Doreswamy says partnership to build technology solutions
Excelsoft Technologies Limited, a global provider of assessment and learning technology solutions from Mysore, has entered into a strategic partnership with AQA, the United Kingdom’s largest awarding body, to jointly develop a next-generation e-marking platform for high-stakes assessments.
The engagement marks a significant validation of Excelsoft’s established e-marking platform, which AQA selected following a rigorous multi-stage evaluation process conducted over several months. Building on Excelsoft’s existing intellectual property, the two organisations will co-develop an enhanced solution tailored to AQA’s requirements for large-scale, high-stakes assessment.
The new platform will combine Excelsoft’s proven e-marking technology with AQA’s decades of assessment expertise and operational insight. It will progressively replace AQA’s three incumbent e-marking systems with a unified, modern platform designed to support the secure, reliable and consistent digital evaluation of handwritten examination scripts at scale.
Once fully implemented, the platform is expected to support the marking of approximately 12 million student scripts annually, involving around 40,000 examiners, and will play a critical role in supporting one of the world’s most trusted qualification systems. The multi-year, multi-million-pound contract reflects the scale and strategic importance of the engagement, further strengthening Excelsoft’s presence in the global assessment technology sector.
Commenting on the partnership, Doreswamy P, CEO, Excelsoft Technologies, said on 28 May, “This partnership marks a defining milestone for Excelsoft, building technology solutions for some of the world’s most complex assessment ecosystems. The scale and significance of this engagement spanning millions of scripts and a vast examiner network reflects the confidence placed in our technology, operational excellence and long-term vision for digital assessment.
“In partnership with AQA, we are committed to building a future-ready platform designed to meet the evolving needs of awarding bodies globally. As education systems accelerate their digital transformation journeys, this engagement further strengthens Excelsoft’s position as a trusted global leader in high-stakes assessment technology.”
Speaking about the collaboration, Justin Coombs, Chief Assessment Technology Officer at AQA, said, “AQA is delighted to be partnering with Excelsoft to deliver its next generation e-marking tool, based on the Saras platform. As the UK’s largest provider of general qualifications, it’s critical we have the digital infrastructure to reliably and accurately mark millions of exam scripts to tight schedules. Our marking program requires the highest levels of resilience and availability, cyber security, and straightforward and performant user experience for our 40,000 examiners. We believe Excelsoft bring the capacity, skill and experience to deliver a truly next generation digital marking capability.”
AQA is trusted by the vast majority of schools and colleges across the United Kingdom and is responsible for a substantial share of GCSE and A-Level examinations each year. Its decision to partner with Excelsoft follows an extensive technical and strategic assessment that evaluated product capability, scalability, security and alignment with the stringent regulatory and governance standards that underpin high-stakes assessments in the UK.
Beyond supporting AQA’s own operations, Excelsoft and AQA intend to jointly explore opportunities to offer the platform to other awarding bodies and assessment organisations across the United Kingdom, Europe and international markets. This partnership significantly strengthens Excelsoft’s position in the global assessment technology sector and further establishes the company’s credentials as a trusted provider of e-marking solutions for large-scale, high-stakes examinations.
As assessment systems continue to evolve, Excelsoft and AQA are committed to setting new benchmarks in digital marking by delivering a platform that advances fairness, consistency and operational excellence for education systems around the world.
Excelsoft Technologies is a leading provider of innovative e-assessment and learning solutions to awarding bodies, educational institutions, corporations and governments worldwide. With platforms supporting high-stakes examinations, large-scale assessments, and rich digital learning experiences, Excelsoft combines deep domain expertise with cutting-edge AI and cloud technologies to help organisations reimagine the future of teaching, learning and assessment. Fiinews.com
