The number of Indian students taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) has surpassed the number of American students, The Economic Times reported. This marks the first time in the more than 80-year history of the GRE that a country outside the US has had more test-takers.
“This shows the growing demand for GRE in India,” said Amit Sevak, the CEO of Education Testing Service (ETS), which conducts the GRE told ET.
According to data from the GRE Worldwide Test Taker Report (July 2015-June 2020), the number of US citizens taking the exam has dropped by 61% compared to the 2019-20 cycle, when 250,274 people took the test. During the June-July 2022-23 testing year, the countries with the highest number of citizens who took the GRE were India (113,304), the US (97,676) and China (57,769), as reported by ETS. However, data showed that during the same period, the number of Indians taking the GRE increased by 62% from 69,835.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, test centres worldwide had to shut down, leading to a decrease in the number of people taking the GRE. This was also due to the test-optional movement, where universities waived GRE application requirements. However, most institutions have now reinstated the test.
In the 2022-23 GRE testing year in India, the most popular intended graduate majors were physical sciences (35%), undecided (29%), and engineering (13%), the ET report mentioned. While GRE test-takers are interested in studying in all regions of the United States, they show a particular interest in the southern (24%) and western (23%) regions. Among non-US regions, Canada (11%) and Western Europe (10%) were the most favored. According to ETS, an increasing number of Indian higher education institutions, including business schools, now recognize GRE scores.
“There’s a growing focus on studying in India, attracting more and more international students to come to India. This is a way to internationalize Indian higher education,” Sevak told ET.
The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a standardized test that is an essential part of the admissions process for many graduate schools in the United States, Canada, and a few other countries globally. It is owned and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The GRE is a computer-based, multiple-choice, and standardized exam that is often a requirement for admission to graduate programs and graduate business programs, including MBA programs.
