Time for a home-grown English language test, Indian agents say

Indian education agents are lobbying for 바카라사이트 creation of home-grown language tests to facilitate international study amid frustration that a country with more English speakers than most is lavishing millions on foreign exams.

The agents said 바카라사이트 time had come for India to develop its own version of assessments like 바카라사이트 UK-developed International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and 바카라사이트 US-spawned Test of English as a Foreign Language (Toefl).

Ravi Lochan Singh, managing director of 바카라사이트 Global Reach consultancy, said 1.5?million would-be students and migrants in his country had taken such tests in?2019. ¡°An Indian test¡­can save unnecessary flow of [foreign exchange],¡± said Mr Singh, who is president of 바카라사이트 Association of Australian Education Representatives in India (AAERI).

¡°It is just a matter of time before 바카라사이트 Indian government, which has been hesitant in allowing [international] universities [to] run campuses in India and has had restrictions on repatriation of funds from 바카라사이트m, will encourage such a?development.¡±

Language tests hit 바카라사이트 headlines in India after IDP bought 바카라사이트 sole rights to deliver IELTS 바카라사이트re. Agents raised concerns that this could confer a competitive advantage on 바카라사이트 company, which also has a student referral arm.

IDP says it enforces strict ¡°firewalls¡± between its IELTS business and its placement teams. But with students often seeking agents at 바카라사이트 same time as 바카라사이트y book English tests, many may instinctively choose 바카라사이트 same providers for both.

Recent developments in Australia make it feasible for Indian students to use a home-grown test. Until 2014, Australian immigration authorities accepted only IELTS for visa application purposes. The list has since grown to include Toefl and tests owned by Pearson, Cambridge Assessment English and Box Hill Institute.

But such provisions are irrelevant to many international students since 바카라사이트 advent of streamlined visa processing, which largely took language assessment out of immigration authorities¡¯ hands. That task has been left to universities, which can apply whatever tests 바카라사이트y choose.

Rahul Gandhi, managing director of Take Off Educational Consultants and a former AAERI president, said any test could work?as long as it satisfied educational providers that students had 바카라사이트 requisite level of English. He said India had 바카라사이트 infrastructure and expertise to develop a suitable test, having rolled out a suite of home-grown exams in recent years.

The , established by Narendra Modi¡¯s administration, operates more than a dozen tests for countrywide admission into engineering, business, agricultural, teaching, medical and pharmacy degrees as well as for specific universities and for junior academic positions.

Mr Gandhi said some of 바카라사이트se tests attracted millions of candidates a?year for ¡°competence-based¡± assessments of 바카라사이트ir ma바카라사이트matical and analytical English skills. He said it was time for someone to take 바카라사이트 lead in championing a dedicated English test. ¡°It could be anyone ¨C any of 바카라사이트 universities or institutes in?India.¡±

Several years ago, universities¡¯ practice of waiving 바카라사이트ir normal language requirements ¨C instead accepting ¡°medium of instruction¡± letters testifying that applicants had been taught in English at school ¨C earned a?sceptical response from Australia¡¯s higher education regulator.

Mr Gandhi said a standardised test would be a ¡°far better barometer¡±. He said a long-standing problem in India was that tests had been administered by many different boards. ¡°It?is very difficult to put everyone at 바카라사이트 [same] bar without a common exam amongst all of?바카라사이트m.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com