English Proficiency Test

English Proficiency Test is mandatory for all the foreign nationals/ OCI/ PIO applicants of Symbiosis International (Deemed University) where English is used as the medium of communication and instruction.

IELTS Examinations

Student can also opt for IELTS (International English Language Testing System (IELTS) which is organized by the British Council. The student should appear for the Academic version of the IELTS test. The minimum score required is 6 out of 9.

You can register for IELTS through the IELTS website.

It is a MCQ test (except for part-IV) of 150 marks divided into four parts. The duration of the test is 3 hours. It is available in PB (paper-based) mode.

International English Language Assessment Test (IELA)

International English Language Assessment (IELA) Test is conducted online by the English Language Teaching Institute of Symbiosis (ELTIS). The test measures students’ ability to communicate in English. It is based on five language components vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing and speaking. The test score ranges between bands 1 and 6, 1 being the lowest and 6 the highest. A student is required to obtain at least band 4 to seek admission in Symbiosis.

The test is based on general English. It is not necessary for the candidates to study any particular text-books or reference books. You can register for IELA while applying online through the SCIE website.


IELA Examinations

The vocabulary sections deals with important aspects of word acquisition. It tests the students’ knowledge of word families, collocations, homonyms and homophones, etc. The types of questions included are:

Match the words with their definitions
Antonyms, Synonyms, Homonyms and confusing words
Find the odd one out focusing on meaning
Word building, prefixes and suffixes
Select the correct meaning of the idioms
Guessing the meaning of words in context

This section focuses on the correct use of grammatical structures to convey the intended meaning. The types of questions used are:

Multiple choice questions – tenses, modals, prepositions
Select the correct sentence – parts of speech and word order
Subject-verb agreement and tenses questions
Clauses and sentence structure
Choose suitable – Adjectives, Adverbs and articles
Choose correct conjunctions, main and subordinate clauses
Identifying Active and Passive voice, Direct and indirect speeches and Conditionals

The section includes topics of general interest. The focus is on the sub-skills of reading like (skimming, scanning, prediction, inference, reading between the lines, contextual clues, critical thinking).

The types of questions used are:

Fill in the blanks with the apt vocabulary and context
Multiple choice questions
Select the correct main idea
Summary completing exercises
Choose the correct option

This section tests the writing skills of the students as well as their ability to handle a longer written discourse. The questions assess functional aspect of writing through:

Multiple choice questions based on -

cohesive devices
coherence
discourse markers
punctuations

The Speaking section tests the communication skills of students.

The questions are as follows:

Section one: General Questions (impromptu)
Section two: Mini presentation (with preparation time)
Changes in marks

Total marks: 100

Section Marks
Vocabulary 20
Grammar 20
Reading 20
Writing 20
Speaking 20
Changes in bands and grades

Total marks: 100

Marks Range Band
0 – 15 1
16 – 30 2
31 – 45 3
46 – 60 4
61 – 80 5
81 – 100 6

Passing Band: 4