Executive Summary

The International Centre for Assessment Research and Data Sciences (ICARDS) is established as the global research and knowledge arm of the mySATHI Foundation. Its mandate is to ensure that the Scholastic Aptitude Test for HigherEd Institutions (SATHI) and related assessment frameworks meet the highest standards of validity, reliability, fairness, and global credibility. Beyond education, ICARDS aims to build bridges between higher education assessments and workforce readiness, making it relevant for both universities and employers in an interconnected world.

ICARDS aspires to be world-class in assessment science, combining psychometrics, artificial intelligence, data sciences, and educational research. Modeled in spirit on globally respected institutions such as ETS (USA), Cambridge Assessment (UK), and research units of OECD and UNESCO, ICARDS positions India - and the Global South more broadly - as a contributor to international knowledge leadership in assessments and related areas.

Introduction & Global Context

The 21st century is marked by a profound transformation in education and employment. Universities are under pressure to identify students who can succeed academically while also thriving in a world of constant change. Employers, on the other hand, seek graduates who demonstrate transversal skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication (the 4Cs). Traditional examinations, often focused on rote memory and narrow subject mastery, are increasingly misaligned with these needs.

The mySATHI Foundation has introduced SATHI, a computer-adaptive, on-demand assessment that goes beyond conventional metrics. Yet, for such an innovation to gain acceptance globally, it requires an institutional anchor of credibility - body dedicated to research, validation, and continuous improvement. ICARDS was created to fulfill this role. ICARDS is not limited to India. It is conceived as an international hub of excellence, shaping assessment discourse globally, benchmarking against international standards, and building fairness and inclusivity into the DNA of testing.

Vision, Mission & Philosophy

Vision

To be a globally recognized centre of excellence in assessment research, ensuring that tests are valid, reliable, fair, inclusive, and future-relevant.

Mission

To generate scientific evidence, foster innovation in data sciences, and influence global education and employment policies through rigorous research in assessments.

Philosophy

Evidence over assumption
Inclusivity over exclusivity
Global over local

Research Agenda

Validity and Reliability

ICARDS will conduct multi-institution pilots, predictive validity studies, and longitudinal analyses to demonstrate that SATHI scores correlate with meaningful outcomes - such as university performance, retention, and employability. Reliability will be established using advanced psychometric methods, including Generalizability Theory, Item Response Theory (IRT), and Bayesian models.

Fairness and Equity

Fairness lies at the heart of ICARDS' mandate. The centre will conduct Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analyses to detect bias and ensure cultural neutrality. AI-driven language audits will be used to check for unintended linguistic or socio-economic bias. ICARDS will actively ensure that SATHI is inclusive for students from rural and urban backgrounds, across gender identities, and in multiple languages.

Data Sciences and Technology

ICARDS will operate at the frontier of data-driven assessment. Research will include AI-driven adaptive algorithms that adjust in real time, automated essay scoring and speech recognition analytics, multimodal analytics (keystroke logging, eye-tracking, behavioral signals), blockchain-enabled credentialing for secure score reporting, and building assessment technologies as an accessible digital public good (DPG) for all stakeholders.

Employability and Workforce
Readiness

ICARDS recognizes that the ultimate test of education is employability. It will therefore link assessment results with workforce outcomes, partnering with recruiters and employers to validate the predictive power of SATHI scores. ICARDS will design Workforce Readiness Indices and support digital skills passports - credentials that students can share with employers globally.

Methodologies

ICARDS will employ a combination of traditional psychometric methods and emerging data science techniques:

Pilot Studies - Large-scale pilots across universities in multiple countries
Longitudinal Tracking - Following cohorts of students over time to test predictive validity
Multimodal analytics (keystroke logging, eye-tracking, behavioral signals) to capture deeper insights
Psychometric Analysis - Reliability coefficients, factor analysis, IRT modeling
AI & Machine Learning - For adaptive item calibration, natural language processing, and multimodal data integration
Fairness Audits - Regular bias detection across socio-demographic categories

Governance and Advisory Structure

Chairperson

Prof. Partha Pratim Chakrabarti (PPC)

Former Director, IIT Kharagpur; globally recognized computer scientist and education leader

Full-time Working Group

Chintan Turki

Head of Research and Production at ICARDS

Pareshnath Paul

Head of Technologies

VS Balasubramaniam

Head of ICARDS for Design and Validity Studies

Impact & Relevance

For Students

Fair, inclusive, and globally recognized assessments that create pathways to higher education and jobs.

For Universities

Reliable, evidence-based tools for admissions and retention strategies.

For Employers

Predictive assessments that align with workplace success, aiding recruitment and workforce planning.

For Policymakers

Evidence-based insights to reform education systems and accreditation processes.

For Researchers

A global laboratory for psychometric and AI-driven innovation.

Menu

ICARDS