IELTS officially speaks out about score fixing, university says it is reviewing the whole thing

IELTS exam representatives have just made an official announcement about a recent 'technical problem' that caused many candidates to increase or decrease their scores, while universities say they are conducting a review to ensure the rights of learners.

Candidates taking the IELTS exam in Vietnam

PHOTO: BRITISH COUNCIL

Working with IELTS accepting organizations

As Thanh Nien reported, since the afternoon of November 12, many candidates in Vietnam have unexpectedly received letters from IELTS test partners, stating that their previous test results were suddenly adjusted due to a "technical problem" on the part of the organizing unit. This happened in the listening or reading section or both, and IELTS said that the old score report (TRF) would no longer be valid.

According to Thanh Nien ’s preliminary survey of some affected candidates, many said their scores had increased, in some cases up to IELTS 9.0 overall. However, there were also cases where scores had decreased compared to the initial results.

In response to candidates' concerns, Thanh Nien immediately contacted relevant parties on the night of November 12 to ask for official comments. Responding to Thanh Nien tonight (November 13), the IELTS spokesperson reaffirmed that a "technical problem" had been discovered during the test organization process. This led to "a small percentage" of candidates receiving inaccurate results between August 2023 and September this year, or more than 2 years, according to this person.

"More than 99% of IELTS tests globally during this period were not affected and there are currently no incidents affecting ongoing IELTS tests," he emphasized, but did not specifically disclose the number of affected candidates worldwide and in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, according to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Training, in 2022, a total of 124,567 IELTS certificates were issued in Vietnam, despite being affected by the exam postponement incident in November 2022.

The representative added that IELTS is implementing two measures in parallel. The first is to contact the affected candidates to update them on the results, express sincere apologies and provide necessary support. The second is to work with IELTS-accepting registration organizations, test centers, management agencies and relevant authorities regarding the incident.

If candidates do not receive any notification, according to IELTS, their results will not be affected. Meanwhile, for those affected, the two solutions IELTS offers are to refund the test fee or allow free retesting on another date, but require candidates to confirm which option they choose by May 2026.

"We apply strict quality control procedures to ensure the integrity of the millions of IELTS tests administered each year, and have implemented comprehensive measures to ensure that similar incidents do not occur. IELTS is committed to maintaining the highest standards of security, fairness and transparency in the administration of the test," the representative said.

"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or impact this may cause," the person said.

The review "will face many difficulties"

Also sharing with Thanh Nien this evening, some universities said they will review all certificates of candidates admitted to the school related to IELTS certificates.

Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Xuan Hoan, Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade, said the school will set up a council to review cases of IELTS score changes, including both input and output. However, according to Associate Professor Hoan, this will face many difficulties due to the lack of official data, depending on the honesty of the learners.

"When IELTS adjusts, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade will adjust accordingly to ensure the rights of learners," the Principal of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry and Trade shared.

Master Cu Xuan Tien, Head of Admissions and Communications Department of University of Economics and Law (Ho Chi Minh City National University), also informed that the school is currently conducting a review. When the results are available, the school will consider handling options according to the instructions of the Ministry of Education and Training and Ho Chi Minh City National University.

Similarly, a representative of Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry also said that they are currently waiting for instructions from the Ministry of Education and Training on this matter to handle.

IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an international English language testing system recognized by thousands of governments , universities and businesses worldwide. The exam was launched in 1989 and is currently jointly owned by IDP, the British Council and Cambridge Assessment English. According to statistics from test organizers, over 2 million candidates take the IELTS exam worldwide every year.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ielts-len-tieng-chinh-thuc-ve-viec-sua-diem-dai-hoc-noi-dang-ra-soat-toan-bo-185251113202750521.htm