Expanding Equitable Access to Assessments in India through Digital and AI-Enabled Testing Systems

Assessments are gateways to education, professional qualifications, and employment, with English proficiency tests often serving as prerequisites for international education. Yet, most EPTs remain tied to physical centres and paper-based formats, creating significant barriers such as long journeys, high costs, and rigid scheduling that disproportionately affect students in Tier-2, Tier-3, and rural regions, women, and candidates with disabilities. The Duolingo English Test (DET) demonstrates how AI and digital technologies can address these challenges by enabling remote, flexible, and secure assessment. DET automates test delivery, scoring, and integrity checks, reducing administrative burden while allowing education systems to scale assessments more efficiently. Its platform allows candidates to take the test from a familiar, comfortable environment, reducing sensory overload and logistical hurdles that often disadvantage neurodivergent learners. Features such as adaptive testing, quicker results, and human review further enhance accessibility and equity. By lowering costs and removing location-based constraints, DET expands access for learners who have traditionally been excluded from standardised testing. This use case highlights how responsible AI, aligned with national priorities, can increase access to opportunities, and promote inclusion in education and beyond. The use case highlights how technology-driven testing models can support India’s education and skilling priorities by enabling anytime, anywhere assessment, particularly for learners in geographically remote and resource-constrained settings.

Duolingo is a leading language-learning technology company that has revolutionized education accessibility through its AI-powered English proficiency test (DET). Founded to democratize language learning and assessment, Duolingo combines adaptive learning algorithms with secure remote testing infrastructure.