IDP Education has announced that IELTS in India will transition entirely from the paper-based format to IELTS on Computer from September 2026.

The company said IELTS on Paper will remain available until the end of August 2026. Candidates wishing to take the paper-based test can register for the final three test dates on July 25, August 6 and August 22.

From September, candidates will be able to choose between two computer-based options. In the standard IELTS on Computer format, the Listening, Reading and Writing sections will be completed on a computer, while the Speaking test will continue to be conducted face-to-face with a certified IELTS examiner.

The second option, IELTS on Computer (Writing on Paper), will allow candidates to complete the Listening and Reading sections on a computer while writing the Writing section on paper. The Speaking test will also remain face-to-face with a certified IELTS examiner.

According to IDP Education, the computer-based format will retain the same test structure, question pattern, level of difficulty and scoring criteria as the paper-based test. The format also provides features such as an on-screen timer, question navigation, digital editing during the Writing section and headphone-based audio for the Listening section.

IELTS, jointly owned by IDP Education, has been used for English language assessment for more than 35 years and is recognised by over 12,000 organisations worldwide. The organisation said more than 3.5 million IELTS tests were booked globally last year.

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