Schedule Your Free Exam Readiness Analysis Session!
Hi, I’m TestprepKart.
Your Partner In Exam Preparation
Which Board is Better? CBSE, ICSE or IB?
It is a tricky situation to choose between boards. Essentially that decision will reflect on the future of your kids. But unfortunately no brass tack reliable analysis of the selection and difference between the CBSE/ICSE? IB is available.
Whatever is the merit or demerits, switching over the boards are not advisable midway. That makes the importance of the initial selection pretty clear.
Also, the national boards are in a fluid state. Irrespective of the board of study, the core subjects (maths, science, language and social studies) are included in all curriculums. It is up to the calibre, and personal grasping power makes all the difference in the final score.
Let us have a deeper look into the various education boards in India.
The CBSE Board
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is the biggest board with over 17,500 approved schools in India. Also, there are more than 200 CBSE affiliated schools abroad. The board is a government body under the auspices of Union HRD Ministry (Human Resource Development) ministry. The curriculum is governed by NCERFT (National Council of Education Research and Training); The NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) is also conducted by CBCSE. The overseas CBSE is almost redundant now.
The ICSE Board
The erstwhile CISCE (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations) and the successor the ICSE (Indian School Certificate Examinations) is a private board. The origin was after Independence as an alternative to the colonial educational system. The ICSE board has over 2300 schools in India.
.png)
The IB Board
Started in 1968 in Geneva, the not-for-profit IBO (International Baccalaureate Organisation) has made a dent in the international education scenario. IB has four programmes namely:
There are approximately 4500 IB schools across the globe. In India alone there are roughly 150 schools offer one or more of the above four IB programmes. Some schools give IB coaching parallel to other streams.
(Note: There is another board called Cambridge International Examinations nut that is not covered here)
Qualification of Teachers
The teachers are required to be board-certified in all the above courses. They should be a degree or diploma holder in education. Depending on the class level and subject, a postgraduate degree may be called for higher level classes and subjects. They are to take a training programme that certifies them to teach within the individual board. The focus is on
Ongoing Training for Teachers
The CBSE board mandates teachers to attend at least one week-long seminar annually at any teaching institute recognised by the government, these workshops are intended to refresh or update subject knowledge, teaching skills and more.
Also, it is mandatory for the teachers to attend refresher courses.
Critical and Analytical Thinking
Even though all boards promote critical and analytical thinking, only IB is truly adhering to it in practice.
Typically CBSE board sticks to its lecture-and-memorisation style of instruction. However, of late CBSE encourages critical thinking rather than mugging up. But more or less the old stream is not changed at all. ICSE also in principle want the students to be more focused on analytical skill, but in practice, the old regime of mugging up prevails.
Nevertheless, the motto and goal of ‘instruction is thorough knowledge‘has not changed.
IB teaching styles promote students to ask questions relentlessly. That, in turn, reinforces concepts learned in other disciplines. Students are expected to think out of the box in IB scenario.
Academic Research in Teaching Practices
Unfortunately, all these streams have nothing much towards academic research and upgrade of teaching methodology.
Exam-Focused Coaching
The CBSE and ICSE are more exams focussed. IN is an exemption as the teachers can freely go beyond the topics and in depth.
Students are discouraged from switching between education boards -CBSE board, ICSE board, and IB board.
Students Learn in Small Classes
The number of students in a class makes the education more fruitful. Typically, CBSE and ICSE have double the number of student’s intake in IB which is 20.
Medium of Instruction
Whereas ICSE and IB insist on English as a medium of instruction CBSE is flexible with English or Hindi language.
Core Subjects
All the streams impart coaching in the core subjects (Maths, Science, English, Language, and Social Studies). The coaching style and depth may vary between the boards.
Influence of Ideology
We cannot rule out a tinge of the ideology of the ruling party in the textbooks and syllabus of CBSE whereas ICSE and IB are immune to that influx.
National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), the department that develops curricula is prone to change colours.
Tailor-Made Curriculum
Right from Class 9, ICSE board has greater control over their course load. The subjects include standard streams but also others, like environmental science, computer applications, art, etc. The students have options to pick one or two courses.
This freedom allows students to learn in-depth on subjects of their interest, or to pursue areas vertically separated in different streams. But it also means Hindi, science and maths are optional after Class 8.
The electives CBSE offers starting in Class 11, and they largely fall within the arts, science and commerce streams.
The IB system is also classified especially for senior class students to choose one subject from each of these six groups:
– Language and Literature
– Second Language
– Sciences
– Individuals and Societies (which includes Commerce subjects)
– Mathematics &
– Arts
Flexibility
In the IB system, students are given the option of standard or advanced courses for few subjects in Classes 11 and 12. However, CBSE and ICSE do not offer this flexibility outside of language courses.
Interdisciplinary Study
The IB system specifically calls for combining two or more subject groups. This, in turn, helps students to get a better understanding, particularly in its middle year's programme. For example, as early as in Class 6, students choose broad topics like globalisation and sustainability, or, fairness and development. This will go through their journey up to class 10 and beyond.
Vocational Classes
The vocational classes are a part of all the three streams. There could be variations in the emphasis though.
In the IB system, students must study some subjects from the main diploma programme in addition to their vocational courses. But in ICSE, barring English, which is required, the entire course structure is developed around the subject of specialisation.
Extracurricular Activities
CBSE is a bit backward on the extracurricular activities of the students. In IB, the arts are given particular weight, and all students must study one visual or performing art each year through Class 12.
The focus of ICSE extracurricular is on language skills, through its annual all-India inter-school debate and creative writing competitions.
Beyond this, the additional activities depending on schools are offered in ICSE and IB.
The Examination Pattern
The examination pattern of ICSE is widely agreed to be better as it gives students an option of questions. In CBSE stream this facility is missing. ICSE is more students friendly
IB Coaching Centers:
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
|
|
Copyright © 2024 CounselKart Educational Services Pvt. Ltd.. All Rights Reserved
Post a Comment