Final answer:
An applicant fails the state exam due to failure to appear when they are a no-show for the exam. Historical and current contexts reveal that standards of proficiency and test administration practices can vary, affecting the outcomes and fairness of such exams.
Step-by-step explanation:
An applicant is deemed to have failed the state exam due to failure to appear when they do not show up to take the exam. This is particularly relevant in a historical context, such as when discussing voter suppression tactics in the United States. For instance, during the Civil Rights era, specifically in Mississippi, there were provisions that required potential registrants to read and interpret a section of the state constitution. Although this test aimed to screen out illiterate voters, it was often used to reject black voters while passing semiliterate whites.
Comparatively, in modern-day education systems, when discussing student assessments, states have different standards for measuring proficiency. This inconsistency can result in students passing state exams but failing federal ones, which are more rigorous. Such discrepancies raise questions about the adequacy of test preparation and the fairness of state testing practices.