Egzamin

Egzamin is a formal assessment of a person’s knowledge, skills, or competence in a specified domain. It is typically administered after a course, program, or educational stage and its outcome can determine progression, graduation, or eligibility for a professional credential. Examinations can be written, oral, or practical, and may be conducted by schools, universities, or professional bodies.

In education, egzamin is widely used. In Poland, examples include the matura, the high school leaving exam that serves as a gate to university admission; vocational education often requires an egzamin zawodowy to certify competence for a trade. The term also covers standardized tests at various levels, such as the ósmoklasisty (end of primary school) introduced to replace the earlier gimnazjalny; similar concepts exist worldwide, sometimes under the names examination, test, or assessment.

In professional contexts, egzamin is used to certify qualifications for regulated occupations (for example, licensing exams for doctors, lawyers, engineers, or accountants) or to certify specific skills (driving tests, language proficiency assessments). The format and passing requirements vary by jurisdiction and field, and results may allow retakes with waiting periods or remedial study.

Contemporary discussions about egzamin address reliability, fairness, accessibility, and the pressure associated with high-stakes testing, as well as the need for diverse assessment methods to capture a fuller picture of competence.