Is IELTS computer-delivered in India?
According to IDP India, yes. Its IELTS on Computer page says IELTS on Paper has been discontinued, and ielts.org (5 March 2026) says that from mid-2026 IELTS will no longer be offered as a paper-based test, with timelines varying by market. None of the pages read gives an exact cut-off date for India: IDP India's Writing on Paper page says only that IELTS on paper will no longer be available from mid-2026.
IDP India's announcement page says all IELTS tests in India have been delivered by IDP since 25 July 2021, under an agreement with the British Council. ielts.org says all current paper-based test results are not affected and will remain valid until the end of the recommended two-year period.
One point is not fully settled. When checked in October 2026, IDP India's separate IELTS on paper page had a banner saying paper has been discontinued, yet its body text still described paper test dates and results after 7 calendar days. Prepare for computer, and confirm the format on your booking.
This page covers IELTS Academic and General Training. Check IELTS for UKVI and other test types with IDP India.
Computer vs paper IELTS: what is the same and what differs
Going by IDP India and ielts.org, there may be no paper test left to choose between. The options they describe are two ways of sitting IELTS on computer: IELTS on Computer, with every answer on screen, and the Writing on Paper option, where only Writing is handwritten.
What stays the same
- ielts.org says the skills assessed, the test construct and how institutions interpret results do not change, and that scores are comparable across formats. IDP India says the question pattern, format, difficulty and scoring match paper.
- ielts.org says Writing task types, scoring and time allocation are the same in either Writing mode, and the Test Results Form will not say which you chose.
What differs
- Listening, Reading and Writing questions are shown on screen and you enter answers on the computer (ielts.org).
- In the Writing on Paper option you handwrite Task 1 and Task 2 on paper provided. IDP India's Writing on Paper page says test takers in selected locations will be able to choose it and names none, while its articles on Writing on Paper in India give a start date for the option in India of 1 September 2026 in most of them (with advance booking from 1 July) and of 1 July 2026 in one, so they do not agree; confirm with IDP India that your centre offers it. ielts.org's ways to take IELTS page says it is available in selected countries, and its page for organisations says it is planned from mid-2026; neither names a country. ielts.org adds that it is not available for IELTS for UKVI.
What changes on computer, section by section
Section times come from ielts.org's Academic and General Training test pages, and the on-screen details from its ways to take IELTS page and IDP India's pages; parts, question counts and Writing task details are the standard IELTS format.
| Section | Time and parts | On computer |
|---|---|---|
| Listening | Approximately 30 minutes, 4 parts, 40 questions | Questions on screen; answers entered on the computer. |
| Reading | 60 minutes, 3 sections, 40 questions | Questions on screen; answers entered on the computer. |
| Writing | 60 minutes, 2 tasks (Task 1 at least 150 words; Task 2 at least 250, worth twice as much) | Tasks on screen, answers entered on the computer; handwritten in the Writing on Paper option. |
| Speaking | 11 to 14 minutes, 3 parts | An interview with a trained examiner. |
Speaking: an interview with an examiner
The sources agree that Speaking is an examiner interview but differ on the format, and IDP India's own pages differ from each other. ielts.org's ways to take IELTS page describes a face-to-face session at a test centre (and a video call for IELTS Online), while its Guide for Test Takers says face to face or via video call. IDP India's IELTS on Computer page and its computer FAQ describe Video Call Speaking (one FAQ answer also mentions face-to-face testing), while its Writing on Paper page says face to face, and its articles give video call, face to face or either. Confirm the arrangement for your booking with IDP India.
How long do computer-delivered IELTS results take?
IDP India says most computer results arrive within 2 days, and 1 to 2 days after the last section in its computer FAQ; its Writing on Paper page says typically within 2 days. ielts.org gives wider figures:
- Its test-taker page says 1 to 5 days after test completion; its page for organisations says 1 to 2 days.
- For Writing on Paper, it says results come within 5 days of the test date.
Treat these as typical rather than promised, and plan around the longer range if a deadline matters.
Where to take IELTS on computer in India
When checked in October 2026, IDP India's IELTS on Computer page listed centres in these places: Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Anand, Bathinda, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Goa, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Karnal, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mumbai, New Delhi, Noida, Pune, Rajkot, Surat, Thane, Vadodara and Vijayawada.
That is a snapshot, and a place missing from it may still have a centre: IDP India's pages and ielts.org's finder show more places, and IDP India's figures for its network differ by page, so this page quotes no total. The pages read do not confirm that every listed centre runs every test type. Use IDP India's test centres page or ielts.org's test-centre finder to check your city.
Computer-based IELTS tips: how to practise
Learn the screens with the official untimed practice, rehearse typing both Writing tasks inside 60 minutes, and keep Speaking practice live.
- IDP India's familiarisation test. Untimed practice for Listening, Academic Reading and Academic Writing, with answer PDFs.
- ielts.org's sample questions. They show how the test looks on a computer. The practice is not timed, and the timer, highlighting and notes can work differently in the live test. The General Training computer practice uses Academic questions for Reading and Writing.
General study advice (not from IDP India or ielts.org)
This is general study advice, and it promises no band. The practice above is untimed, so you set the timing.
- Time both Writing tasks in one sitting. Type both within 60 minutes, decide your order of tasks beforehand, and leave a few minutes to re-read. If you expect Writing on Paper, practise by hand.
- Read passages on screen and type Listening answers. Try the highlighting and notes tools without relying on them working identically on the day.
- Keep Speaking live. Practise aloud with someone, and time your Part 2 talk with the Speaking Part 2 timer.
One Skill Retake and IELTS Online in India
One Skill Retake. ielts.org's One Skill Retake page says you can retake one skill within 60 days of the full test, only if that test was IELTS on computer, and to check availability with your test centre. IDP India's own page words its availability inconsistently (checked October 2026), so confirm with your centre. See One Skill Retake or full retake.
IELTS Online. Neither ielts.org nor any IDP India page read names India for IELTS Online, and IDP's global FAQ says it is available in over 60 countries without naming them. Ask IDP India before planning around it.
Where one-to-one lessons with Mike fit
Band Booster IELTS is a private tutoring service, not a test centre or the exam board: it does not register candidates, set exam fees or dates, or provide the test software. Mike, a Cambridge CELTA-certified teacher based in Hanoi, teaches every session himself, one-to-one and live on Google Meet in English. His own IELTS result is 7.5 overall with 8.5 in Speaking; see about Mike.
For the computer format, lessons can help in two places:
- Writing and timing. Practise Task 1 and Task 2 with timing in mind and get feedback during the session, with your Writing marked against the public band descriptors. See IELTS Writing feedback.
- The three-part Speaking test. Practise Parts 1, 2 and 3 in the real test format, with feedback in the moment. See IELTS Speaking coaching.
For the on-screen experience itself, use the practice above. No band is promised: progress depends on your starting point and the work between sessions. More is on the online IELTS tutor for India page.
Time zone and booking. Hanoi (UTC+7) is 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of India (UTC+5:30, per CSIR-NPL) all year; the IANA time zone database shows no current daylight saving for either. The booking page shows every slot in your own time and your lesson price in your own currency before you pay, with payment options listed there. A paid 30-minute trial can be taken once, on your first booking, and rescheduling is at no charge up to 12 hours before a lesson.
Registration, fees and dates
Register with IDP India through its website. Exam fees and test dates change, so this page quotes none. See also Academic or General Training.