The answer in one paragraph
IELTS in India costs INR 19,000 for IELTS on Computer, Academic or General Training, per the IDP IELTS India fee page read on 20 October 2026. The same page lists IELTS Writing on Paper at INR 19,000, IELTS for UKVI at INR 19,250, IELTS Life Skills (A1 and B1) at INR 18,000 and the One Skill Retake at INR 12,650. IDP is the organisation you book with in India; its home page says it has 140 or more test venues. There is no exam calendar to wait for: IDP's IELTS on Computer page says the test runs "up to 7 days a week, 3 times a day", which is why our dates block lists IELTS as a "book any time" row. Per IDP India, IELTS on Paper has been discontinued: its fee page and its IELTS on Computer page both say "IELTS on Paper has been discontinued", its Writing on Paper page says "IELTS on paper will no longer be available from mid-2026", and the paper option that remains in selected cities is Writing on Paper, with Listening and Reading on computer. The official pages do not print the date of the change, so we do not either; the booking form still showed an "IELTS on Paper" label when we read it on 21 October 2026, so if a paper date appears for your city, confirm it with IDP before you pay. Whatever format you pick, Speaking is still a recorded, face-to-face interview with an examiner, 11 to 14 minutes in three parts, per the ielts.org Speaking format page. The rest of this page is the detail: every fee, how the Speaking slot is set, the booking steps, what to carry, and what cancelling or moving a date costs.
- IELTS on Computer, Academic and General Training: INR 19,000.
- IELTS Writing on Paper: INR 19,000.
- IELTS for UKVI: INR 19,250. IELTS Life Skills A1 and B1: INR 18,000.
- One Skill Retake (any one of the four skills, computer tests only): INR 12,650.
- Date transfer: INR 4,750 (computer and Writing on Paper). Cancellation needs 9 or more days' notice.
- Who runs it: IDP IELTS India. Where: 140+ venues. When: up to 7 days a week, 3 sessions a day (IDP IELTS on Computer page).
Every IELTS fee in India on one table
The table below is the IDP India fee page, reorganised so that the test fee, the rescheduling fee and the Enquiry on Results (re-marking) fee for each product sit on one line. Every number is from that page. The page is headed 2026 and does not print an effective date next to the figures; counsellor sites quote 1 April 2026 for the rise to INR 19,000, but since the official page does not say so, we do not either. The Enquiry on Results page of IDP India says its fees are inclusive of all taxes; the fee page does not make the same statement about the test fee, so check the payment screen for any extra line before you pay.
| Product | Test fee | Date transfer fee | Enquiry on Results fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS on Computer (Academic or General Training) | INR 19,000 | INR 4,750 | INR 14,250 |
| IELTS Writing on Paper | INR 19,000 | INR 4,750 | INR 14,250 |
| IELTS for UKVI (Academic or General Training) | INR 19,250 | INR 4,850 | INR 14,400 |
| IELTS Life Skills (A1 and B1) | INR 18,000 | INR 4,500 | INR 13,500 |
| One Skill Retake | INR 12,650 | INR 3,200 | INR 9,450 |
Three things the table does not show. First, the Enquiry on Results fee is refunded in full if your band goes up, per the IDP India Enquiry on Results page; we explain when a Speaking re-mark is worth it on the results page linked below. Second, the One Skill Retake is a separate product with its own rules (computer tests only, within 60 days, once per test); the fee here is only the money. Third, Additional Test Report Forms: the fee page says the first five electronic reports to universities are free and each university beyond five costs INR 350.
Formats, and how often you can sit
Until 2026 most Indian candidates had a real choice between paper and computer. That choice has largely gone, so the "IELTS exam dates 2026" question now has a different answer from the one coaching centres still give.
IELTS on Computer
Listening, Reading and Writing on a computer at an IDP venue, Speaking with an examiner. Per the IDP India IELTS on Computer page it is "available up to 7 days a week, 3 times a day" and most results come "within 2 days". That page also says the Speaking test is "conducted through Video Call interview with a certified IELTS examiner in a quiet room": you are at the venue, the examiner is on a screen, and the test is otherwise identical in timing, parts and marking. The booking form shows the actual calendar for your city; availability differs from city to city, so look at the live calendar rather than at a list copied onto a blog.
IELTS Writing on Paper
IDP's page describes it as the computer test with one change: Listening and Reading on computer, and the Writing test completed by hand on paper. The page says "Test takers in selected locations will be able to choose the new Writing on Paper option when they book the IELTS test on computer", the fee page lists it at the same INR 19,000, and results come "typically within 2 days, just like IELTS on Computer". The same page says "Speaking remains face-to-face with a certified IELTS examiner". The same page carries the sentence that matters for anyone reading an old guide: "IELTS on paper will no longer be available from mid-2026". IDP's test-dates page still carries the older line that the test is offered on 48 fixed dates a year, up to 4 a month; treat the live calendar in the booking form as the truth and that line as a left-over from the paper era.
IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills
If your visa route asks for a Secure English Language Test, you book IELTS for UKVI, not standard IELTS. The IDP India UKVI page says "The UKVI will only accept tests taken in person at an official IELTS for UKVI test centre", so the venue list is shorter. The content and the Speaking test are the IELTS test; what differs is the centre and the fee, INR 19,250. IELTS Life Skills A1, A2 and B1 test Listening and Speaking only and give a Pass result rather than band scores, per the same IDP page and the ielts.org Life Skills page; IDP India prices A1 and B1 at INR 18,000. Our UK visa English test guide covers which route needs which test.
| Format | Listening, Reading, Writing | Speaking | How often (per IDP) | Results (per IDP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IELTS on Computer | Computer | Examiner, by video call at the venue | Up to 7 days a week, 3 sessions a day | Most within 2 days |
| IELTS Writing on Paper | Computer, Writing by hand | Examiner, face to face | Selected locations; chosen in the computer booking | Typically within 2 days |
| IELTS for UKVI | As above, at a UKVI centre | Examiner | UKVI centres only | 1 to 5 days (ielts.org) |
| IELTS Life Skills A1, A2, B1 | Not tested | Speaking and Listening together, Pass or Fail | UKVI centres only | Up to 9 days (ielts.org) |
The Speaking slot: same day, video call, how to choose
"IELTS speaking slot booking" is one of the most searched phrases around the Indian test, and the honest answer depends on your format.
- IELTS on Computer. IDP India's registration page says the Speaking test is on the same day as the other three parts and that your slot is shared with you two days before. You do not pick the hour; you receive it. IDP's IELTS on Computer page links to a "Choose Speaking Slot" page, but that page says the option is for candidates who opt for IELTS on Paper, so for the computer test expect the slot to be shared with you rather than chosen. Plan for a full day at the venue.
- Paper candidates. IDP's choose-your-Speaking-slot page, which it says applies to IELTS on Paper candidates, reads: "Log on 15 days before your test to choose your slot. If you haven't chosen a slot 10 days before your test, you will have one automatically allocated." IDP's registration page adds that paper candidates who do not choose are allocated a slot two days before the written test. With IELTS on Paper discontinued per IDP, ask the centre whether any of this applies to a Writing on Paper booking.
- Before or after. IDP's test-dates page says plainly that "the Speaking test may be held before or after the test date". Your confirmation email, not the calendar, is the final word on the day and time.
- Video call is normal. Many Indian candidates now meet the examiner on a screen in a quiet room at the venue. The format, the three parts, the 11 to 14 minutes and the marking are unchanged, per ielts.org. Practise once with a camera on, so the first time you speak English to a face on a monitor is not test day; our full mock Speaking test runs that way.
Our advice on slot timing (TalkDrill judgement, not a rule)
Where a choice exists, take a Speaking slot before the written parts or early in the day. The written parts take the best part of three hours (ielts.org puts the test at 2 hours 45 minutes), which leaves most people flatter and slower, and in our experience Fluency and coherence is the criterion that suffers first when you are tired. If your slot comes after the written test, eat, walk for ten minutes and warm up aloud on two Part 1 topics from our Part 1 questions before you go in.
How to book with IDP, step by step
The IDP India registration page, as read on 20 October 2026, asks you to pick a test and a city, then runs four numbered stages: "Select Test Date", "Personal Details", "Additional Information" and "Make Payment". Nothing here needs an agent; the only payment is the test fee.
- Test type. When we read it on 21 October 2026 the page offered IELTS on Computer, IELTS (Writing on Paper), Computer-delivered IELTS for UKVI Life Skills, and still an "IELTS on Paper" label, even though the fee page says IELTS on Paper is discontinued; if that option shows a date in your city, confirm it with IDP before paying. You also choose Academic or General Training during the booking. Check which one your university, employer or visa route names before you pay; the two are not interchangeable and the Speaking test is the same in both.
- City. IDP lists 140 or more venues across India; Writing on Paper appears only in the locations where it is offered.
- Date. The calendar shows live availability; IDP's own note is "Slots filling fast. Book early."
- Personal details and additional information. Type your name exactly as it appears on the identity document you will carry. A mismatch between the booking and the document can mean you are not admitted, and it is entirely avoidable.
- Speaking slot. For the computer test, same day, slot shared two days before (IDP registration page). For paper bookings, the same page says you choose during registration, or a slot is assigned two days before the written test.
- Payment. INR 19,000 for the computer test. Keep the registration email; IDP says it carries the user ID for the candidate login, where you see results and, if needed, book a One Skill Retake with the "Retake" button.
If you are still deciding between IELTS and PTE on cost or format, our PTE vs IELTS comparison covers scoring method, acceptance and results time; nurses heading to the UK, Ireland or Australia should also read the OET hub, because OET is accepted by the same regulators and its Speaking test is clinical role play rather than interview.
What to carry on the day
One document decides whether you sit the test: the identity document you registered with. The ielts.org results page describes it as "your passport or ID number (the same ID you used when you registered for the test)", and the examiner checks it again before Speaking, even when Speaking is on a different day or by video call. IDP India's identification-rules and test-day advice pages returned errors to every fetch we tried on 20 October 2026, so we have not quoted them; your booking confirmation email lists the exact document and the arrival time for your venue. Do not assume that Aadhaar, a PAN card or a driving licence will be accepted. The IDP fee page does add one rule we can quote: for a minor, "if a valid identity document of the parent or lawful guardian ... is not received by IDP India on or before the test day, the Test Taker will not be permitted to appear for the test", with 75% of the fee refunded in that case.
Beyond the document, carry nothing you would mind locking away: expect phones, watches and bags to go into storage at the venue, and read the confirmation email for what is allowed at the desk. For Speaking itself, you need nothing. The examiner gives you the Part 2 card, paper and a pencil, per the format described on ielts.org and in our Speaking test guide.
Reschedule, prepone, cancel: the rules and the cost
These are the IDP India fee page rules as read on 20 October 2026, with the global policy from the ielts.org policies page where it adds something.
| Action | Rule (IDP India fee page unless stated) | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer the date (IELTS on Computer or Writing on Paper) | ielts.org: the new date must be within three months of the original and "you can only transfer the same booking once" | INR 4,750 |
| Transfer the date (UKVI) | Same policy | INR 4,850 |
| Transfer the date (Life Skills) | Same policy | INR 4,500 |
| Transfer a One Skill Retake date | Same policy; the retake must still fall within 60 days of the original test | INR 3,200 |
| Prepone | The fee page FAQ: "you can prepone your IELTS exam 9 days before the original test date" | Transfer fee applies |
| Cancel IELTS on Computer or Writing on Paper | "A candidate can apply for cancellation only if the test date is at least 9 days or more from the date on which they are applying." If the application arrives less than 9 days before the test, "25% of the test fee will be charged". | Up to 25% of INR 19,000 retained |
| Cancel UKVI or Life Skills | More than 14 days before the test: 75% refund. Within 14 days but more than 2 days: 50%. Within 2 days: 25%. On the test day or after: no refund. | 25% to 100% retained |
| Cancel a One Skill Retake | At least 4 days before the test date: 25% of the test fee deducted. Less than 4 days before: no refund. | 25% to 100% of INR 12,650 |
Two practical notes. The page does not print a refund percentage for an on-time cancellation of the standard computer test, only the 9-day gate and the 25% late charge, so ask IDP in writing before you cancel and keep the reply. And ielts.org says the refund "is dependent upon when you cancel and whether exceptional circumstances apply"; if you are unwell, contact IDP before the test date, not after.
When to book, working back from your deadline
Because IELTS on Computer runs most days, the right question is not "when is the next date" but "when must the result be in someone's hands". Work backwards.
- The deadline. A university offer condition, a visa application, a regulator's registration window. Write the date down.
- Results. ielts.org gives 1 to 5 days for IELTS on Computer; IDP India says most within 2 days. Electronic Test Report Forms reach organisations through the candidate portal, so a courier is rarely on the path.
- One retake. If one skill, often Speaking, comes out half a band short, the One Skill Retake must be sat within 60 days of the original test and its results take 3 to 5 days per ielts.org. A first sitting about ten weeks before the deadline leaves room for one retake and its result. That ten weeks is our judgement, not an IDP rule.
- Preparation. Book the date first and prepare towards it. Our 30-day Band 7 plan (linked below) is built for a candidate who already holds a date.
Our exam dates page shows IELTS as a pattern row, "book any time", with a One Skill Retake note; the 60-day window runs from the original test date per ielts.org. We re-check the IDP fee and dates pages weekly; the verified date is at the top of the IELTS Speaking hub.
Costs beyond the fee, and what is free
INR 19,000 is rarely the whole bill, so here is the rest of it, each item with its source.
- A second attempt. A full retake is another INR 19,000. A One Skill Retake is INR 12,650 and is only possible after a computer test (IDP India OSR page and ielts.org). The decision between the two is on our results page.
- Enquiry on Results. INR 14,250 for the computer test, refunded in full if the band rises (IDP India EOR page). IDP's fee page says to expect the outcome in 2 to 3 weeks, up to 4 in rare cases.
- Additional Test Report Forms. First five electronic reports free, then INR 350 per university (IDP fee page).
- Moving the date. INR 4,750, once, within three months.
- Coaching. Optional. Speaking practice needs a listener and feedback more than a classroom. Our IELTS Speaking practice is free to start, the IELTS Speaking questions and answers book is free, and the three parts are covered in our guides to Part 2 cue cards and Part 3 questions.
What is free from the test makers: the sample questions on ielts.org, the public Speaking band descriptors PDF, and the IDP India band-score explainer. Our official resources page lists each with one line on what to use it for. Nothing on this page is from a counsellor's fee table; if a figure here ever disagrees with the IDP fee page on the day you book, the IDP page wins and we would like to know.