Ten youngsters have each won Rs. 3 lakh as the British Council IELTS Awards 2015, as tuition fees for their undergraduate studies abroad. To get the money, they had to go through a rigorous application process, which included essay writing on a topic of their choice in English, a presentation and interview.
The topics this year included ‘Clean India – attitude change is more important than the movement’ and ‘Academic achievement is more important for society than creative achievements. How far do you agree with this statement?’
“I wish to come back to India and work towards bringing issues of women’s education to the forefront and encourage their public and political participation,” says Aamena Ahmad, a student from Gurgaon, who will be pursuing a master’s in development studies from the Graduate Institute Geneva, Switzerland.
“From attending movie festivals to seminars, British Council has been an integral part of my life. Going through the application process has made me more confident. In my career spanning over seven years, I made a presentation for the first time,” said Susmita Dey who wishes to pursue a master’s in publishing from Simon Fraser University, Canada.
Speaking at the award ceremony held in Mumbai, Sarah Deverall, director – exams, British Council India, said, “The outcome of this sixth annual British Council IELTS Awards programme reflected an increase in the number of awards as compared to last year. IELTS is not just an international benchmark for English language proficiency but also a facilitator to help students realise their academic dreams of studying and living abroad.”
{{/usCountry}}Speaking at the award ceremony held in Mumbai, Sarah Deverall, director – exams, British Council India, said, “The outcome of this sixth annual British Council IELTS Awards programme reflected an increase in the number of awards as compared to last year. IELTS is not just an international benchmark for English language proficiency but also a facilitator to help students realise their academic dreams of studying and living abroad.”
{{/usCountry}}Sharon Memis, regional director – west, British Council India, says, “These awards are a realisation of the British Council’s vision to enable people to achieve more for themselves and bring about change by enhancing English speaking skills. Effective communication is crucial to convey ideas, knowledge and capabilities both in a social and professional context. Our English skills assessment helps test takers to unlock their potential for academic excellence and create opportunities for themselves by evaluating their strengths and weaknesses. Over the past five years, the British Council has awarded more than 40 students with scholarships to help fund their courses at universities abroad.”
IELTS is recognised as a world’s leading international English language test.