First Published in 2005. Almost everywhere policies designed to broaden access to education and to promote equality of opportunity are now pursued. In consequence the importance of examinations grows, since success in them determines entry to higher education and thus to professional posts. They are therefore a major instrument of social mobility and promotion which affects social structure by applying criteria of selection nearly always accepted unconsciously and uncritically. The aim of this text in selecting Examinations as the theme of the 1969 WORLD YEAR BOOK, was to present a comparative analysis of the way in which examinations are devised, administered and assessed, to find out why we are examining, and to look at the ways in which we examine to see if these are efficient, relevant and reliable.
