This research focuses on thematic understanding of paper setting and marking staff for examination questions writing, paper setting and answer book marking process. All these persons are related to secondary school certificate examination. The objective of this work is to know their cognitive competency level and their previous knowledge about paper setting experience. Paper setting and question paper writing staff and marking process persons are key persons for assessment system. To achieve the objectives of research, a group of 20 paper setters and marking staff were interviewed. As per received data of interviews, 12 theme areas were identified. To get detailed results from this data, thematic analysis technique was used. This technique has proven to be wonderful approach for more deliberation of interview data. Various areas were identified, including previous background of paper setters, their knowledge about cognitive competency of questions, their involvement in paper setting process and knowledge about process of questions preparation. As per obtained results of thematic analysis, N-Vivo analysis tool was applied for better understanding of results.

Secondary education boards in Pakistan are providing trainings to paper setters on questions preparation and also give them guidelines for paper setting and marking process. These training processes were reviewed. Practices of answer sheets marking also elucidate the  role of  education boards to accomplish this task.  Resultantly gaps in all processes were identified, suggestions / comments of paper setters and marking staff were also recorded as reference for future research work.