Ten Indian students have been declared as winners of the British Council IELTS Awards 2015

Report by India Education bureau, New Delhi: Ten Indian students have been declared as winners of the British Council IELTS Awards 2015 and will receive INR 300,000 each towards the cost of tuition fees for undergraduate study abroad.

 

The British Council IELTS Awards were launched in 2010 with the objective of assisting Indian students intending to study at universities abroad. More than 40 students have now had the chance to study at universities abroad thanks to the IELTS Awards.

 

Each of the winners was picked out from over a thousand applicants, all hoping to win the grand prize to facilitate their study abroad dreams. The rigorous applications process included essay writing on a topic of their choice in English, a presentation to the judges panel and interviews. This year, students chose topics as diverse as ‘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?’

 

“As I continued my studies to postgraduate, I wanted to be self-reliant in funding. This was the main reason I chose to apply for the British Council IELTS Awards. I feel extremely honoured to be one of only ten students to receive this award.

 

“Another significance this award has for me is that I am the first woman on my mother’s side of the family to be pursuing education outside India. Knowing that there are women in my family who have struggled to complete even their schooling, I feel humbled to be given this opportunity. I hope to come back and work in India to work towards bringing issues of women’s education to the forefront and encourage their public and political participation,” said Aamena Ahmad, a student from Gurgaon. Aamena will be taking up her place at The Graduate Institute Geneva, Switzerland to pursue a Masters in Development Studies.

 

“From movie festivals to seminars, British Council has formed an integral part of my life in Delhi. I have tried to keep up with the opportunities it offers and I am delighted to have been chosen as an IELTS Award winner this year. The prize money will help me to settle in directly to the course, without having to worry about administrative tasks. The applications process for the IELTS Awards has also helped instil confidence in me. It was the first time I have made a presentation and talked on a topic in front of a panel of judges even in my career that has spanned almost seven years! I started working as a sub-editor for the science and environment magazine, Down To Earth, at the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi. From the magazine I graduated to editing school education books at Oxford University Press, New Delhi. I now want to take this forward and pursue a Masters in Publishing from Simon Fraser University, Canada and the British Council IELTS has helped me to get there,” said Susmita Dey, a winner of the IELTS Awards 2015 from Noida.

 

Speaking at the awards ceremony held in Mumbai, Sarah Deverall, Director - Exams, British Council India, said: “The outcomes of this sixth annual British Council IELTS Awards programme are further proof of the sheer talent amongst our student applicants from around India, also reflected in the increase in the number of awards as compared to last year. I am delighted to be presenting the deserving winners with their awards in recognition of their achievements so far.  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. I wish our winners and all of our applicants all the very best for the future.”

 

Sharon Memis, Regional Director – West, British Council India, said: “The British Council IELTS Awards are a realisation of the British Council’s vision to enable people to achieve more for themselves and bring about change by raising the level of English for all. 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. We are proud about the fact that over the past five years, the British Council has awarded more than 40 students with scholarships to help fund their courses at universities abroad. International experiences are at the heart of the British Council’s mission and we are glad to facilitate and help students pursue their aspirations in countries abroad”

 

The British Council IELTS Awards were presented to winners by guest of honour Sarah Deverall and Sharon Memis.

 

International English Language Testing System (IELTS), recognised as the world’s leading international English language test, is designed to evaluate the ability to communicate in English for education, immigration and professional accreditation worldwide. IELTS is now accepted by more than 9,000 educational institutions, employers, professional associations and governments in 145 countries around the world – including over 3,000 institutions and programs in the USA as a measure of English Language proficiency.