US-based Educational Testing Service (ETS) made an announcement on August 18, 2023, regarding their plans to establish dedicated test centers for the TOEFL and GRE exams in the Kashmir valley, as per media reports.

These testing facilities will be located at Hashtag Educational Services, situated in Regal Chowk, Srinagar. The primary objective behind selecting this prime location is to ensure convenient access for test takers.

ETS, a nonprofit organization specializing in educational assessment, research, and measurement, is the governing body for assessments like TOEFL and GRE.

This move marks a significant milestone as it is the first time a global assessment organization has taken the initiative to set up a dedicated testing center in the region. Earlier students needs to visit Punjab from the Kashmir Valley to appear for TOEFL or GRE Exams.

ETS emphasizes that the center is equipped with cutting-edge amenities and enforces rigorous test security measures to ensure a seamless testing experience for both TOEFL and GRE participants.

The formal statement issued by ETS underscores, “In light of this development, ETS India intends to expand its collaboration by partnering with agents and educational institutions in the Kashmir region, thus providing support to local students in their pursuit of overseas education.”

Sachin Jain, Country Manager of ETS India and South Asia, expressed, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Hashtag Educational Services to establish a world-class testing center in Kashmir, which also marks our inaugural center in the Valley. This move aims to significantly enhance accessibility for aspirants seeking education opportunities abroad.”

Meanwhile, ETS has recently introduced several updates and modifications to the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). These changes include a reduction of one hour in the TOEFL iBT test duration. This modification entails introducing a novel and modern task titled ‘Writing for an Academic Discussion,’ which supplants the former independent writing assignment. The reading section has also been condensed, and all unscored test questions have been eliminated.

Furthermore, the registration process has been streamlined. Notably, upon completing the test, candidates will now receive their official score release date and real-time notifications about changes to their score status, marking a significant enhancement in the test-taking experience.