Drew wrote "not everyone is naturally talented at aikido and if testing was done on technique ability alone there would be far less aikidoka then there is now."

I suppose this is where I was going with my original question. It doesn't seem to me that testing can be based on technique alone: it must be an objective standard relating to actual techniques but a subjective standard as to whether the student testing is performing the technique at a level appropriate to them as an individual.

Small thread but interesting comments.