-APS Noorpuri
Chandigarh, December 12, 2025 – ETS, the global leader in educational assessment and creator of the TOEFL iBT test, hosted a TOEFL Experience Days event in Chandigarh on December 12, 2025. The event offered an early look at the enhanced TOEFL iBT launching on January 21, 2026, bringing TOEFL experts together with leading educators, advisors, and partners for an immersive deep dive into the upcoming changes. This experiential format reinforces ETS’s commitment to strengthening partnerships that enable educators and advisors to better support test-taker success. Mr. Sidnei Rodrigues de Souza, Executive Director, Global Partnerships & Sales Management, ETS shared details of the new enhancements made in the TOEFL iBT test with the media .
Mr. Sidnei Rodrigues de Souza said, “We are updating both the content and the overall flow of the TOEFL. We are strengthening its connection to real-world communication and expanding our test-prep portfolio for educators—an effort that has been widely appreciated by stakeholders. The enhancements also address adaptability by tailoring questions to the proficiency level of each test taker. In addition, the introduction of AI-powered scoring is expected to make the evaluation process even more precise.”
“We have selected only a few regions worldwide for this initiative, and Punjab is at the top of that list. We recognize the region’s importance, especially with the growing interest in studying abroad among its students,” added Mr. Sidnei Rodrigues de Souza.
Notably,For ETS, Chandigarh and Punjab represent an integral part of the northern India education landscape. ETS India currently operates three active test centers in the city, ensuring seamless capacity management and consistent service delivery. These centers collectively cater to a high candidate footfall, reinforcing ETS India’s strong brand presence in this strategically important market.
At the event, participants received early, hands-on exposure to the enhanced TOEFL iBT, exploring the updated format and its improvements firsthand. They engaged in focused sessions on upcoming test enhancements, the educational and fairness principles behind each section, and how the redesigned test better supports today’s learners in a competitive global admissions landscape. Attendees also interacted directly with ETS experts, gaining deeper insights into test design, scoring, and preparation best practices, while addressing institution-specific questions related to how they guide their students and test-takers.Speaking about this development, Mr. Omar Chihane, Global General Manager, TOEFL, ETS in a statement said, “Chandigarh is a cornerstone market for ETS in northern India, particularly for study-abroad aspirants. The region continues to show strong growth in outbound student mobility, with many students relying on TOEFL iBT scores to access top universities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. As we prepare for the launch of the enhanced TOEFL iBT on January 21, 2026, this event represents an important step in strengthening our partnerships with educators, advisors, and learners across the region. The redesigned TOEFL iBT is designed to deliver a fairer, more intuitive, and tailored experience, empowering our partners to better support the next generation of globally mobile students.”
In addition to experiential sessions, teachers and partners received classroom-ready resources, and learned about official preparation guidance from Study.com, ETS’s trusted TOEFL Test Prep Partner, alongside TOEFL Practice Test and the Official TOEFL Prep Course. The event also provided a collaborative space for Chandigarh’s educator community to exchange insights, discuss evolving student needs, and explore how stronger regional partnerships can improve test-taker readiness and outcomes across Punjab and Haryana.
For more information on TOEFL Experience Days in India, or to learn about upcoming educator engagements, please contact the ETS India team. Information on the enhanced TOEFL iBT, covering formats, preparation resources, and registration is available at www.ets.org/toefl.
