TOEFL test takers in India have grown by 59% since international travel resumed following suspension during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Educational Testing Service (ETS).
Indians accounted for 12.3% of the total test takers globally in 2022, up from 7.5% the previous year, showed data from the Princeton-based ETS which conducts the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
According to data exclusively accessed by PTI, there was a 53% growth in Indian TOEFL test takers in 2021 compared to the previous year. In 2022, the number of test takers saw a 59% rise over 2021.
"The numbers are clearly indicative of the rising aspirations of Indians in exploring foreign shores. The growth in Indian test takers is in sync with the rise in the number of Indians moving abroad for studies or immigration purposes.
"The trends show that the interest is no longer limited to the U.S. or the U.K. but the destination landscape has widened," Sachin Jain, Country Manager, ETS India and South Asia, told PTI.
He asserted that the number is expected to go up in countries like Singapore, Australia, France, and Sweden.
The top cities in India with the highest number of test takers are New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Gurugram, Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
Starting July 26, ETS executed a series of changes in the English language proficiency test to create an optimal experience for those taking it. Reducing the duration to less than two hours instead of three and allowing the candidates to be able to see their official score release date upon completion of the test, were among a few of the changes.
According to the data shared by the Union Education Ministry in Parliament, Indians going abroad for higher education touched a six-year high in 2022 at over 7.5 lakh. India surpassed China to become the country with the most international students in the U.S. in 2022.
