Oxford Terminates Agreement With TCS iON On Admission Test Oversight

Less than a year after the University of Oxford enlisted Tata Consultancy Services iON to oversee a segment of its admission tests, the agreement has been terminated by the university, citing "technical issues."

University spokespersons announced that Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will no longer deliver Oxford admissions tests in the future, owing to technical issues experienced by some candidates in this year's tests conducted by a new provider, as per a report by the Economic Times.

“Following the technical problems experienced by some candidates during the delivery of this year’s online admissions tests by a new provider, TCS will not be involved in the delivery of Oxford admissions tests going forward,” University representatives conveyed in an email to ET.

In April 2023, the university chose TCS iON to conduct admission tests, replacing the Cambridge Admissions Assessment Testing for specific streams.

“This decision has been made following careful consideration of the issues, as well as feedback from candidates, teachers and test centres. Our priority is to ensure a high-quality experience for all candidates and those involved in supporting them…,” the University, in its statement, explained.

The termination of the contract occurs amid challenges for Indian IT companies in implementing and converting deals. The IT giant, in its quarterly earnings, noted a consistency in the market environment and demand sentiment compared to the preceding two quarters.

One of the leading markets for the IT services company is the UK, where the university is situated. In the past quarter, TCS observed an 8.1 per cent year-on-year growth in this market, representing around 16.5 per cent of the company's total revenue.