British Council is Marking 25 Years of IELTS

British Council is marking the 25^th anniversary of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test in Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad this week. Gujarat is the first stop for British Council on its roadshow which will take in 20 cities around the country, running from this week until the end of November. The roadshow will provide information about the IELTS test from British Council officials and previous winners of the British Council IELTS Scholarship Awards.

For 25 years, IELTS has helped people to officially benchmark their English language proficiency, allowing them to pursue opportunities in education, immigration and professional accreditation in 135 countries around the world.

Vivek Pratap Singh, Assistant Director, Examinations Marketing India, said that the IELTS test format is tried and trusted by organisations and test takers worldwide. "For 25 years IELTS has tested English as it is used in real life and it is the world’s most popular English language proficiency test for higher education and global migration. In India, the IELTS test is popular among test takers as a passport to international education and reaching their career goals. It is now recognised by more than 9000 organisations worldwide, including the UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand."

Present in Gujarat to share their experiences with IELTS were two previous British Council IELTS Scholarship Award winners, Apeksha Harsh and Jharana Sheth. Each received an IELTSScholarship from the British Council which recognised their excellent performance in the IELTS test and in the scholarship applications process.

Sharing her experience of taking the IELTS test, Apeksha said: “The IELTS test format was very simple to follow and I liked the fact that it measured what I already knew about the language. The IELTS test and scholarship have given me the opportunity to pursue my studies abroad, opening up a world of opportunity for me.”

Jharana added: “The IELTS test really can be your passport to success. It gave me the confidence to seek out my own study abroad opportunity and I have now started my career here in India using the knowledge I gained from my Master’s degree.”

Asked what advice she would give to people who were looking to live, work or study abroad, Jharana said: “The test is a simple format and requires little to no preparation. I really liked the fact that when you register with the British Council, you are provided with self-study materials so you canfamiliarise yourself with the format of the test before you take it. There are no tricks in the test, but all the usual advice applies here: remember to read or listen to the question carefully, manage your time between the answers you must give and above all – relax and be confident!”

The British Council IELTS Scholarship Award was launched in 2010 with the objective of assisting Indian students intending to study at universities abroad. To date, 40 Indian students have had the chance to study at universities abroad due to the help of the IELTS Scholarship Award.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS), recognised as the world’s leading international English language test, is designed to evaluate the ability to communicate in English for education, immigration and professional accreditation worldwide. IELTS is now accepted by more than 9,000 educational institutions, employers, professional associations and governments in 135 countries around the world – including over 3,000 institutions and programs in the USA as a measure of English Language proficiency.

The British Council IELTS Scholarship Awards are presented by the British Council India to eight students every year. The scholarship prize includes INR300,000 to help towards tuition fees for the winners’ study abroad.

www.britishcouncil.in/ielts

About The British Council:

The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. We are a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. Our 7,000 staff in over 100 countries work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes. For details of our work in India, please visit www.britishcouncil.in  

About International English Language Testing System (IELTS):

IELTS is the International English Language Testing System, the world’s most popular English language proficiency test with two million tests taken in the last year. IELTS is jointly owned by the British Council, IDP: IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.

Candidates are tested in listening, reading, writing and speaking. All tests are scored on a banded system from 1 (the lowest) through to 9 (the highest possible band score).

IELTS offers a choice of two versions, to serve both academic and non-academic purposes. IELTS Academic measures English language proficiency needed for an academic, higher learning environment. The tasks and texts are accessible to all test-takers, irrespective of their subject focus. IELTS General Training measures English language proficiency in a practical, everyday context. The tasks and texts reflect both workplace and social situations.