A spokesperson apologised to these affected, including that the agency accepts duty for the error
Examination takers got the incorrect mark (Picture: Getty)
An examination board has been fined £875,000 after awarding migrants with English language check passes once they truly failed. Listening and studying components of the check, completed utilizing the Worldwide English Language Testing System (IELTS) from Cambridge English, a part of Cambridge College, had been marked utilizing a pc. An auto-marking error led to 93,865 responses being incorrectly marked by the system among the many 7.7million assessments taken between the affected dates, regulator Ofqual stated. In a 3rd of these instances with incorrect marks, the errors had no impression on element or general outcomes.
The check’s listening and studying parts, taken by candidates on-screen, had been robotically marked by a pc system, utilizing predefined solutions set by human topic consultants. IELTS stated that, through the affected interval – August 24, 2023, and 4 September 4, 2025 – 7,786,614 IELTS check situations had been processed. Of which, 63,216 check situations concerned a change of end result at element or qualification degree, affecting 62,794 particular person learners, and 21,717 check situations noticed a change at qualification degree – 20,602 upward adjustments and 1,115 downward.
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Checks had been completed utilizing the Worldwide English Language Testing System (IELTS) from Cambridge English, a part of Cambridge College (Picture: Getty)
UK visa associated assessments accounted for 1,108 of affected assessments. 279 of those noticed a CEFR change.
Of those, there have been 4 instances the place incorrect outcomes impacted visa eligibility. In every of those situations, the affected check taker subsequently resat and met entrance necessities.
26,246 check takers requested and obtained a refund, 1,145 check takers requested and obtained a resit and 270 complaints had been obtained.
24 had been upheld. Of those, 19 complaints associated to a “missed alternative”.
Amanda Swann, Ofqual’s Govt Director for Supply, stated: “Tens of 1000’s of individuals took these assessments with the expectation of correct outcomes which affect essential selections.
“Those that took these assessments, in addition to those that used them, had been let down by systemic failures over an extended interval and our important fantastic displays this.
“We’ll at all times step in to guard the integrity of assessments and keep public confidence in regulated {qualifications}.”
A spokesman for IELTS apologised to these affected, including that the agency accepts duty for the error.
“As soon as this problem was recognized, we acted to rectify it, correcting outcomes and supporting folks,” they stated. “We provided refunds or resits to everybody affected.
“We addressed further assist requests, together with for 19 people who contacted us relating to doubtlessly missed alternatives. We labored straight with organisations and related authorities to assist mitigate any hurt.
“We’ve carried out an intensive overview of what occurred and have applied further operational controls and safeguards to forestall a recurrence.”
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