Wondering which is the best education board to choose for your child? Parents often go through a tough time choosing the right school for their kids. The educational board, quality of faculty, security and other amenities play a major role in the shortlisting process. The education board is very important while choosing higher studies. Hence, parents should have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the various educational boards. 

As every educational board has a distinct curriculum, it is essential to know each in detail. CBSE schools in Chennai like Babaji Vidhyashram School, impart an immense amount of information to the students, thereby helping them to stay on par with the latest international syllabus.

Schools in India offer both Indian and international syllabus. The various boards of school education existing in India are:

• Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
• Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)
• State Government Recognized Board 
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
•  ICSE: The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education

Key to a Successful Education System

The educational system can be Indian or International, but it has to have project-based learning to kindle students’ curiosity and help them gain better understanding. An excellent educational system must focus on integrating subjects and impart a practical approach towards learning. Physical activities must be mandatory, and the curriculum has to focus more on general awareness and language enrichment. 

Teaching methodologies must develop perseverance, problem-solving and better concentration in children. Students must be able to investigate, research and apply knowledge with critical thinking. When students understand how to gather information and apply it in real-life situations, their learning becomes a great success. Most importantly, the educational system must create an enjoyable atmosphere to learn. Any syllabus which has the above-mentioned attributes is considered the best.

An Insight Into Indian & International Educational Boards

Indian Boards

Students will have to choose a subject stream after their tenth grade in CBSE and state board. Science, Commerce and Arts are the available subjects to choose after the 10th grade, and these boards focus more on the year-end assessments. Certain schools provide flexibility in choosing the subjects, and it is seen that such alternative learning mechanisms perform better than the rest.

International Boards

International boards inculcate application-based learning by relating real-life scenarios to the subject information. Students have the liberty to choose their favourite subjects after 10th grade. There is a common misconception that international boards are for students who want to pursue their studies abroad. But most IB schools in Chennai, like International Village School, provide predictive scores which enable students to get into top colleges in India. 

Different Educational Boards in India

In recent times, all the educational boards are taking measures to meet the current needs of students. We have consolidated how every education board works to help parents make the right decision for their wards.

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

CBSE is the first choice for most Indian parents with transferable jobs and because there are numerous schools following the syllabus. Students under CBSE appear for their final examination in 10th and 12th grade and learn from a standard set of books. The advantages of choosing CBSE over other education boards is its recognition in various Indian colleges.

Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)

CISCE is similar to CBSE but the course curriculum is intense. Students may find the syllabus a bit cumbersome but it has a definite set of textbooks. It is a private board of education in India and strictly adheres to English as its medium of instruction. CISCE focuses more on analytical skills and offers practical knowledge. The subject selection is flexible, and students can pursue their interests by choosing their favourite subjects. 

The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE)

ICSE is an education system directed by CISCE. The Council prescribes textbooks only for studying literature in English and other languages. For other subjects, schools following ICSE have the freedom to choose books that will offer efficient learning for students. However, the Council has the right to proclaim a book as unsuitable in schools affiliated with it.

International Baccalaureate (IB)

International Baccalaureate is a syllabus that offers in-depth knowledge of the subject contents. IB does not have any fixed textbooks, and students have ample opportunities to pick any subject. The learning is purely through experimental observations and more flexibility is provided by recommended readings. There are three mandatory subjects, namely 

• Extended Essays (EE)
• Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
• Creativity Action Service (CAS)

Choosing IB benefits students who want to apply to foreign Universities, even to those that do not recognise CBSE or ICSE. An added advantage is it has recognition in UNESCO and various International colleges.

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)

IGCSE is a world-renowned International Board that creates reasoning ability and critical thinking among students. Students have 70 subject alternatives including 30 dialects to pick according to their interests. There are no fixed groups; students can opt the subjects and form any combination. IGCSE is an advanced curriculum with more emphasis on technical subjects and the English language. It is the best option for parents planning to shift abroad. It is also useful for students planning to pursue higher studies in foreign universities. 

State Board

State board is a widespread education system followed by government schools in India. It has a set of standard textbooks issued by the government with a fixed subject stream. The syllabus is not enormous, but it stays popular as every Indian college recognises it. Most importantly, the state board syllabus charges reasonably amongst all other education boards in India.

The Takeaway

If you are a parent, the above guide on various educational boards will help you make the right choice for your child. Although every educational board has pros and cons, you must analyse which curriculum and syllabus will suit your child’s needs.