TOEFL – Test of English as a foreign language

Tests are generally meant to measure your ability and TOEFL is one way to test your English Language proficiency. It helps prove, you have the English skills and compute your aptitude to use and understand English. It also evaluates how well you combine your listening, reading, speaking and writing skills to perform various tasks. TOEFL has two formats, TOEFL IBT- TOEFL internet based test and TOEFL PBT- TOEFL paper based test.

Under the Royal Command, Royal Institute of Management in collaboration with Royal Civil Service Commission has conducted a first ever free counseling on TOEFL and IELTS for 10 days from 20/12/2010 to 30/12/2010.  No sooner after listening to the advertisement I dialed to the concerned authority to reserve a seat for me. And I was fortunate enough to grasp that wonderful prospect.

The session was inaugurated by honorable chair person of RCSC Lyonpo Thinley Jamtsho and also attended by Dasho Nado Rinchen and other dignitaries from RCSC. Lyonpo in his address stated that such programs will help our Bhutanese students and citizens wishing to go abroad to prepare themselves to compete for global scholarships as TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, etc…. scores are pre-requisites for their entry in various universities. There were total of 20 students attending TOEFL and 35 students for IELTS tutorial classes that makes to the total of 55 students.

The tutorial classes have begun on the same day at 4 pm right after the inaugural session. For the rest of the days the tutorial classes are scheduled from 4.30PM to 6.30PM so that the interested civil servants can also attain the classes without any hindrance on their work. We the students are briefed on TOEFL PBT as Bhutan doesn’t have access to IBT facilities.

For me I find the classes were very informative and educative. Though it may not have brought a drastic improvement in grammar, it makes us aware of the basic formats of TOEFL test. On the last two days we were briefed on writing resume, curriculum vitae, cover letter/letter of intent and prestigious scholarships available under RGOB, RCSC, AUSTRALIAN AID, AUSTRALIAN LEADERSHIP, ENDEAVOUR and so on by the RCSC recourse person.