The International English Language Testing System or IELTS is an internationally accepted English language proficiency accreditation which is required by candidates who want to study or work abroad and whose first language is not English. The IELTS scores will be used to satisfy English language proficiency requirements for various undergraduate and postgraduate programs as well as visa application requirements.
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There are universally three governing bodies for the IELTS namely, British Council, IDP IELTS Australia and Cambridge English Language Assessment.
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There are two types of IELTS examinations which are the IELTS Academic test which is more suitable for candidates seeking admission to a foreign college or university and the IELTS General test which is suitable for candidates seeking foreign employment and permanent residencies in English speaking countries.
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IELTS scores are accepted internationally in nearly all countries and the scores are valid for up to 2 years after the date of the exam.
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IELTS Eligibility Criteria
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According to the three governing bodies, there are no eligibility criteria of IELTS exam which needs to be met in order for a candidate to give the IELTS exam except that the candidate must carry a valid passport at the time of the exam. The IELTS exam has no eligibility criteria as it is a test of proficiency in the English language and is, therefore, open to candidates of all ages and backgrounds.
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IELTS Application Process
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The IELTS exam is available on 48 fixed dates throughout the year, 4 times a month. In order to apply for the IELTS exam, candidates must follow the given procedure:
Step 1 - Visit the registration link on the official portal for IELTS - British Council or IDP -
https://www.britishcouncil.in/exam/ielts/book-test
https://www.ieltsidpindia.com/Registration/Registration
Step 2 - The candidate must select the format of the IELTS examination he or she wishes to give i.e. IELTS Academic or IELTS General Training.
Step 3 - Register for the IELTS by filling in the requisite details.
Step 4 - The candidate can then select available test dates at the required test location as per his or her convenience.
Step 5 - The final step in the application process is payment of the exam fees which can be done via credit card, debit card, or demand draft - INR 13250.
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IELTS Preparation Tips
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In order to score well in the IELTS test, candidates should keep the following preparation tips in mind:
IELTS Reading Preparation tips:
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Candidates should read slowly and understand the nuances of each sentence in the passage before attempting to answer questions.
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Candidates should work on vocabulary and read long texts beforehand to gain familiarity with the types of questions that will confront them on the test day.
IELTS Writing Preparation tips:
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Candidates should practice writing and expression opinions with clarity in order to score well on the writing section.
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Practice should be carried out in a timed environment to give the candidate a semblance of what he or she will have to face on the test day.
IELTS Listening Preparation tips:
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Candidates should practice listening to various accents and enunciation styles to avoid surprises on the test day.
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Candidates must harness the power of multitasking and take comprehensive notes during listening exercises in order to appropriately answer the questions.
IELTS Speaking Preparation tips:
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Candidates should practice oral communication in English in order to gain fluency.
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Candidates must ensure clear enunciation and refrain from hesitation in a conversation.
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IELTS Exam Pattern
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The IELTS exam pattern is the same for IELTS Academic and IELTS General Tests. The two tests only differ in the type of questions presented in the reading and writing sections of the test.
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The IELTS exam comprises 4 sections or parameters in which a candidate's proficiency in English is evaluated:
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Reading
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Writing
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Listening
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Speaking
The reading, writing and listening sections are conducted in one slot and the speaking module is conducted in a separate slot which is in a 7-day window after or before the reading-writing-listening slot.
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Reading - 60 minutes duration, 40 questions
Writing - 60 minutes duration, 2 questions
Listening - 30 minutes duration, 40 questions
Speaking - 11-14 minutes, 3 part conversations
The speaking module comprises 3 part one-on-one conversations with an IELTS representative and the component is scored on the basis of the candidate's oral performance in a life-like environment.
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IELTS Exam Centers
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Gujarat
Ahmedabad
Anand
Baroda
Mehsana
Rajkot
Surat
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Punjab
Amritsar
Jalandhar
Ludhiana
Moga
Patiala
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Kerala
Angamaly
Calicut
Kochi
Kottayam
Thiruvananthapuram
Thrissur
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Karnataka
Bengaluru
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Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal
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Odisha
Bhubaneswar
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Chandigarh
Chandigarh
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Tamil Nadu
Chennai
Coimbatore
Madurai
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Delhi
New Delhi
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Haryana
Gurgaon
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Uttar Pradesh
Noida
Lucknow
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Goa
Goa
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Assam
Guwahati
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Rajasthan
Jaipur
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Telangana
Hyderabad
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West Bengal
Kolkata
Siliguri
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Maharashtra
Mumbai
Navi Mumbai
Pune
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Bihar
Patna
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Chhattisgarh
Raipur
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Jharkhand
Ranchi
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Andhra Pradesh
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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Documents Required at Exam
Current valid government issued passport
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IELTS Result
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The IELTS results are generally available 13 days after the test date. The IELTS results can be accessed online via the candidate's IELTS registration account using the candidate's passport number and registration number. However, the result of the computer-delivered exam is made available after 5-7 days of the exam date.
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IELTS scores are calculated on a 1-9 point scale which is a mean of the individual sectional scores. If the average of the sectional scores ends in 0.25 then the overall score is rounded off to the next half band. In the situation that the average of the sectional scores ends in 0.75 then the overall IELTS score is rounded off to the next full band.
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