Trinity College introduces GESE India, Business Standard, 15 April 2008

BS Reporter / Chennai/ Hyderabad April 15, 2008

London-based Trinity College, together with city-based Orient Longman, has introduced Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE) India to grade and certify the spoken skills of students.

Speaking on the occasion, Trinity College chairman Euan Michael Ross Geddes said here that there was a large gap between what is taught at the schools and colleges and what is expressed outside. The GESE examinations are conducted face-to-face by trained examiners.

At present, GESE India offers testing upto grade 3. In all, there are 12 grades covering the initial, elementary, intermediate and advanced users of language.

“The test is interactive and looks for spontaneity of students,” he said, adding that the tests do not require any special books nor do they deviate from the school curricula.

The grades are aligned to the Common European Framework.of Reference to provide international standards. Trinity College had trained language teachers here to act as examiners. The examinations are conducted round the year, he said.

In Andhra Pradesh, there are 40 centres, most of them schools, conducting the GESE tests. So far, about 3,000 students have taken the test. The fee is Rs 600 for grade 1, Rs 720 for grade 2 and Rs 850 for grade 3. Grades 4 to 12 cost between Rs 3,000 and Rs 6000 for each module.