In a move set to enhance global competitiveness and service excellence in Indian hospitality, the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ETS India, the Indian subsidiary of the world’s largest non-profit educational testing organization, Educational Testing Service (ETS) to establish robust, role-specific English communication benchmarks for the hospitality and restaurant sector using the TOEIC Link assessment.
The collaboration brings together FHRAI’s industry leadership and ETS’s global assessment expertise to drive a sector-wide transformation in workforce readiness. With communication as the cornerstone of guest engagement and service delivery, the MoU focuses on integrating English language proficiency as a measurable hiring and training standard.
Speaking about this collaboration, K. Syama Raju, President, FHRAI, said, “This partnership is a significant step toward standardizing hospitality communication skills across our member hotels and institutes. With ETS India’s support, we aim to establish clear benchmarks that will help our industry meet global service expectations. It’s time we equip our workforce not just with technical know-how, but with the ability to communicate confidently and clearly.”
Sachin Jain, Country Manager India and South Asia, ETS, emphasized the broader significance of the initiative, stating “ETS India is committed to supporting India’s skilling ecosystem through globally validated assessments. By working with FHRAI, we hope to not only bridge the English communication gap but also help create a standardized, scalable framework for talent development in the hospitality sector. This collaboration has the potential to become a model for sector-wide adoption not just in India but globally.”
The TOEIC Link assessment, developed by ETS, is a modular and flexible English communication test aligned with the internationally recognized Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Designed specifically for workplace readiness, the test evaluates candidates across four critical communication areas—listening, reading, speaking, and writing—through real-world hospitality scenarios. Delivered entirely online with AI-powered proctoring, it ensures accessibility and integrity even in remote or rural settings.
Under the agreement, FHRAI will identify a representative sample of hotels and Institutes of Hotel Management (IHMs), to participate in a pilot benchmarking study. ETS India will conduct TOEIC Link assessments for hotel staff, new recruits, and final-year IHM students to define minimum communication requirements tailored to key job roles such as front office, housekeeping, and food and beverage services.
The pilot phase of the collaboration will involve diagnostic testing, structured input from HR and training managers, and data-driven analysis to define role-specific communication benchmarks. ETS India will also train faculty through a Train-the-Trainer model, ensuring sustainability and capacity building within participating institutions.
Following the pilot, the initiative aims to scale nationally, helping establish TOEIC Link as the standard English communication test for the hospitality sector. This will aid employers in making informed hiring decisions and empower job seekers—especially from IHMs and vocational streams—to align their communication skills with industry expectations.
This partnership underscores FHRAI’s commitment to raising service standards, improving employability, and enabling India’s hospitality professionals to compete on a global stage. It also positions ETS India as a strategic enabler in the country’s skill development narrative.
