Different Education Boards in India

Different Education Boards in India

CBSE, IB, IGCSE…A big worry among parents these days. Recently, numerous new instruction frameworks have become popular in India. The vast majority of the present parents are confused about different education boards. Currently, Indian education boards are making amendments to meet the current needs of the children. Here is a guide to different educational systems. 

India Schools offer both Indian and International Syllabus 

1. CBSE: Central Board of Secondary Education
2. ICSE: The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education
3. IB: International Baccalaureate
4. IGCSE: International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Cambridge University
5. State Board: State Government Recognized Board.

Consider each one of the following:

CBSE: Central Board of Secondary Education

This Board, which follows a universal pattern, is the first choice for parents with transferable jobs. CBSE affiliates all Kendriya Vidyalaya, all Jawaharlal Nayodaya Vidyalayas. These are the central government approved private schools in India.

Textbooks: CBSE offers a prescribed list of books and syllabus that students must use during their educational journey.

Examination Pattern: All India Senior School Certificate Examination (AISSCE) students prepare for the final exam in class ten or twelve.

Pros

1. The number of students from the CBSE board is higher as compared to other educational boards. 
2. Textbooks are good. (No errors in content/no printing mistakes)
3. CBSE implemented Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), a new system for the CBSE students’ for grade Six to Tenth. It has taken out the marking scheme.
4. It is easy to find tutors, books, and activities for all the classes.
5. Introduces application-based activities in science, mathematics as well as other subjects.
6. Recognition by all colleges in India.
7. CBSE syllabus content is relevant for the scholarship exams such as SSTSE, NSEB, NSEC, etc

Cons:

1. CBSE-based syllabus: For major entrance exams, the seats for those courses are open to all students in India. Colleges coming under state universities have more reserved seats for students from state boards. Students from the CBSE board who couldn’t crack entrance exams face problems getting admission to state university colleges as they have fewer seats for the CBSE board quota.
2. The school fees are very high in some schools.
3. There are not enough scope or options in this field of Arts and Literature.

Library criteria:

1. Library Size: Minimum size should be 14 M. X 8 M. Fully equipped with a reading room facility.

1. Suitability of furniture.
2. Books – fiction, reference books, encyclopedia, periodicals, magazines, journals, and newspapers. According to the expectations, the library must include books beyond the textbooks. The ratio is about five books per student. Examination guide books, other books bought in collaboration with the teachers so that the resources in the library complements the textbooks.
3. The school should subscribe to 15 magazines and newspapers for the teachers and students for educational needs.
4. Library periods per class is mandatory.
5. Trained librarian with the specific qualification-graduate/postgraduate with a diploma in Library Science from a recognized institute or Bachelor’s or Masters’s degree in Library Sciences.

CISCE: Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations 

CISCE established in the year 1958 

It administers the examination conducted in India by Cambridge University. The ICSE certificate is given at the end of the 10th standard/ grade, and the ISC certificate is received at the grade 12th level. These are the private national level board of education in India with English as the recommended medium of instruction. 

CISCE follows the same pattern as CBSE but adds more volume and intensity to the subjects. Two additional subjects are compulsory for all students, English and socially Useful Proactive work (SUPW).

Textbooks: CISCE offers a prescribed list of books and syllabus that students are required

Examination Pattern: The Council conducts three examinations, namely-

ICSE: (Indian certificate secondary education) class 10

ISC (Indian school certificate) class 12

CVE (Certificate for vocational education) class 12

Pros:

1. The course curriculum is broad, converting a range of topics to explore the overall growth of students, 
2. CISCE: More practical knowledge and focus more on analytical skills.
3. Subject selection option available to students to follow their liking for a particular subject 
4. Equal focus on science-art languages, and encourages students to choose their subject or topics.

Cons: 

1. Students may find the syllabus a bit cumbersome.
2. Students would find it hard to shift to other boards or Pre-Science colleges (11-12 standards).
3. Higher fee structure
4. Major Entrance Exams prospectus depends on CISCE, the way that the seats for those courses are open for all undergraduates in India. Also, schools that are going under state colleges have more saved seats for understudies from state sheets. So undergraduates from the CISCE board who wouldn’t make it for the selection tests face issues in getting affirmation in-state college schools as they have fewer seats for CISCE Board.

Library Criteria: 

• Size – Adequate for the school keeping in mind the number of pupils in the institution
• Light and ventilation 
• Suitability of furniture 
• Books – fiction, reference Books, encyclopedia’s, periodicals, magazines, journals, and newspapers (Except for specimen copies, examination guides, notes)
• Cataloguing and method of the accession of books
• Trained Librarian 
• Library periods per class
• Annual budget allocation

Librarian: B.Lib.I.Sc. / M.Lib.I.Sc. OR Graduate/Postgraduate with Diploma in Library Science from a recognized Institute

ICSE: The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education

This education system has assessments directed by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination famously known as CISCE, a leading private body of school training in India. ICSE instructive framework is of Indian norms. 

The ICSE is intended to give a test in general instruction, as indicated by the New Education Policy 1986, through English medium. The ICSE Board centres around an undergraduate success in general development.

Examination Pattern: The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) is an examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE), a private secondary education board in India.

Textbooks: The Council prescribes textbooks/study materials to study literature under English and other languages, not other subjects. Therefore, schools are free to choose the books, which they find suitable for competent teaching and efficient learning. The Council reserves the right to declare a book or book unsuitable for use in schools affiliated with it.

Library Criteria: 

• Size – Adequate for the school keeping in mind the number of pupils in the institution
• Light and ventilation 
• Suitability of furniture 
• Books – Fiction, Reference Books, Encyclopedia, Periodicals, Magazines, Journals and Newspapers (Except for specimen copies, examination guides, notes) in
• Cataloguing and method of the accession of books
• Trained Librarian 
• Library periods per class
• Annual budget allocation

 Librarian: B.Lib.I.Sc. / M.Lib.I.Sc. OR Graduate/Postgraduate with Diploma in Library Science from a recognized Institute

 IBDP International Baccalaureate (IB)

Formally the international baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is an international educational foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968.

IB Curriculum: It offers in-depth knowledge and experience in subjects of the students choosing.

The students are offered six distinctive subject gatherings, where they are expected to pick one from every, hence giving ample opportunities for adaptability. Also, there are three necessary subjects: Creativity Action Service (CAS), Extended Essays (EE), and Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

Textbooks: IB doesn’t delineate any fixed textbooks and offers students more flexibility in this regard by providing recommended readings. 

Examination Pattern: It offers three educational programs, namely

• PYP: Primary year program (KG to Class-5) 
• MYP: Middle year program (Class-6 to Class-10)
• DP: Diploma program ( Class-11 and Class-12)

Pros

1. Most of the Universities of the world recognize IB.
2. Students can apply to Foreign Universities where the CBSE and ICSE Board is not recognized.
3. Recognized by UNESCO.
4. Syllabus based on experimental practices is followed. 
5. Infrastructure of the schools are well managed.
6. Most of the Non-Resident Indian parents, expatriate community members in India, or children want to go abroad for further studies. 

Cons

1. Fee is higher than other programs.
2. These schools are found only in big cities.
3. Difficult for students to shift boards if they want to switch to another Indian education board.
4. Textbooks are not readily available.

Library Criteria

Resource provision to support the school’s curriculum 

• Reflecting international-mindedness – world literature, mother tongue, countries, and culture – ‘a window on the world.’
• Environment to practice, value, and celebrate students’ involvement with the IB Learner Profile • A place – virtual and physical – to support inquiry and research
• Affective domain – a place to think, to reflect, to be calm, to be balanced – a mindful environment 
• A physical statement of IB values and philosophy (e.g., international-mindedness)
• A place to support literacy and reading development 
• A place to engender a love of stories, creative narratives, and reading, often reflecting a multicultural and multilingual environment. The librarian’s role is likely to be distinct from the school library per se (Green, 2007).

Librarian: B.Lib.I.Sc. / M.Lib.I.Sc. OR Graduate/Postgraduate with Diploma in Library Science from a recognized Institute

1. IGCSE: International General Certificate of Secondary Education:

It is the world’s most well known International Board. English language educational program, which is offered to students for IB and CIE, A-Level Cambridge IGCSE, improves execution by creating abilities in inventive reasoning requests and critical thinking. More than 70 subjects are accessible at Cambridge IGCSE, including 30 dialects, and schools can offer them in any combination.

The students are offered a decision among 70 distinctive subject alternatives. There are no fixed groups or subject blends, and students can pick any subjects of their preferring. There are certain obligatory subjects, for example, worldwide point of view, research, and so forth, and A-levels to be finished relying upon the kind of certificate the understudy picks.

Textbooks: Cambridge Advanced offers both prescribed textbooks and recommended readings.

Examination Pattern

• Cambridge Primary: Class 5 to 11 years
• Cambridge Secondary 1 
• Cambridge Secondary 2 Class 14 to 16 years. It offers learners two routes: Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge O Level.
• Cambridge Advanced 16 to 19 years who need advanced study to prepare for university and higher education. 

It offers learners two routes: 1.Cambridge International AS and 2.A Level, and Cambridge Pre-U.

Pros

1. Most of the Universities of the world recognize the International Board.
2. Students can apply to Foreign Universities where the CBSE and ICSE Board is not recognized.
3. The advanced curriculum and a variety of subjects to choose from.
4. More emphasis on English and Technical Subjects
5. Best option if parents are planning to move abroad.

Cons

1. Fee is high 
2. Schools found in only big cities or metropolitan cities
3. Difficult for students to shift boards if they want to the other Board 
4. Textbooks Books not readily available, and classes not easily accessible. 

Librarian: B.Lib.I.Sc. / M.Lib.I.Sc. OR Graduate/Postgraduate with Diploma in Library Science from a recognized Institute

State Board

Board of Secondary Education

Every state government has a primary, secondary & higher secondary education system.

Textbooks: Prescribed textbooks by the government.

Examination Pattern

SSC: 10th Board exams Secondary School certificate 

HSC: 12th Board exams Higher school certificate 

Facts: 

• Every State and Union Territory of India

Pros: 

1. A painless process to get admission to this Board; textbooks and teachers are easily accessible. It is the world’s most well known International Board. English language educational program, which is offered to understudies for IB and CIE, A-Level Cambridge IGCSE, improves execution by creating abilities in inventive reasoning requests and critical thinking. More than 70 subjects are accessible at Cambridge IGCSE, including 30 dialects, and schools can offer them in any mix.

Cons: 

1. Depends wholly on the state government’s competence to maintain the quality of education.
2. Quality of teaching varies according to school.
3. Might lack necessary facilities.
4. Quality of content (may have errors).

Library criteria:

1. Government school library provision under the Samagra Shiksha, reading habits for all ages among the students inculcate the library’s purchase of books.
2. The provisions under the scheme for books and libraries in Government schools is provided up to Rs.500 for primary school up to Rupees. Ten thousand for upper primary school up to 13000 INR for composite elementary schools Rupees Ten thousand for secondary school 9th and 10th guidelines were issued in 2018 for library grants to all states and UTs.
3. To promote the habit of reading in students.

Librarian: B.Lib.I.Sc. / M.Lib.I.Sc. OR Graduate/Postgraduate with Diploma in Library Science from a recognized Institute

Hope you have found more clarity regarding Board.

                                                                   Source: Education board websites, expert inputs, First Crayon analysis

 

References:

Baccalaureate®, I.

Baccalaureate®, International. “Resource Library.” International Baccalaureate®, 2020, https://www.ibo.org/become-an-ib-school/useful-resources/resource-library/. Accessed 26 Oct 2020.

Cambridge Assessment International Education Official Website

” Cambridge Assessment International Education Official Website. “Cambridgeinternational.Org, 2020, https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/. Accessed 26 Oct 2020.

CISCE

“CISCE”. Cisce.Azurewebsites.Net, 2020, https://cisce.azurewebsites.net/. Accessed 26 Oct 2020.

Kaur, S., Kaur, S., Gulati, A., Gulati, A., Chandran, V., Chandran, V., Trehan, D. and Trehan, D.

Kaur, Sarvpreet et al. “Battle Of The Boards: How Do CBSE, CICSE, IB And IGCSE Compare To Each Other?- Mindler”. Mindler Blog, 2016, https://www.mindler.com/blog/indian-board-differences-cbse-cicse-ib-cambridge/. Accessed 26 Oct 2020.

Education board websites, expert inputs, First Crayon analysis

By

Prratiima Jadhav

D Y Patil International School