As technology and innovation change, Microsoft is committed to keeping pace by monitoring the relevance, efficacy, and validity of each of their carefully crafted exams. Exams that are no longer deemed effective become scheduled for retirement. Upon retirement of any Microsoft exam, you will no longer be allowed to take that exam. Several key factors are considered when deciding if an exam will be discontinued.
Microsoft will typically retire an exam when two newer versions of the applicable Microsoft technology are available or when participation is very low for a particular exam. Other factors can include the lack of support for maintaining a particular exam and when worldwide markets appear to be no longer using the product on which the exam and certification is based upon.
The good news for you, perhaps, is that the certification you earned by passing the exam may continue to be valid even after the exam has been retired. Your transcript will reflect your achievement. Candidates are encouraged to keep current by preparing for any new exam that may replace a previous one. If you are in a position to upgrade your skills, training on the new versions of technology and using exam preparation tools such as Testslive will enable you to maintain your skills as technology and certification requirements may change over time. Please visit the Microsoft Learning website often for any updates and news regarding exam retirements and recertification procedures.