Developing an Indian-run English language test for those wishing to study abroad “will not be easy” but could help open up more study opportunities, experts said after a politician urged the government to adopt the idea.
MP Kartikeya Sharma told the country’s parliament that the English language testing industry has “grown significantly” since the COVID-19 pandemic, generating “strong annual revenues of several billion dollars” for the “foreign companies” that conduct the exams.
The number of Indians studying abroad has skyrocketed since the pandemic, from 444,559 in 2021 to 765,411 in 2023, the government said.
In order to gain a place at an English-speaking university abroad, prospective students must achieve sufficiently good grades in tests such as the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) – two of the most widely used English exams.
However, Sharma also addressed “significant” problems with these exams, such as the “high cost” for examinees, who typically pay around 17,000 rupees ($204).
He added that many would also face additional costs for things like tutoring, study materials, re-examinations and travel – many students would have to travel long distances to reach a testing centre with available places.
In fiscal year 2023, IDP, one of the co-owners of IELTS, reported conducting a “record” 1.93 million tests worldwide, generating revenue of A$545.5 million (US$307.6 million).
Sharma called on the Indian Ministry of Education to develop its own “world-class test” based on international standards and to work with other ministries to persuade other countries to accept the test.
“This is intended not only to facilitate access for economically disadvantaged candidates but also to democratize the method of learning English as a means of obtaining higher education abroad,” said Sharma.
Some in the international education industry support the idea, which was previously championed by Indian officials over concerns that adopting the IELTS test would give IDP a competitive advantage in student recruitment, but caution that it could prove difficult to implement in practice.
“Such a test could streamline the process by reducing the need for multiple expensive exams,” said Manisha Zaveri, co-director of Indian education agency Career Mosaic.
However, established testing providers have “invested years in research and development” and “have close relationships and technical integrations” with universities around the world to ensure their credibility, she added.
“To achieve this, an Indian test would require extensive research and development, robust security measures and strong partnerships with international institutions. In addition, measures to ensure the integrity and reliability of the test centers are essential.”
India’s centrally administered national tests have come under widespread scrutiny in recent months following a series of problems related to cancellations, suspected cheating and alleged leaks of test materials.
Michael Goodine, owner of online test prep company Test Resources, said a “huge amount” of that goes to international testing companies, many of which also run tutoring centers.
He agreed that developing a new test will be “not easy”. “It will be very slow at first to convince more than a handful of schools to accept a new test. It will be even more difficult to convince governments to accept a new test for immigration purposes.”
But, Goodine said, the English testing market has been “widely opened” over the past five years, and new players have emerged. The introduction of a new test is “possible,” he said. “It’s not just wishful thinking.”
