The Sui Dynasty in 605 AD invented written examination in Ancient China as a form of nationwide standardised test, called imperial examination for the selection of candidates who applied for different government positions. In 1806, using the same model as that of the Ancient Chinese, England used the standardised test for the selection of applicants into Her Majesty Civil Services.
Also in 1806 under Chancellor of the Exchequer William Gladstone, commissioned Sir Stafford Northcote and Charles Trevelyan the Ancient Chinese Imperial Examination was used for recruitment of applicants on the premise 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.
Written examination was also used during the the two World Wars – World War I and World War II where the standardised testing was used to determine the mental aptitude of recruits to the military. For example, 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.
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 mid 19th century saw the modern era of examination when universities began to undertake written examinations to assess the aptitude of the students. In 1952, the first Advanced Placement (AP) test was administered to begin closing the gap between high schools and colleges.
