India’s English Proficiency Outshines Global Average, Delhi Tops the Chart: Pearson Report

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): India's proficiency in speaking English surpasses the global average with Delhi topping the chart, followed by Rajasthan and Punjab, according to the Pearson Global English Proficiency Report. The report, released on Monday provides a comprehensive analysis of English proficiency trends across countries like India, the Philippines, Japan, Egypt, Colombia and Europe. It aggregates data from approximately 7,50,000 Versant tests conducted globally, offering a detailed snapshot of current language skills and emerging trends.

The report reveals that while India's overall English proficiency score (52) is below the global average (57) the country's English speaking score (57) exceeds the global average (54). India's English writing score (61) is equal to the global average in that area. Delhi leads with the highest English speaking score (63), followed by Rajasthan (60) and Punjab (58). Giovanni Giovannelli, president of Pearson's English Language Learning division, highlighted the importance of English proficiency in today's global economy, emphasizing that the report provides business leaders with valuable insights for making informed decisions on hiring and workforce development.

The report also notes significant growth in English skills in India in recent years, driven by the need for voice-based testing and written English in business contexts. The report predicts this trend will continue. It stresses that Indian business leaders recognize the value of accurately testing English skills to reduce mis-hires and protect credibility, especially in large-scale hiring scenarios. In India, the finance and banking sector stands out with the highest speaking score of 63, surpassing the global average of 56. On the other hand, the healthcare sector scored the lowest at 45, which the report attributes to the sector's rapid expansion and the focus on increasing job access. Sectors like Technology, Consulting and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) are performing strongly, consistently aligning with or exceeding global benchmarks.