroom climate.