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New chapter for world’s leading English test: IDP to acquire British Council’s IELTS business in India

NEW DELHI, July 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — IDP and British Council, two partners of IELTS, the world’s most popular high-stakes English language test, have announced today that British Council will sell its IELTS business in India to IDP.
This means that all IELTS tests in India will be delivered by IDP.
Under the terms of the agreement, IDP will acquire 100 per cent of British Council’s India IELTS business for £130 million on a debt free, cash free basis.  The terms also outline that British Council employees working on IELTS in India will become part of the IDP team. The transaction is subject to customary conditions with completion expected to occur in August.
The International English Language Testing System, or IELTS, is the world’s most popular English language test for study and migration and is trusted by more than 10,000 organisations around the world as a secure and reliable indicator of English language proficiency.
One of the key benefits of this sale is that customers will see continuity of the test they know and trust.
Andrew Barkla, CEO of IDP, said, “This agreement marks the start of a new chapter for IELTS in India.”
“By bringing together two expert teams, test takers can feel confident they are getting the best experience possible when taking their world-leading test,” Mr Barkla said.
“Our test takers can focus on preparing for their test as planned, and our team is here to make sure everything goes smoothly on test day,” he said.
“IELTS’ 30-year history and global partnership model means it has globally-standardised quality and integrity processes already built into every centre’s operations,” he added.
Mr Barkla said this agreement will help many people in India reignite their global goals.
“This agreement will see us move forward with expert teams, a strong strategy and a large geographic footprint across India,” he said.
“Together we are well-placed to help more people in India take the first step in achieving their global study, work and career ambitions.”
Kate Ewart-Biggs, Interim CEO of British Council, reiterated its commitment to its broader services in India.
“Distributing IELTS solely through IDP in India will simplify and improve the customer experience for IELTS test takers. As IDP already delivers IELTS in India, the high-quality service provided to IELTS customers will remain the same.” 
“To ensure we could continue to deliver on our global cultural relations mission, we explored strategic options for the English examinations business with IDP in India in 2020. The proceeds of the sale will enable British Council to improve its financial position following the impact of COVID-19 on our finances,” Ms Ewart-Biggs said.
“Our wider British Council work will continue in India. We remain committed to realising our goal of building trust and understanding between the United Kingdom and India through arts, education, assessment and the English language.”
“We would like to recognise the hard work of our staff across India who have worked tirelessly for many years and especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It is our leading British Council IELTS teams in India, now transitioning to IDP, who put their heart and soul into delivering safe and trusted testing services year on year.”
For media enquiries, please contact:
IDP: Rhys Ryan, Porter Novelli, rryan@porternovelli.com.au +61 427 227 719
British Council: Hayley Willis, Senior Media Manager, Hayley.Willis@britishcouncil.org M: +44 (0)7542 268 184
British Council: Aastha Jindal, Head of Communications, India, Aastha.jindal@britishcouncil.org  +91 9873 76 7744
Overall: Zeeshan Ali, The PRactice, zeeshan@the-practice.net +91 9716397000
For test takers:
Information for test takers is available here:
https://www.ieltsidpindia.com/information/announcement-ielts-in-india
About IELTS
IELTS (the International English Language Testing System) is the world’s most popular English language test for work, study and migration.
More than 10,000 organisations trust IELTS as a reliable indicator of true-to-life ability to communicate in English.
IELTS assesses a test taker’s English language proficiency across four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
Delivered on either a computer or paper, IELTS is the only high-stakes language test recognised for migration across Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
With a focus on human conversations, IELTS was a pioneer of four-skills English language testing more than 30 years ago. IELTS continues to set the standard for English language testing today.
About IDP
IDP is a leader in global education services. As an Australian listed company, we have operations in more than 50 countries and our websites attract 100 million visits a year.
We specialise in combining human expertise with our leading digital platform to help people get accepted into their ideal course, take an English language test or learn English in our schools.
Our teams are side by side with our customers every day, at every step from course search through to starting their dream course or career.
Our data insights are relied upon by organisations around the world to help ensure decisions are informed by the diverse needs, challenges and motivations of students.
Most of all, we are proud of our people. It is our trusted people and processes which help our customers turn their study or English goals into a launchpad for their career.
About British Council
British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We build connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.
Last year we reached over 80 million people directly and 791 million people overall including online, broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934, we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We received £179 million in grant funding from the UK government in 2021/22. .
British Council has been present in India for 73 years. In India, British Council creates opportunities for young people to succeed in a global environment by:
Supporting higher education, knowledge and research exchange. Accelerating student mobility between India and the UK. Enabling high quality education in schools with English language training for teachers, educators and students. Driving innovation and upskilling in the Arts and Culture sector. Providing secure access to a wide range of international examinations: professional exams, university exams and English Language tests.

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Reliance Digital Launches ‘Baaptaa’, a Father’s Day Campaign Celebrating the Many Expressions of Fatherhood

MUMBAI, India, June 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reliance Digital has launched ‘Baaptaa’, a Father’s Day campaign to celebrate the many expressions of fatherhood. Built around a simple cultural observation, while “Maa ki Mamta” has long been a part of India’s collective vocabulary, there has never been a word that captures the distinct ways fathers express love, the campaign introduces ‘Baaptaa’ as a tribute to the many shades of fatherhood.

Conceptualised as an original music-led campaign, Baaptaa celebrates fathers not as idealised figures, but as they are experienced in everyday life, protective, dependable, emotional, quirky, practical, occasionally embarrassing, and always present. Through a relatable narrative, the campaign acknowledges the countless ways fathers care for their families, often through actions rather than words.Watch Video: https://youtu.be/9XyUsJB33Ds?si=PM67vhxrzth1JEkz At the heart of the campaign is an original music video told from a father’s perspective, capturing the different roles he plays across life’s moments and milestones. The film brings to life the humour, warmth and unspoken affection that characterise father-child relationships, while giving a name to a form of love that many recognise but few have articulated.The campaign stems from a simple insight: while motherhood has often found expression through familiar phrases and popular references, the unique language of fatherhood has remained largely undefined. Baaptaa seeks to fill that gap by creating a term that reflects the everyday gestures, practical wisdom and quiet sacrifices that fathers make.Father’s Day communication often leans into familiar emotional territory, but Reliance Digital’s campaign celebrates fathers in a way that feels more culturally authentic and relatable. The idea for ‘Baaptaa’ came from a simple observation — mother’s love has been immortalised in a number of heartfelt, emotional songs, there needed to be an anthem dedicated to dad’s love. And thus was born Baaptaa – a love language that is often awkward, practical, protective, humorous and deeply felt, even if rarely verbalised. It’s a celebration of fatherhood in all its wonderfully imperfect forms immortalized by a song that you won’t be able to stop humming.Shop for the widest range of electronics at Reliance Digital and thank your father for his Baaptaa.

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Canara HSBC Life Insurance Celebrates Father’s Day with a Heartwarming Tribute to Dad Jokes

The digital film highlights how fathers express love through humour, turning everyday moments into lifelong memoriesNEW DELHI, June 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Canara HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited (“Canara HSBC Life Insurance”) today announced the launch of its Father’s Day digital film, a light-hearted and heartfelt tribute to fathers and their unique way of expressing love through humour. Celebrating the universally relatable phenomenon of ‘Dad Jokes’, the campaign shines a spotlight on the small yet meaningful moments that often become some of the most cherished family memories.

Presented in the style of a mock documentary, the film follows a sibling duo as they recount some of their father’s most memorable jokes—ranging from playful puns to classic one-liners. While the film begins with humour and nostalgia, it gradually reveals a deeper truth: behind every seemingly cringe-worthy dad joke lies a father’s sincere effort to connect, bring joy, and remind his family that he is always there for them.The campaign is rooted in the insight that fathers often express their emotions differently. Rather than through words alone, they communicate their care through everyday actions, practical guidance, shared experiences, and sometimes, through humour. Dad jokes may not always receive the loudest laughs, but they often become lasting reminders of a father’s presence, warmth, and unwavering support.Through relatable storytelling and candid family moments, the film celebrates fathers who may not always wear their emotions on their sleeves but consistently show up for their loved ones in their own unique ways. It captures how these seemingly ordinary interactions become treasured memories that families carry forward for years.Reflecting the campaign’s central message, Canara HSBC Life Insurance reiterates its belief in standing by every promise that matters. Just as fathers quietly support and protect their families through every stage of life, the company remains committed to helping customers secure their loved ones’ future and fulfil their financial commitments, truly embodying its promise of being a ‘Promises Ka Partner’.The campaign is now live across Canara HSBC Life Insurance’s X (twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram channels.IG- https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZwH5IKhCzG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== FB- https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1cSkxsFWNY/X- https://x.com/CanaraHSBCLI/status/2067808467205918962?s=20Li- https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7473574831364468737Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2997652/Canara_HSBC.jpgLogo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2739906/6008480/Canara_HSBC_Logo.jpg

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Harper Collins Publishers India is Delighted to Announce the Recent Publication of ‘People We Love’ by Preeti Shenoy

NEW DELHI, June 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HarperCollins Publishers India is delighted to share the recent publication of People We Love by bestselling author Preeti Shenoy. At once tender and sharp, this collection of stories offers intimate, truthful and relatable portraits of the people we cherish, the ones we lose, and the people we become.

ABOUT THE BOOKThe people we love never truly leave our story…In these tender yet piercing stories, Preeti Shenoy returns to some of her most beloved characters to reveal who they were before they appeared in her bestselling novels It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have.Aniket, a coder, carries the weight of a longing for Trisha that he cannot bring himself to act on. Nidhi abandons her corporate life to teach pottery, only to discover that clay is far more forgiving than the people she loves. A quiz competition sparks an unlikely romance between Aman and Shruti, one that must withstand parental disapproval and class divides. And Anjali, a journalist, is so busy chasing stories that she almost misses the one unfolding in her own life.Set against the pulse of contemporary India, People We Love explores the tug-of-war between duty and desire, family and freedom, who we are and who we dare to be. Intimate and deeply felt, these are stories about love that stays, leaves and almost slips away … love that quietly and irrevocably shapes the people we become.Preeti Shenoy, author, says, “People We Love is a collection of three long stories, prequels to my bestsellers It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have. If you have read those books, you already know how these characters’ stories unfold. But what you don’t know yet is where it all began, the loves they carried, the choices they made, and the people they were before life shaped them into who you met on those pages. Writing these prequels felt like returning to a home I hadn’t realised I missed, and discovering rooms I had never been in before.”Rashmi Menon, Associate Publisher – HarperCollins India, adds, “Preeti Shenoy has an extraordinary gift for finding the heartbeat of ordinary lives. People We Love is a warm, wise and deeply humane collection of short stories that reunites readers with favourite characters from her bestselling novels It’s All in the Planets and The One You Cannot Have, weaving them into fresh, deeply satisfying narratives. These characters feel like people you know, and their journeys will move, comfort and surprise you. This uplifting, thought–provoking collection reminds us why we turn to stories in the first place. We couldn’t be more excited to share it with our readers.”ABOUT THE AUTHOR Preeti Shenoy is among the highest-selling authors in India. She was featured on the Forbes longlist of the most influential celebrities in India. Her books include When Love Came Calling, Wake Up Life, Is Calling, Life Is What You Make It, The Rule Breakers, A Hundred Little Flames, It’s All in the Planets, Why We Love the Way We Do, The Secret Wish List, The One You Cannot Have and many others. Her work has been translated into many Indian languages. Preeti is also a motivational speaker, an avid fitness enthusiast, and an artist specializing in portraiture and illustrated journalling. Preeti lives in Bengaluru, Karnataka.ABOUT HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS INDIAAt HarperCollins Publishers India, we believe in telling the best stories and ensuring they reach the widest readership. We publish around 250 new books every year across 10 imprints, adding to a diverse catalogue of more than 3,000 titles in print and digital formats, with an array of genres and voices that ensure there is a book for every reader. Our authors have won some of the most prestigious literary awards, and we are proud to publish many acclaimed writers, alongside new and emerging voices shaping contemporary literature. We are also the publishers of The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga, winner of the Booker Prize 2008, and Girl in White Cotton by Avni Doshi, shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2020, and HarperCollins India itself has been awarded “Publisher of the Year” several times. In addition, we represent some of the finest global publishers such as Harvard University Press, Lonely Planet, Oneworld, Nosy Crow, Usborne, and National Geographic Children, bringing Indian readers access to world-class books and ideas. We are also proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work for two consecutive years, a recognition of our culture, people, and values that make HarperCollins India a truly inspiring workplace. PRESS CONTACT:Nandini Tripathi, Manager – Marketing (Commercial)Email: nandini.tripathi@harpercollins.co.in | Mobile: +91 9718928839Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2997583/HarperCollins_People_We_Love.jpgLogo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2105077/4665143/HarperCollins_Logo.jpg 

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