Band 6+: In many countries, formal exams are used to access assess students' ability and to judge the success of their education. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using the formal exams to assess students' abilities? Do you think benefits of using formal exams outweighs the drawbacks.

In a lot of countries around the world, formal exams are perceived as a technique to assess the capabilities of a student. Additionally, it is also used as an indicator of their academic success. One of the key advantages of this method is that the grades obtained by a student would be proportional to his understanding of a subject. However, there are few drawbacks to this system, like not everyone can perform under an examination and give their best. In my opinion, the drawbacks of this methodology outweighs its benefits.

On one hand, the grades obtained by a student during an exam can measure his learning abilities and his understanding of the topic. This helps students assess themselves in order to identify not just their strengths but also their weaknesses. Over a period of time, this analysis can be used to hone their skills effectively. According to a study published by a group of doctors in California, students who received 60 percent or more in their exams proved to have greater success in their future ventures.

On the other hand, although exams are a way to measure the student’s learning, it may not work effectively for all students in the same way. A large number of students, who have difficulty with exam pressure, end up getting low grades even though they might have known the answers to all the questions asked. Personally, I have faced this very problem multiple times throughout my academic path, which ultimately led to lower self esteem and confidence.

Finally, given that academic scores judge the overall success of a student and the drawbacks outshine the positives. Due to this reason, educational systems usually limit themselves to measure the abilities of a student by looking at these marks. As a result, while evaluating a student’s progression graph, other essential factors, such as his interests in practical aspects of a subject and his ability to perform in non-stressful situations are ignored.

To conclude, although many people might argue that grades obtained by a student are the sole way to measure his success, I think that considering the fact that not every person is the same, and has the same capabilities to perform under pressure, utilizing formal exams as a medium to evaluate a student has more negative impacts than positives.