ETS to open exam centers for the TOEFL and GRE in Kashmir

The Educational Testing Service (ETS), based in the US, has said that they will open TOEFL and GRE testing facilities in the Kashmir valley. The test location will appear at Hashtag Educational Services in Srinagar's Regal Chowk. In order to provide exam participants with simple access, test centers are strategically placed.

Assessments like the TOEFL and GRE are owned by ETS, a nonprofit organization that conducts educational evaluation, research, and measurement.

According to ETS, this is the first time a global assessment organization has established a specific testing site in the area. Before this, Valley students would typically have to travel to Punjab to take the TOEFL or GRE. In order to provide test takers for the TOEFL and GRE with a flawless testing experience, ETS asserts that the center is outfitted with cutting-edge facilities and abides by strict test security measures.

"Following this development, ETS India plans to further invest in partnering with agents and educational institutions in the Kashmir region, to support local students in their study abroad journeys," the official statement read.

According to Sachin Jain, Country Manager, ETS India and South Asia, "We are excited to work with Hashtag Educational Services to establish a world-class testing center in Kashmir, also our first in the Valley, thereby enabling significantly easier access for study abroad aspirants."

In the meantime, ETS has recently made a few adjustments to the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). The TOEFL iBT test has been condensed to one hour as per the updated regulations. To do this, the existing autonomous writing activity will be replaced by a new, more contemporary "Writing for an Academic Discussion" task on the test. Additionally, the reading component has been condensed, and all ungraded test questions have been eliminated. The registration procedure has also been made simpler. One of the greatest improvements is that test takers will now be able to see the date on which their official score will be released after they finish the test in addition to getting real-time notification of modifications.