Countries across the world are increasingly turning to technology to deliver assessments and exam results.
Across the world, education systems are increasingly using technology to modernise and streamline how students are assessed and how exam results are issued. Exams and marking are traditionally paper-based – and it’s a time-consuming process. However, it is gradually being digitised, meaning quicker access to results for students and a less arduous process for teachers.
Results apps
A growing number of countries now allow students to receive digital exam results, often through official government apps or national platforms. On 8th January, UK Government announced the release of its Education Record app for GCSE students in England, which will see students find out their marks this way from summer 2026. But it is far from the first country to release exam results this way. Here’s a quick run-down of some others.
India is currently one of the most advanced systems in this area. National board results, including those from the Central Board of Secondary Education, are released via the Umang app, alongside the DigiLocker platform, where students can access verified digital marksheets and certificates. Several Indian states also operate their own dedicated results apps.
In addition, Myanmar, Bahrain and Papua New Guinea have introduced dedicated official mobile apps allowing students to check public examination results directly on their phones.
In other regions, the progress to digitisation is under way, with results already being delivered through secure online portals or SMS services. While less sophisticated, these systems still represent a move away from paper and towards more accessible, technology-enabled delivery.
Tech-based student assessments
Beyond results delivery, technology is also transforming how assessments themselves are conducted. Finland is often cited as a global leader, having fully digitised its upper secondary matriculation examinations in 2019. Students here sit their high-stakes national exams on secure digital platforms rather than on paper.
Other countries, including Denmark and Sweden, use technology for national tests, online submissions and digital marking, either fully or in hybrid formats. New Zealand and several European countries have also integrated digital tools into large-scale assessments. Fully digitising assessment is complex but Estonia, a digital-first country, is on the case and aiming for all school leavers to take e-exams by 2027, despite the project’s setbacks.
International evidence suggests digital assessment is no longer the exception. According to OECD analysis, the majority of member countries now use digital technology in standardised student valuations at primary or secondary level.
References
- Government modernises exam records with new app. Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-modernises-exam-records-with-new-app (Accessed 14 January 2026).
- CBSE Board Result 2025 via Umang app for class 10 and 12. Available at https://school.careers360.com/boards/cbse/cbse-date-sheet-via-umang-app (Accessed 14 January 2026).
- MM Official Results Portal. Available at https://exam.nextworm.com/ (Accessed 14 January 2026).
- Finnish final exams digitalise upper secondary schools with open source. Available at https://interoperable-europe.ec.europa.eu/collection/open-source-observatory-osor/news/finland-digitalises-exams-open-source (Accessed 14 January 2026).
- e-exams for basic school leavers delayed to 2027 due to IT glitches. Available at https://news.err.ee/1609583965/e-exams-for-basic-school-leavers-delayed-to-2027-due-to-it-glitches (Accessed 14 January 2026).
- OECD Digital Education Outlook 2023. Available at https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-digital-education-outlook-2023_c74f03de-en/full-report/digital-assessment_a102e604.html (Accessed 14 January 2026).
