The challenge: Moving beyond paper & preparing for eAssessments
Indus recognized early on that IB MYP eAssessments (for Grade 10) would demand a different skill set from both students and teachers. Traditional pen-and-paper tests limited the range of question types (only short answer, essay, or MCQs) and often required heavy administrative overhead. Meanwhile, advanced digital tools in the classroom—devices, multimedia resources—were underutilized for summative assessments.
Furthermore, Indus needed an online assessment system that addressed teacher concerns over:
Invigilation & integrity: Many platforms lacked robust monitoring, risking malpractice.
Ease of integration: A solution that fits seamlessly with existing IT infrastructure without major upgrades.
Future-readiness: A proven simulator for IB eAssessments that locked student devices, supported extra time accommodations, and generated usage logs for auditing.
The solution: A secure, cloud-based assessment platform
In 2017, Indus International School chose AssessPrep as the cornerstone of their digital assessment ecosystem. Jayakumar recounts:
“We compared many online assessment platforms, but even in its early stage, AssessPrep was about 70% ready for our MYP eAssessments—security features, question types, and teacher workflows were all considered.”
Smooth implementation with minimal IT changes
Because AssessPrep is cloud-based and supports Safe Exam Browser (SEB) locking mode, Indus did not need to overhaul its hardware. Students simply installed the SEB application on their personal laptops, and the platform “checked if the laptop was compatible”—a huge win for the IT department:
“We didn’t have to buy any new devices. If a student’s SEB was working fine for AssessPrep, it nearly 95% guaranteed they’d pass the IB’s compatibility check too.”
Robust security & monitoring
AssessPrep’s proctoring tools gave Indus teachers a detailed live view of each exam session, including timestamps, logs, and the ability to add extra time for SEN students or recover lost work if a laptop crashed.
“The logs and timestamps give teachers the confidence that exams are happening fairly. If an issue arises—like a student needing extra time—we have the evidence for why we granted it.”
This automated approach to invigilation drastically reduced manual oversight and potential malpractice: “Malpractice is reduced since students cannot switch apps, and we have a clear record of everything.”
Key features & teacher adoption
Though some staff initially hesitated—“some teachers felt pen and paper was easier”—Indus overcame this by showcasing AssessPrep’s flexibility:
Diverse question types
Teachers realized that they could create drag-and-drop tasks, embed video or audio prompts, plot graphs, or set puzzles. This sparked a shift in assessment design:“They can use a variety of questions— it’s like a fun quiz for students. It’s not just writing and MCQs anymore.”
Auto-organization & school library
All exam papers are automatically saved to a “library,” ensuring new teachers can reference prior year questions and quickly adapt them:“Now we have a question bank—no more rummaging through physical files. Even if a teacher leaves, their work is there for new staff to build upon.”
Monitoring & proctoring
“Proctoring suddenly became exciting for invigilators,” Jayakumar laughs. The monitoring tab let teachers see if students had completed specific questions, send announcements, or restore answers from backups if a device froze.“Teachers love the live chat and announcements feature. They can broadcast clarifications without disrupting students who are focused.”
Local and cloud backups
If a laptop crashes mid-assessment, answers remain retrievable:“AssessPrep keeps a local backup plus a cloud copy, so you can easily restore a student’s work on a different device.”
Impact: A new assessment culture at Indus
Streamlined teacher workflow
By cutting paper printing, manual distribution, and re-typing data into spreadsheets, Indus saved significant time. Annotation tools and recorded audio/video feedback allowed teachers to quickly grade each submission:
“It’s drastically improved efficiency. Teachers say they have more time for planning and providing personalized feedback, instead of doing repetitive tasks.”
Student engagement & confidence
Students, initially unsure about a “new way” of testing, quickly adapted. Younger classes (Grade 8, 9) grew comfortable with digital question types. Even the 5–10% who felt anxious realized:
“If they come late by a few minutes, the test time starts only when they log in, so it’s less stressful. They found it more disciplined— a timer on top, and no lost time due to slow handwriting.”
Future-ready for IB eAssessment
Crucially, Indus now has a smooth pipeline for Grade 10 MYP eAssessments:
95% of student devices “clear IB’s compatibility check in the first go,” reducing IT headaches in final exam season.
Confidence that if IB moves DP exams fully online, Indus students and staff already have the mindset and tools to adapt.
“We see other platforms in the market, but none match AssessPrep’s depth, like graph-plotting or advanced question types. Now our teachers rely on it for both minor quizzes and high-stakes mocks.”
Looking ahead
Jayakumar is enthusiastic about upcoming AI features, which can further assist teachers in grading while preventing plagiarism:
“We attended workshops on AI. AssessPrep is already blocking generative tools during the exam, and they are exploring detection for AI-based answers. We want to see how that evolves.”
As Indus continues to expand usage across MYP 1–5, they find AssessPrep fosters a culture of modern, interactive assessment. Students develop typing fluency and test-taking confidence, teachers design more immersive tasks, and administrators keep their focus on academic rigor rather than hardware logistics.
