Punjab cracks whip on illegal IELTS centres, will bring them under GST

Looking to generate some additional revenue, the Punjab government is set to crack the whip on the IELTS centres that have not applied for registration and by default do not pay GST, despite charging the same from the students and aspirants.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema has called a review meeting Tuesday pertaining to GST collection, or lack of it, from the IELTS centres.

He has already issued orders that these centres should be checked and if they are evading paying taxes, then they be brought under the ambit of the GST.

“He has asked all the Deputy Commissioners for the list of IELTS centres in their district. We will check. If there are some unregistered IELTS centres, then we will impose fine on them and ask them to get registered and pay GST.

After all. The IELTS centres have to pay 18 per cent GST,” said an official who will be part of the meeting. IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an English language test for aspirants who wish to study or work abroad, or migrate out of country.

In the IELTS course, students are trained in four spheres – reading, writing, speaking, and listening.