For decades, examinations have been the cornerstone of education systems worldwide. Students prepare for months, revising textbooks, solving past papers, and practising key concepts, all leading to that one critical day. But an important question arises: do examinations genuinely assess what students know, or do they simply measure how well they can remember information under pressure?
The case for examinations
Supporters of traditional examinations argue that they serve as a fair and standardised measure of understanding.
- Examinations encourage discipline and consistent effort. Preparing for an examination often requires reviewing lessons, summarising notes, and connecting ideas across topics.
- They motivate students to revise systematically, reinforcing long-term retention of core material.
- Examinations also provide teachers and institutions with a uniform way to evaluate students’ academic performance, allowing for comparison and benchmarking across classes or schools.
- Finally, timed examinations test more than content—they assess critical thinking, organisation, and time management skills under pressure, which can be valuable in future careers (1–5).
The case against examinations
On the other hand, many educators argue that examinations do not necessarily measure deep understanding.
- Traditional examinations often reward short-term memorisation instead of genuine comprehension. Students may memorise formulas, essays, or definitions and forget them soon after the test (6–8).
- The pressure of timed conditions can trigger anxiety, preventing capable students from performing to their full potential (9,10).
- Examinations typically focus on individual performance rather than collaboration, creativity, or problem-solving—skills essential in the modern world (6,7).
- Moreover, examination questions sometimes fail to reflect real-life application, leaving a gap between academic success and practical ability (6).
Rethinking assessment
If education aims to nurture understanding, creativity, and lifelong learning, then it may be time to rethink how we assess students. Alternative methods such as project-based learning, continuous assessment, and open-book assessments can better gauge how students apply knowledge to real-world problems. These approaches reduce examination stress, encourage curiosity, and promote skills that are relevant beyond the classroom (11–14).
Change does not mean abandoning examinations entirely but rather enriching them with diverse assessment tools. A balanced system would value understanding over memorisation, critical thinking over repetition, and learning over scoring.
References
- Why traditional assessment still matters: An overview. Classtime. 2012.
- The benefits of traditional assessment. Five Twelve Thirteen. 2023.
- Traditional assessment vs alternative assessment methods. Simplified IQ. 2024.
- Traditional versus authentic assessments in higher education. ERIC.
- Traditional vs automated assessment: key differences. Qorrect Assess. 2025.
- The flaws of traditional exams and the need for reform. Teachers Institute. 2025.
- 8 reasons why we need to re-think assessment and traditional exams. Times of India.
- We reviewed the arguments for and against ‘high-stakes’ exams. The evidence for using them doesn’t stack up. University of Melbourne. 2023.
- Test anxiety: Is it associated with performance in high-stakes exams? Taylor & Francis Online. 2023.
- Exams as a source of stress: How assessments may affect learning through stress. UNESCO IBE. 2021.
- Alternatives to traditional exams and papers. Indiana University Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning. 2024.
- 12 alternative types of assessments in education. University of San Diego Online Degrees. 2025.
- Alternative assessment strategies: going beyond tests. Epistemo. 2025.
- Alternative assessment options for remote instruction. Western Washington University. 2021.
