Turgor Exam Engine
Complete LearnDash replacement

The exam-first LMS that replaces LearnDash.

Turgor Exam Engine is a complete course platform with the exam tools built in: timed CBT exams with negative marking, analytics and certificates from day one, plus a guided importer that copies your LearnDash courses and students across without touching your live site.

From $59pay once · see launch offer below*

Requirements

WordPress 6.7+ and PHP 8.1+. Works entirely standalone — LearnDash is only relevant if you're migrating an existing LearnDash site across.

New to WordPress? Read the complete beginner's guide: install, settings, courses, quizzes and selling, step by step.

2×Years of updates
Launch offer

First 100 customers get double the update window.

2 years of updates included instead of the usual 1. Offer ends at customer #100, then it's back to 1 year.

Your exam site shouldn't need five plugins.

Most WordPress course plugins treat a quiz as an end-of-lesson check. Running a real mock test on them means stacking an exam plugin, a results dashboard and an import tool on top, each with its own settings and its own yearly renewal. And setup means picking through dozens of settings pages before you can publish a single paper. You didn't sign up to manage plugins — you signed up to teach.

Stacked add-ons Yearly renewals 40-step setup

Everything a course platform needs. Nothing it doesn't.

Student analytics that actually render.

Live Chart.js dashboards — completion trends, score distributions, engagement heatmaps — pulled straight from your course data, no CSV exports or third-party BI tool required.

Data built for exams.

Attempts, progress and results live in tables designed for them, and dashboards read summaries rebuilt in the background instead of recalculating on every page view.

Leave LearnDash in one click.

Point the importer at your existing install. Courses, lessons, quizzes, questions, and student progress come over verified — not just copied and hoped for.

Live in one afternoon.

Sensible defaults out of the box. No forty-tab settings maze before your first course goes live.

Plays well with your stack.

Works with the caching and page-builder plugins you already run — nothing to disable, nothing to work around.

100% working migration from LearnDash

A guided wizard imports everything LearnDash has, checks it against the original data, then switches every route to Turgor Exam Engine — in that order, so nothing goes offline mid-migration.

One-click import wizard

Point it at your existing LearnDash install and it imports courses, lessons, quizzes, questions, categories, and enrollments in one pass.

Progress and history carry over

Students keep their history — enrolments, completed lessons and topics, and every quiz attempt come across. Certificates already awarded stay in LearnDash; new ones are issued automatically from the switch onward.

Verified before you go live

Every migrated course is checked against the original LearnDash data, not just assumed correct.

Go live in one click

Once you're satisfied, a single button claims every route and switches LearnDash off — no manual URL surgery.

A complete course platform, not an add-on

Lessons, quizzes, and courses built natively into Turgor Exam Engine — nothing here depends on LearnDash being installed at all.

Native course & lesson builder

Sections, lessons, drip content, and prerequisites, with long courses folding into clean, collapsible sections.

Every quiz type LearnDash has, and more

Single/multiple choice and cloze fill-in-the-blank questions, per-question point values, category tagging, and question/answer shuffle.

Bulk question import

Load a question bank from Excel, Word, JSON, or a live Google Sheet — built in.

A quick look inside Turgor Exam Engine

Real admin screens — the migration dashboard and sitewide quiz defaults.

Turgor Exam Engine admin overview screen showing migration progress and course, lesson, and quiz counts

The admin overview

Migration status, course and quiz counts, and every route already served by the plugin — at a glance.

Turgor Exam Engine quiz settings screen with sitewide defaults for time limit, passing score, retakes, and questions per page

Sitewide quiz defaults

Set time limits, passing scores, retake limits, and pagination once — any quiz can still override them.

See it in action

The screens your students actually use

Every screen below is native to Turgor Exam Engine — progress tracking, courses, performance analytics, and the full timed-exam experience, all in one plugin.

yoursite.com/my-progress
Student progress
Your Progress
Welcome back, Alex
29Tests taken
64%Average score
4h 46mTime spent
1dCurrent streak
OverviewMy CoursesPerformance
29Tests taken
64%Average score
81%Best score
4h 46mTime spent
1dQuiz streakBest: 1d
1dActivity streakBest: 3d
yoursite.com/insights
Activity & insights
Activity
47 activities in the last 20 weeks
Time spent by course
Tests
Molecular Genetics
Cell Signaling
Lessons to revisit
Average score across their quizzes is below 60%.
Reproduction in Organisms38%
Cell: Structure, Membrane Dynamics44%
The Living World47%
Carbohydrates52%
yoursite.com/my-courses
My courses
In progress
Molecular Genetics and r-DNA Technology
5 of 24 steps · last opened 2 days ago
Continue course
In progress
Cell Signaling and Immunology
4 of 11 steps · last opened 2 days ago
Continue course
In progress
Previous Year Papers (Live Exam Mode)
1 of 2 steps · last opened 23h ago
Continue course
yoursite.com/performance
Performance
4 of 4 tests takenAvg 64% · 4h 46m
CSIR-NET Life Sciences — 28 Jul 2025
Your score: 58% · Avg: 52%
80% 60% 40% Jul 28 Aug Sept 4
Your scoreEveryone's average
TestDateScoreCorrect/WrongSkippedClass avgPercentileDetails
CSIR-NET Life Sci…4 Sept58%84 / 322855%61stTopicsReview
CSIR-NET Life Sci…4 Sept62%90 / 302455%68thTopicsReview
CSIR-NET Life Sci…4 Sept66%96 / 282055%77thTopicsReview
CSIR-NET Life Sci…4 Sept71%104 / 261455%92ndTopicsReview
← swipe to see all columns →
yoursite.com/exam/rules
Exam instructions
Once submitted, answers cannot be changed.
⛶
The exam opens in fullscreen. Leaving fullscreen is recorded — after 3 exits the exam submits itself automatically.
💾
Every answer is saved automatically as you pick it. If your connection drops, the exam keeps retrying in the background.
🔖
Use Mark for review to flag a question you want to come back to. Marked questions with an answer are still evaluated.
🕑
The timer runs on the server clock and keeps running if you close the page. At zero the exam submits automatically.
⌃
Keyboard shortcuts are available — press ? during the exam to see them.
► Start exam
The timer starts the moment you press Start.
yoursite.com/exam/live
Live timed exam
A
alex_k · Part A
CSIR-NET Life Sciences – 28 Jul 2025
Progress
1 of 144 answered
Time left
2:59:30
Question 2 / 144+2−0.500:07
An empty plastic mug floats in a bucket of water. When a solid iron ball is placed in the mug, it doesn’t sink…
1the same
2higher
3lower
4higher or lower depending on surface area
Save & next Clear Save & mark Mark & next
←Save & next▦ 1/144
yoursite.com/exam/palette
Question palette
Part A · 1/20Part B · 0/50Part C · 0/74
1Answered
1Not answered
142Not visited
0Marked
0102 0304 0506 0708 0910 1112
↗ Go to next unanswered
► Submit exam
✓ All answers saved
yoursite.com/exam/live
Fullscreen lockdown
⚠
Fullscreen exited
This exam must be taken in fullscreen. Warning 1 of 3 — the exam will be submitted automatically if this happens 2 more times.
✥ Return to fullscreen
yoursite.com/exam/review
Review & explanation
Question 1
During eukaryotic pre-mRNA processing, the 5′-cap is added by which sequence of enzymatic steps?
RNA triphosphatase removes the gamma-phosphate…
Guanylyltransferase adds GMP; RNA triphosphatase…
Guanine 7-methyltransferase methylates GTP…
RNA triphosphatase removes all three 5′ phosphates…
Explanation: Correct! Capping involves three enzymatic steps on the 5′ triphosphate end of the nascent RNA.
Question 2
Which statement is chemically accurate regarding mRNA methylation levels?
Cap 0 has a methyl group only at the N7 position…
Cap 1 adds a methyl group at the 2′-OH of the ribose…

Same job, fewer plugins to buy

Everything in the left column ships in Turgor Exam Engine by default. On LearnDash, most of the right column means installing — and paying for — another plugin.

FeatureTurgor Exam EngineLearnDash
PricingOne-time, from $59Annual license renewal
Course & lesson builderIncludedIncluded
Timed, sectioned examsBuilt inRequires a separate exam plugin
Per-topic negative markingBuilt inRequires a separate exam plugin
Student score & percentile dashboardBuilt inRequires a separate dashboard plugin
Bulk question import/exportBuilt inRequires a separate plugin
CertificatesIncludedIncluded
Class-level reportingBuilt inLimited, often needs an add-on
Guided migration from LearnDashOne-click import wizard—
If your update window lapsesEvery feature keeps workingVaries by add-on

Competitive-exam tooling, built in

Fullscreen lockdown and per-topic negative marking, built into the same engine and included by default.

Sectioned, timed exams

Assemble quizzes into one timed paper with topic tabs and a CBT-style question navigator.

Per-topic negative marking

Set a different penalty per section, matching how SSC, banking, and UGC/CSIR-NET papers actually score.

Student dashboard included

Scores, percentiles, streaks, and an activity heatmap — included by default.

Random question papers

Draw a set number of questions at random from a question-bank category, so every student gets a different paper.

Live tests with open and close times

Nobody can start outside the window, and anyone still sitting the quiz is stopped at closing time.

Question analysis

For each question: how many students got it right, wrong or left it blank, and the average time. Hardest question first.

Built for real exam patterns

Everything a coaching institute asks for

The checklist institutes send us before they switch, and how Turgor Exam Engine covers each item.

Your requirementTurgor Exam Engine
Create courses and lessons

Yes Free

Drag-and-drop course builder with lessons, videos and quizzes.
Divide an exam into sections

Yes Free

Name each section and assign questions to it.
Shuffle questions within each section

Yes Free

Shuffling never mixes sections, so the paper keeps its structure.
Draw a set number of questions from each section

Yes Exam Mode

Question limit per section, picked fresh for every attempt.
Different marks for each section

Yes Exam Mode

For example +1 in one section and +2 in another.
Different negative marking for each section

Yes Exam Mode

Turn it on or off and set the deduction section by section. The free plugin sets it per quiz or per question.
A separate timer for each section

Yes Exam Mode

Each section closes when its time runs out, as in SSC CGL and IBPS PO.
Sectional cut-off marks

Yes Exam Mode

A minimum score per section, in marks or as a percentage.
"Only the first N answers count" (CSIR NET rule)

Yes Exam Mode

Set how many answered questions are evaluated in each section.
Section-wise results

Yes Exam Mode

Score, correct, wrong and skipped for every section, plus answer-by-answer review.
Questions in English plus another language

Yes Exam Mode

Add a second language to any question, such as Hindi, Tamil, Bengali or Marathi. Students switch between the two during the exam.
A real computer-based exam screen with question navigation

Yes Exam Mode

Question palette, mark for review, countdown and a GATE-style calculator.

Free in Turgor Exam Engine on WordPress.orgExam Mode needs the Exam Mode add-on (Pro)

See Exam Mode in action

Two real past papers running on LessonBasket, a live exam site built with Turgor Exam Engine.
Opens on lessonbasket.com. Log in there to start a paper.

Finish the loop, not just the quiz

Certificates and class-level reporting that come with the platform instead of needing a separate purchase.

PDF certificates, emailed automatically

Generated the moment a course is completed, and emailed to the student with no manual step.

Custom certificate design

Match your own branding instead of a generic template.

Class Reports

See how a whole class or cohort is doing, not just one student's dashboard at a time.

Question & answer shuffle

Randomize question order and answer order per attempt, so repeat sittings aren't identical.

No add-ons to buy. Ever.

Exam Mode, Student Dashboard, and Quiz Toolkit are built into Turgor Exam Engine, at no extra cost.

Exam Mode

Fullscreen lockdown, sectioned timers, and per-topic negative marking — the exact same exam engine, included by default.

Student Dashboard

Scores, percentiles, streaks, and an activity heatmap for every student — no separate plugin required.

Quiz Toolkit

Bulk question import and export from Excel, Word, or a live Google Sheet — built into the same install.

All three included
with every Turgor Exam Engine purchase — nothing else to buy.

Free core + Pro add-ons

Everything in Turgor Exam Engine, piece by piece

The free plugin runs courses and mock tests on its own. One Pro licence switches on every add-on and Pro feature below. Nothing is sold separately.

Free in the WordPress.org pluginPro included with any Pro licence
  • Pro add-onPro

    Exam Mode

    The computer-based exam screen students sit on the day.

    • Question palette and mark for review
    • Sectional timers and cut-offs
    • Partial and negative marking
    • English / Hindi papers and a scientific calculator
    How Exam Mode works →
  • CoreFree

    Mock tests & question bank

    Timed papers built from one shared bank of questions.

    • Eight question types, including numeric ranges
    • Negative marking, sections and retake limits
    • Random questions drawn from a category
    • Live tests with open and close times
    Build a quiz →
  • Pro add-onPro

    Quiz Toolkit

    Your question bank in, in minutes.

    • Import and export Excel and CSV
    • Import straight from Word documents
    • Sync live from a Google Sheet
    • Bad rows reported, not saved
    See the import format →
  • Pro add-onPro

    Student Dashboard

    A reason for students to come back tomorrow.

    • Scores over time
    • Progress in every course
    • A study streak
    • Question-by-question review of any attempt
    Tour the dashboard →
  • CoreFree

    Results & question analysis

    Every attempt, and which questions went wrong.

    • Every attempt on one Results screen
    • Essay marking and re-marking
    • Question analysis, hardest first
    • You choose when answers are shown
    The Results screen →
  • CoreFree

    Courses & lessons

    A full course platform around your tests.

    • Drag-and-drop course builder
    • Drip content by days or date
    • Assignments and lesson discussions
    • Lesson videos with chapters and resume
    The course builder →
  • Built into ProPro

    Selling

    Turn any course or test series into a product.

    • WooCommerce one-time and subscriptions
    • Bundles of courses at one price
    • Google Play Billing for Android apps
    • Access follows each order automatically
    Selling courses →
  • Built into ProPro

    Certificates & reports

    Something to keep, and numbers you can act on.

    • PDF certificate emailed on completion
    • Completion rate and average score
    • A roster showing where each student stopped
    • Time-spent and continue-learning shortcodes
    Reports and certificates →
  • Pro add-onPro

    Login

    Safer, quicker sign-in. Each switch is off until you turn it on.

    • Google sign-in
    • Sign in with a code texted to a mobile number
    • Email verification and a captcha
    • Login lockout and role-based redirects
    Set up Pro add-ons →
  • Pro add-onPro

    Video

    Lesson videos that pick up where students left off.

    • Captions on lesson videos
    • Resume position across devices
    • Private videos on Bunny CDN with expiring links
    • Chapters and speed menu Free
    Lesson videos →
  • Pro add-onPro

    Appearance

    Make the student screens look like your brand.

    • One-click presets
    • Success and error colours
    • Corner radius and a font
    • A brand colour for each course
    Set up Pro add-ons →
  • Built into ProPro

    Student feedback

    Hear about a wrong answer key before the next batch does.

    • Star ratings and reviews on course pages
    • "Report a problem" on any lesson
    • Reports on any question in a quiz review
    • One queue to work through and close
    Student feedback →
  • CoreFree

    LearnDash import

    Move across without losing a student's history.

    • Courses, lessons, quizzes and questions
    • Enrolments, progress and quiz history
    • Each course checked against the original
    • Groups, bundles and WooCommerce productsPro
    Migration guide →

Every Pro licence includes all of it. See Pro pricing

One purchase. Every tier includes the full platform.

Every Turgor Exam Engine Pro tier includes analytics, exam tools, migration, and certificates — the only difference is how many sites you run it on. Just want to try it first? Download Turgor Exam Engine free.

Turgor Exam Engine ProSingle Site

$59
one-time · 1 website
  • Full Turgor Exam Engine platform
  • One-click LearnDash migration
  • Updates & support included* — see offer above
  • Keeps working after, no expiry
Buy Now — $59

Turgor Exam Engine ProAgency Unlimited

$349
per year · unlimited websites
  • Everything in Agency Starter
  • Unlimited sites, including every client site you manage
  • Priority support
  • Renews annually
Buy Now — $349/yr

Single Site and Agency Starter are one-time purchases — no subscription. Agency Unlimited renews annually.

Questions before you install.

Do I need LearnDash installed to use Turgor Exam Engine?

No. Turgor Exam Engine is a complete, standalone course platform. LearnDash is only relevant if you're migrating an existing LearnDash site — Turgor Exam Engine reads its data during migration, then LearnDash can be switched off.

What exactly moves over when I migrate from LearnDash?

Courses, lessons, topics, quizzes, questions, categories, enrolments (including access granted through LearnDash groups), completions and quiz attempts. Certificates, assignments and essays stay in LearnDash. The importer verifies each course against your original LearnDash data before you go live, so nothing is copied and assumed correct.

Will this conflict with my caching plugin?

No. Turgor Exam Engine is built to work alongside standard page-caching setups — dynamic content like quiz results and dashboards is excluded from the cache automatically, so you don't need to hand-configure exclusion rules.

Do I need to touch server settings to install it?

No. It installs like any WordPress plugin — no special PHP configuration, no elevated hosting tier required.

What happens to my existing exams and negative marking?

They migrate as-is. Each quiz’s sections are rebuilt from the question categories it uses, and if you gave wrong answers negative points in LearnDash’s question editor, those carry over and Turgor actually deducts them in the score — something LearnDash’s own results don’t show. Per-topic negative marking can then be set in Turgor after the move.

What happens after my included updates end?

Everything you've built keeps working exactly as it does today — a lapsed update window only means new versions stop until you renew (see the launch offer above for how long your update window is). Nothing already installed is disabled.

Your students won't notice the migration. They'll notice the exams.

Pricing starts at $59, one time — see exactly what's included before you decide.

See Pricing
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