ISLAMABAD, June 13: For the first time in a one year period, over one million people around the world, or two every minute, have gained certification in English language test for immigration and higher education - the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Pakistani candidates performed admirably for 2007 outperforming those taking the test in Bangladesh, China and the UAE.

Pakistani resident test takers scored a mean band score of 6.00 out of a maximum of 9 in the general module and 5.68 in the academic module.

Results showed that female candidates had an edge over their male counterparts scoring overall 5.94 compared to 5.74 for men.

Just over half of those taking the test - 51 per cent - did so because they wished to enter higher education in a foreign country. An increasing number of these candidates were doing so to study in the US with now over 1,700 universities and colleges including Harvard and Yale accepting IELTS scores.

In a statement, British Council executive director of IELTS International, Beryl Meiron said this is the first year that IELTS has reached the one million mark and the number of candidates taking the test has more than doubled in the last three years. “We believe this is a direct reflection of the fact that it gives a well rounded picture of how well a person really knows English. It covers the speaking, writing, reading and listening abilities in a way that is relevant to the real world.