The origin of
examination can be traced to Ancient China which implemented a nationwide
standardized test, which was called the imperial examination. The objective of this was for the government to
select candidates for different government jobs. This examination which was
referred to as the imperial examination was established by the Sui Dynasty in
605 AD and was abolished in 1905 (about 1300 years later)
by the Qing Dynasty.
examination can be traced to Ancient China which implemented a nationwide
standardized test, which was called the imperial examination. The objective of this was for the government to
select candidates for different government jobs. This examination which was
referred to as the imperial examination was established by the Sui Dynasty in
605 AD and was abolished in 1905 (about 1300 years later)
by the Qing Dynasty.
The examination was
later adopted by England in 1806 to select specific candidates for positions in
Her Majesty’s Civil Service, following the Chinese imperial examination model.
This examination system was later applied to education and it started to
influence other parts of the world as it became a prominent standard.
later adopted by England in 1806 to select specific candidates for positions in
Her Majesty’s Civil Service, following the Chinese imperial examination model.
This examination system was later applied to education and it started to
influence other parts of the world as it became a prominent standard.
The mid 19th century saw
the modern era of examination when universities began to undertake written
examinations to assess the aptitude of the students. As the profession
transitioned to the modern mass-education system, the style of examination
became fixed, with the stress on standardized papers to be sat by large numbers
of students.
the modern era of examination when universities began to undertake written
examinations to assess the aptitude of the students. As the profession
transitioned to the modern mass-education system, the style of examination
became fixed, with the stress on standardized papers to be sat by large numbers
of students.
As early as in 1806, the
Honourable East India Company established a college near London to
train and examine administrators of the Company’s territories in India. Examinations for the Indian ‘civil service’- a
term coined by the Company – were introduced in 1829. In 1853 the Chancellor of the Exchequer William Gladstone,
commissioned Sir Stafford Northcote and Charles Trevelyan to look into the operation and organisation of the
Civil Service. Influenced by the ancient Chinese Imperial
Examination, the Northcote-Trevelyan Report of 1854 made four principal recommendations: that
recruitment should be on the basis of merit determined through standardized
written examination, that candidates should have a solid general education to
enable inter-departmental transfers, that recruits should be graded into a
hierarchy and that promotion should be through achievement.
Honourable East India Company established a college near London to
train and examine administrators of the Company’s territories in India. Examinations for the Indian ‘civil service’- a
term coined by the Company – were introduced in 1829. In 1853 the Chancellor of the Exchequer William Gladstone,
commissioned Sir Stafford Northcote and Charles Trevelyan to look into the operation and organisation of the
Civil Service. Influenced by the ancient Chinese Imperial
Examination, the Northcote-Trevelyan Report of 1854 made four principal recommendations: that
recruitment should be on the basis of merit determined through standardized
written examination, that candidates should have a solid general education to
enable inter-departmental transfers, that recruits should be graded into a
hierarchy and that promotion should be through achievement.
During the two World
Wars – World War I and World War II the
standardised testing was used to determine the mental aptitude of recruits to
the military. The US Army used
the Stanford-Binet Intelligence
Scale to test the IQ of the soldiers. After the War, industry began using tests to
evaluate applicants for various jobs based on performance. This standardised
test referred to as examination undergoes a transition from the section of
civil services workers to other industries and later developed into a measure
to assess the performance level of students in different educational
institutions.
Wars – World War I and World War II the
standardised testing was used to determine the mental aptitude of recruits to
the military. The US Army used
the Stanford-Binet Intelligence
Scale to test the IQ of the soldiers. After the War, industry began using tests to
evaluate applicants for various jobs based on performance. This standardised
test referred to as examination undergoes a transition from the section of
civil services workers to other industries and later developed into a measure
to assess the performance level of students in different educational
institutions.