Overview
- Each of the four main exam boards could submit up to two on‑screen specifications in subjects with fewer than 100,000 entries, excluding high‑entry GCSEs and A‑level maths.
- Up to eight new GCSE, AS or A‑level qualifications could include digital components, subject to Ofqual approval and delivery safeguards.
- The consultation runs until 5 March, followed by a technical consultation, with a three‑year lead‑in before first exams that points to the end of the decade for initial rollout.
- Students would not be allowed to use personal laptops or tablets; centres must supply approved devices and platforms that meet security and resilience criteria.
- Research commissioned by Ofqual and the DfE cites possible gains in accessibility and efficiency but warns of mode effects, cyber and technical risks, and uneven school readiness, while unions and boards support a cautious approach after earlier plans were delayed.