Understanding The Background Of CBSE VS IGCSE.

Edited By: Mukund

Fact Checked By: Santhan 08 Jan 2019

Choices can be frustrating, especially when both sides have pros that you cannot ignore! That’s why choosing between CBSE and IGCSE is a challenge. While CBSE is one of the most popular boards in our country, IGCSE brings the world to India, and that’s something! Each has proven to be amazing in laying the right schooling foundation. IGCSE may be relatively new, but we already have some great schools in Hyderabad that offer the curriculum.

A brief about each syllabus

CBSE is the most widely followed curriculum in India. More than 19,000 schools across the country follow it. It is a national level board recognized by the Union Government of India. IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) or Cambridge Curriculum is an international curriculum. The coursework, the teaching methodology, and the approach are significantly different from what we are used to.

Salient features of the CBSE board

We have explained the CBSE curriculum a number of times on Yellow Slate, but we will talk about it again for your benefit. J

The CBSE board allows instruction in Hindi and English.
It lays the foundation for a number of competitive examinations in the country.
The approach is theoretical with supportive, practical learning.
The curriculum focuses mainly on science and math, while arts and language take a backseat.
The syllabus is well-rounded with a focus on activities and sports.
The CBSE certificate is accepted globally in many universities and colleges.
The syllabus is quite child-centric and does not pressure children much. In fact, in recent years, the board brought in a number of changes in the syllabus to make it easier to learn.
The syllabus is also quite interesting with projects and activities designed for each chapter.
CBSE schools follow NCERT textbooks.

Salient features of the IGCSE board

We will need you to forget everything you know about learning here. With IGCSE curriculum comes a very fresh approach to learning and schooling.

The Cambridge Curriculum is among the most child-focused approaches in the entire world.
The curriculum scraps the old approach to subjects and typical classrooms. It gives schools a list of mandatory aspects in each subject that they must teach. Schools design the entire coursework based on this list.
IGCSE is project-driven and experiential. Children learn everything through activity, play, and experience. Instruction-based learning is cut down to the minimum. In an IGCSE school, you will see kids learning in the playground, in the crafts room, in the lobby – just about everywhere. That’s the type of learning the curriculum encourages.
Participation is hugely encouraged in IGCSE.
Even the assessments in a Cambridge school are different. Children are tested on their application capability rather than their ability to reproduce what they learned or to write on exam sheets.
There are no textbooks here. However, the board recommends a wide range of books that schools and children are free to choose from.

CBSE vs. IGCSE – The final verdict

Since both forms of education are very strong, it can be difficult to make a choice even though they are poles apart. We will make it simple for you here. If you are looking to prepare your child for competitive examinations such as IIT and AIIMS, CBSE will serve as the right precursor. If you are looking at higher studies in a foreign country, IGCSE will immensely help your child. Having said that, even if we want to prepare our children for IIT, AIIMS, etc. we think that learning must be activity-based and wholesome rather than instruction-based. That’s why we are slightly in favor of the Cambridge Curriculum. We hope this blog helped you make a choice. Once you come to a conclusion, please don’t forget to tell us!

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