New Delhi, Mar 11: Ninety-eight per cent HR leaders in India say their organisations would be more efficient if better English assessments were used during hiring, while most of them believe AI cannot compensate for poor English proficiency, according to the TOEIC Global English Skills Report released by Educational Testing Services (ETS).
Princeton-based ETS, which is known for conducting exams like TOEFL and GRE, has published the report based on an online survey of 87 HR decision makers in India.
The research is part of a broader ETS survey of 1,325 HR decision makers in 17 countries — Brazil, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, India, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE and Vietnam.
“In India, 97 per cent of employers say English proficiency is more important now than it was five years ago. Despite widespread use of English assessments, HR decision makers in India continue to report unmet needs, particularly around proven quality and cost. Organisations also face persistent barriers related to constraints around integration, time and scaling,” the report said.
“Most HR leaders believe AI cannot compensate for poor English proficiency, reinforcing the need for reliable assessment,” it added.
While 94 per cent of HR decision makers in India say increased global collaboration heightens the need for English proficiency, 84 per cent of HR leaders in India say lacking English proficiency creates a competitive disadvantage.
Ninety-eight per cent of HR leaders in India believe their organisation would be more efficient if better English assessments were used during hiring.
The report cited that 87 per cent of HR decision makers in India say AI integration increases the need for English proficiency.
“India’s talent base is playing an increasingly important role in global business and technology ecosystems,” said Ajay Pratap Singh, Regional Director, South Asia at ETS.
“As organisations scale internationally and adopt new technologies, employers are placing greater emphasis on language readiness as part of workforce capability. The findings reinforce that companies are looking for clearer ways to evaluate English proficiency so they can build teams that are prepared for global collaboration and the evolving demands of the workplace,” he added.
Singh explained that the findings suggest a growing shift toward more formal evaluation of English proficiency in hiring and talent development, as Indian employers look to strengthen workforce capability, productivity and long- term competitiveness.
Globally, the TOEIC Global English Skills Report reflects a similar trend. Ninety per cent of employers say English proficiency is critical to organisational success, while 81 per cent report that the integration of AI tools is increasing the need for stronger workplace English skills.
“AI doesn’t close the skills gap. People do. What this research makes clear is that English is now a core workforce capability, not a soft skill. It is how employees collaborate across borders, how organisations unlock the value of AI, and how talent stays relevant in a rapidly changing economy. Companies that invest in English proficiency are investing directly in productivity, innovation, and global competitiveness,” said Ratnesh Jha, Global General Manager of Institutional Products at ETS.
