What Mary said
.
As far as testing, I can understand only recommending people to test when they're ready, and I can understand recommending people to test at regular intervals and only passing those that are ready, it's when they're doing _neither_ (as was being suggested in this thread) that I feel like I'm in some weird universe that I don't understand. If everyone must take the test automatically AND everyone must pass automatically, than in what universe does that mean _anything_? Where is the 'test' part?
Is it just an opportunity to collect extra fees? Because that's the only purpose I can think of that it serves...? It just doesn't make any
sense. Why would anyone bother? If they're so opposed to the idea of tests as that, then just throw out the whole idea of ranks and have everyone wear a white belt, from the first-day student to the teacher. At least that would be honest and less confusing.