There has always been a dilemma about which syllabus would provide better prospects in terms of higher studies and university. Opting for the right syllabus is always a main concern for the parents because they only want the best education for their children.
Choosing between two can be frustrating especially when you have equal pros and cons for both sides. That’s why choosing between IGCSE and CBSE can be a challenge. Read further to get your answers and an overview about each of the syllabuses.
CBSE is the most followed curriculum in India with about more than 19,000 schools teaching the syllabus. It is a national-level board recognized by the Union Government of India. Some of the salient features of the CBSE board is that their instructions follow both Hindi and English.
Since it has an option between both languages, some students find it easier as some can only understand their mother tongue, Hindi, or English; the national and a universal language.
Furthermore, studying CBSE also sets a foundation for the students if they want to prepare for any competitive exams for their higher studies in India. The CBSE board adapts a more theoretical approach with supportive, practical learning.
In addition, the board focuses mainly on science and mathematics as a subject when compared the language and arts. More importance is given to the STEM subjects since the majority of the students choose their higher studies in said field. On the contrary, the syllabus includes a lot of activities and sports thereby striking a balance between academics and extracurriculars.
Nevertheless, a lot of schools do not encourage much of said extracurricular activities. Fortunately, the CBSE certificates are accepted globally in many universities and colleges. Projects and activities designed for each of the chapters make the learning process more captivating. All in all, CBSE provides fewer subjects and focuses less on social science and languages.
Also Read: What is the difference between IGCSE and IB?
IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is an international curriculum unlike the CBSE board. The approach to the teaching, as well as the learning methodology, is vastly different from what they follow for the national board.
IGCSE has a lot more different features than the CBSE board since they have an entirely new and fresh insight to schooling. Breaking the conventional standards of subjects, reading directly from textbooks and typical classrooms.
They are more project-oriented and involve experiential learning to get a taste of how learning should be. IGCSE believes more in how children should learn everything through activity and experience. They greatly encourage participation and interaction between the students and the teachers in IGCSE.
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Moreover, the assessment for this board is also very different from the standard national boards. Unlike CBSE again, there are no textbooks here. however, the board gives a list of suggestions regarding books that the school/children can use to aid in the learning process.
Overall, they provide a curriculum for students who want to pursue their studies abroad and focus more on gaining knowledge than the marks. On the downside, this curriculum is taught only in one language, English and it tends to be more expensive than CBSE, ICSE, and state boards.
To sum it up, students take up CBSE to prepare for entrance exams for medical and engineering courses where they follow a more traditional method of learning. The focus is more towards a theoretical approach consequently lacking practical learning. This holds good even for the science subjects that they focus the most on.
On the other hand, IGCSE is more student-centric and focuses on creative learning and critical thinking. The syllabus can be quite demanding where the approach is more application-based when compared to just learning theory.
Students usually prepare for this exam when they want to progress to learn the International Baccalaureate and the North American APT (Advanced Placement Test). With respect to text and reference books, CBSE follows the NCERT books that are more easily available in the market for the prescribed syllabus.
However, IGCSE only has a recommended book list for their subjects. Since both forms of education are strong with their respective pros, it can be difficult to make a choice even.
To make it simple for you, CBSE is the right board if you want to pursue competitive exams for college such as NEET and IIT in India. It is more textbook-oriented and thoroughly prepares you for said exams.
However, if you want to pursue higher studies abroad, IGCSE is the right precursor. Nonetheless, experiential learning and an activity-based curriculum is always better for a student as it enhances the learning experience. This is why we would slightly lean towards choosing the Cambridge Curriculum, IGCSE.
In hopes of helping you make a choice, don’t forget to check out our stellar tutors and resource notes in case you are in need of help to understand the curriculum.
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