HYDERABAD: Here is some bad news for students planning to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test. Registrations for the current format of GRE general test are closed in India as of now, due to heavy demand. The GRE is conducted by Education Testing Services (ETS), a private US-based company. Admissions into the universities in the United States are based on GRE scores.

An announcement on the GRE website says that "Due to extremely high registration volumes in India from January 1, 2007 to July 31, 2007, test registration for the current GRE General Test is now closed."

It further says that test takers unable to register for the current GRE general test will need to register for the revised GRE general test, which will be introduced in September 2007. Registration for the revised general test will begin in July 2007. This means no Indian student will be able to appear for the test till September and the old format.

Consultants for overseas education and institutes offering GRE coaching feel the heavy demand is perhaps due to students' reluctance to take the new format of GRE that will come into effect from September. "Everyone is apprehensive and wants to play safe with the present format since scores actually decide the choice of universities and the scholarships," opined a consultant.

P. Viswanath, Director, TIME, an institute offering GRE coaching says the demand may also be due to the fact that under the new system, the test would be conducted only 29 times a year, unlike the present system when they can write throughout the year. He, however, feels that the closure of registration would not affect the students' plans since they generally prepare in advance. ETS' advice

The ETS advises that students who have already applied for Fall 2007 admissions and feel the score reporting date will be too late to meet their application deadlines, such students can contact the respective institutions for assistance. ETS is informing the institutions to contact them regarding applicants who need to test to meet deadlines prior to November 2007. ETS will make every attempt to arrange testing for those applicants affected by this transition.

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