The Future of Exams: How AI Will Change Standardised Testing Forever

Standardised tests have always been an important part of how we measure learning, but things are about to look very different. With artificial intelligence stepping into classrooms and exam halls, the future of testing is starting to shift in ways we couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago. If you’ve ever wondered how AI might change the exams students take, you’re in the right place. Let’s explore what’s coming next and how these changes could impact students, teachers, and even parents.

What is Standardised Testing?

Standardised testing refers to exams that are given in the same way to all students. Everyone gets the same questions, the same time limits, and the same way of being scored. These tests are usually used to measure how much students know in certain subjects, compare performance across schools or regions, and make decisions about progress or placements. While the idea is to keep things equal for everyone, they don’t always reflect the full picture of a student’s abilities or learning journey.

The Limitations of Traditional Standardised Testing

1. One-Size-Fits-All Approach

   These tests don’t take into account that every student learns differently. Whether someone is a visual learner, has a different pace of learning, or comes from a unique background, they’re still expected to take the exact same test. This often leaves many students at a disadvantage right from the start.

2. High Test Anxiety

   For many students, these exams bring a lot of stress. The pressure to finish on time, fear of doing badly, and knowing it might impact their grades can make it tough to focus. Even students who know the topic well may freeze under the pressure.

3. Bias and Inequity

   Some questions may reflect a certain cultural background or use language that not everyone is familiar with. Students from different regions, languages, or family situations can feel left out or confused. This puts some students at a clear disadvantage, even if they know the subject.

4. Limited Feedback

   Most students only receive a score once the test is done. There’s often no breakdown of what they did well or where they struggled. Without this kind of feedback, it’s hard for both students and teachers to figure out what needs improvement or how to build on existing strengths.

How AI will Transform Standardised Testing?

Here’s how AI will transform standardised testing:

1. Adaptive and Personalised Assessments

   AI now allows tests to adapt to the student, instead of forcing every student to answer the same set of questions. With adaptive testing, the level of difficulty adjusts in real-time based on how well a student is doing. If a student gets a question right, the next one will be slightly harder. If they struggle, the system gives something more suitable. This makes the test more balanced and gives a clearer picture of what the student actually understands. It also helps reduce stress by keeping the challenge level just right.

   At Extramarks, this approach is taken a step further with features like Offline Cheat Proof Tests. This feature creates multiple versions of the same test using different question variations, so every student gets a unique paper even in a traditional pen-and-paper setup. This not only discourages cheating but also encourages real learning, since students can’t rely on memorising a fixed question bank. The result is a more personalised and fair assessment that better reflects each student’s true understanding of the topic.

2. Smarter Question Design

   AI is making it easier to create high-quality, curriculum-based questions that go beyond basic recall. These questions challenge students to think, apply, and solve problems in real-world situations. A math question could involve analysing a business case, while a language question might ask a student to interpret tone in a conversation.

   This approach gives students the chance to connect classroom knowledge to life outside school. For teachers, it opens up new ways to assess practical understanding instead of just textbook knowledge.

3. Fairer and More Accessible Testing

   AI can also help make testing fair for everyone. It can spot language or cultural bias in test questions and adjust them to ensure equal opportunities for students from different backgrounds. Tests can even be multilingual or voice-enabled to support students who aren’t fluent in the main test language.

   For students with disabilities, features like screen readers, adjustable fonts, and flexible timing make assessments more accessible. These changes help teachers evaluate what students truly know, not what limits them.

4. Automated Grading and Instant Feedback

   One of the biggest frustrations with traditional exams is the waiting time for results. AI completely changes that. Using Natural Language Processing (NLP), it can evaluate essays and written answers instantly and with high accuracy. Students get immediate results and detailed feedback that tells them what they did well and where they can improve.

   At Extramarks, this happens through the Offline Test Evaluation feature under Extra Intelligence. Teachers upload scanned copies of handwritten answer sheets, and AI reads and scores them. What’s impressive is that it learns from how you grade. Whether your marking style is strict or lenient, the AI will adapt to it and still give you the final say. You can review and adjust the scores while also giving students feedback that explains how each mark was earned. It saves time and keeps grading fair.

5. Predictive Analytics for Learning Progress

   AI doesn’t just check what students know today, it predicts what they might struggle with next. By studying performance data across tests, AI can highlight learning gaps before they turn into bigger problems. Teachers can use this insight to plan lessons, give targeted practice, and better support each student’s needs.

   With predictive analytics, tests are no longer just a final judgment. It becomes a continuous learning process that helps students grow and improve before major exams.

Ethical and Practical Considerations When Using AI in Standardized Testing

While all the features sound exciting, using AI in assessments does come with some serious responsibilities. Here are a few things educators and institutions need to stay careful about.

1. Data Privacy Matters

   AI testing systems collect a lot of data. Things like answers, timing patterns, and even typing behaviour. That data must be protected. Schools and EdTech platforms need strong encryption, clear policies, and regular checks to keep everything safe and private.

2. Avoiding Algorithmic Bias

   Even smart AI models can carry bias if they’re trained on limited data. For example, if an essay-grading AI is trained mostly on urban English, it might not grade rural dialects fairly. So it’s important to train AI using a wide mix of backgrounds, languages, and writing styles. This keeps the system fair for all students.

3. Being Transparent with Scores

   Teachers and students should understand why a certain score was given. AI tools must be transparent. If students can’t figure out how their essay was graded, they lose trust in the system.

4. Keeping Human Oversight in the Loop

   No matter how advanced AI becomes, teachers must stay involved. AI can handle routine checking and generate suggestions, but it can’t replace a teacher’s judgment, empathy, or experience. Human review is especially important in creative or subjective responses.

5. Ensuring Equal Access

   For AI in education to work, all students must be able to use it. This means reliable internet, compatible devices, and platforms that work offline when needed. Extramarks addresses this through tools designed for low-bandwidth use and offline access, so no student is left out just because of tech limitations.

How Does Extramark’s Extra Intelligence Help You to Use AI in Standardised Testing?

Extramarks’ Extra Intelligence platform makes standardised testing smarter, faster, and more transparent with the help of AI. It takes care of everything from creating and grading exams to giving students detailed feedback. Here’s how it helps:

1. Cheat-Resistant Assessments

   The platform creates unique question papers for every test, reducing the chances of cheating. Teachers can easily switch between objective and subjective questions with a single click. Each paper aligns with the academic syllabus and includes various question types to test different learning levels.

2. Automated Grading

   Extra Intelligence scans and evaluates handwritten answer sheets with great accuracy. It follows board-specific marking schemes while allowing teachers to make changes if they want. This keeps the grading process both efficient and fair.

3. Personalised Feedback

   After grading, Extra Intelligence gives detailed insights and suggestions for every student. It highlights weak areas, recommends improvements, and helps students understand topics better. This quick feedback helps teachers plan their next steps more effectively.

4. Multilingual and Adaptive Support

   The platform supports multiple regional languages and adjusts assessments based on each student’s performance. This makes it easier for teachers to handle diverse classrooms while ensuring that every learner gets equal opportunities.

5. Live Engagement and Analytics

   During online or hybrid tests, the AI monitors participation and engagement. Teachers get real-time insights into how students are doing, which helps them step in and offer support when needed.

Why This Matters for Standardised Testing

1. Saves Time:

   Teachers can create, conduct, and grade large-scale exams much faster without losing accuracy.

2. Ensures Fairness:

   AI-driven question papers and grading methods make sure every student is evaluated fairly and according to the same standards.

3. Gives Useful Insights:

   The instant reports and analytics help teachers identify learning gaps and focus on what each student needs to improve.

With Extra Intelligence, Extramarks brings AI-powered precision and transparency to standardised exams. It changes how schools approach test preparation and assessment, making the entire process more efficient and meaningful for everyone involved.



Prachi Singh

Prachi Singh is a highly accomplished educationist with over 16 years of experience in the EdTech industry. Currently, she plays a pivotal role at Extramarks, leading content strategy and curriculum development initiatives that shape the future of education...Read More