Does UK Naric certificate for English language assessment is mandatory ??

Q2: Which are the Exempt categories?:

You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you:
1. met this requirement, on or after 28th October 2013, in order to obtain settlement (ILR or PR), or
2. are under 18, or
3. are aged 65 or over, or
4. are unable to, because of a long-term physical or mental condition (You must provide a letter from a doctor confirming your physical or mental condition), or
5. are a national of the any of the following countries:
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
The Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Canada
Dominica
Grenada
Guyana
Jamaica
New Zealand
Republic of Ireland (for citizenship only)
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Trinidad and Tobago
USA


Q3: I am not exempt. How do I go about fulfilling the requirement on the basis of a degree taught or researched in English?

You will need to apply for a document from NARIC.



Q4: I need to apply for a document from NARIC as evidence of English language proficiency requirement. Should I apply for ELA / SoC or through the newly launched Visa & Nationality Service (V&NS)?

UK qualification - The new V&NS does not allow you to input "UK" as the country of study.
Academic qualification - You don't need any document from NARIC. If in doubt, check with NARIC if they can issue ELA for a UK academic qualification.
Vocational qualification - You cannot use a vocational qualification as evidence without a confirmatory document from NARIC. You will need to apply for ELA from NARIC.
Overseas qualification - If you need to apply for a NARIC letter and will be doing so on / after 06-Apr-2016, IMHO, you should apply using the newly launched Visa & Nationality Service (costs) and should not opt for the standard ELA / SoC. This will save you from changes regarding naturalisation application wrt English language proficiency.

Note: Please check with Home Office whether ELA / SoC letters are still accepted for naturalisation applications submitted after 06-Apr-2016.