The British Council is currently offering the opportunity to retake a single skill in the IELTS examination in Bangladesh & Nepal. The availability of the test will be expanded to chosen British Council test venues worldwide starting in late 2023.

The British Council has introduced a new option that allows IELTS test takers who fail to attain their goal scores on their initial attempt to avoid retaking the entire test.

According to the British Council, the implementation of the One Skill Retake policy enhances the likelihood of achievement for test takers by granting them the option to repeat a singular component of the IELTS examination. This component may pertain to the domains of listening, reading, writing, or speaking.

The IELTS One Skill Retake option is currently being introduced in various countries including Australia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Canada, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Singapore, Thailand, and Uganda. Furthermore, this initiative will be progressively implemented in additional regions and countries worldwide until 2023.

Andrew Mackenzie, the Director of IELTS at the British Council, said the development of One Skill Retake was influenced by the feedback received from IELTS customers. Mackenzie emphasised the belief that, through appropriate preparation and assistance, test takers can attain their optimal score on the day of the test.  

The speaker stated that the One Skill Retake programme offers test takers the chance to redo a specific skill if they believe their first performance did not accurately reflect their level of English proficiency. It is believed that this initiative enhances fairness.   

A groundbreaking new feature has been introduced by the British Council for IELTS test takers who fail to attain their intended scores on their initial attempt. This function eliminates the need for them to retake the entire test.

Test takers have the option to select either their previous or updated test report for the skill they have chosen to retake, based on their respective scores. The option to retake the IELTS One Skill within a period of 60 days from the initial IELTS test administration is available.

According to Tom Miscioscia, the director of the Bangladesh division of the British Council, there is a desire to enhance the capabilities of IELTS test-takers, enabling them to attain their highest possible score. This objective is reflected in the British Council’s IELTS test, which stands as the sole prominent high-stakes examination offering this novel alternative.

“We are proud of this new initiative that reinforces our commitment to helping test takers achieve their full potential“- he said.