Singapore, Australia, France, and Sweden are witnessing an increasing volume of score reports from Indian TOEFL test takers and emerging as new destinations of interest, according to the Educational Testing Service (ETS).

The top two destinations for TOEFL test takers in India since 2017 have been the United States and Canada.

Till 2019, Germany was at the third spot and the UK at the fourth spot. However, from 2020 onwards, the two countries have switched positions.

"While the top five countries chosen by Indian TOEFL test takers have remained nearly consistent over the last 5-6 years. Apart from the top destination countries, emerging countries for Indian test takers include Singapore, Australia, France, and Sweden. These countries have seen an increasing volume of score reports from Indian test takers," Sachin Jain, the Country Manager of ETS India and South Asia, told PTI.

The Princeton-based ETS, which conducts the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Graduate Record Examination (GRE), said the trend reflects shifting aspirations of people.

Jain said the percentage of Indians taking TOEFL to pursue secondary education and certifications abroad has seen a gradual increase over the years while those taking the test for immigration purpose has declined.

According to data exclusively accessed by PTI, the percentage of Indian test takers for licensure, certification or to attend secondary school abroad, has gone up from 5.83 per cent of the total aspirants in 2021 to 7.77 per cent in 2022. During the same period, the percentage of Indian test takers taking TOEFL for employment or immigration has declined from 8.19 per cent to 7.22 per cent.

The data showed that the percentage of Indians taking TOEFL to attend graduate or postgraduate programmes has increased from 70.84 per cent in 2021 to 71.87 per cent in 2022.

There was a 53 per cent growth in Indian TOEFL test takers in 2021 compared to the previous year. In 2022, the number of test takers saw a 59 per cent rise over 2021.

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.

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