IGCSE vs CBSE -Which board is better?

by Ashmitha Anil

What is Cambridge IGCSE?

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an international certification for students between the ages of 14 and 16. It is similar to the UK's GCSE programme, but modelled and modified for international students. It is a programme leading to an externally set, marked and certificated examination from the University of Cambridge. Any student enrolled in an IGCSE course will be awarded a globally recognized qualification (“Cambridge IGCSE”). The examination boards Edexcel, Oxford and AQA also offer their own versions of International GCSEs apart from University of Cambridge ("Working within the University of Cambridge").

What is CBSE?

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national level board of education in India for public and private schools. It is controlled and managed by the Union Government of India. All schools affiliated to CBSE follow the NCERT (National Council for Educational Research and Training) curriculum. The AISSE (Class X) and AISSCE (Class XII) certifications are recognized and are used for admission to colleges and universities across India.

Let's look at some of the differences between the IGCSE and the CBSE to gain a better understanding of those functional entities.

IGCSE CBSE
1 OVERVIEW
The IGCSE strives to cultivate confident, accountable, reflective, innovative and engaged learners - equipped to succeed in the modern world. The board follows global standards for international education which helps students gain an inquisitive approach. They encourage them to explore the topics of their choice and to grasp knowledge for themselves.
OVERVIEW
The CBSE aims at a holistic development of students. The board advocates a Continuous Comprehensive Evaluation method or CCE to evaluate the students and their performance, here the students are assessed for each internal and external assessment. The curriculum is based on students learning by engaging in the direct application of skills, theories and patterns. The CBSE board is preferred by JEE and NEET aspirants because both the board and the competitive tests follow the NCERT books. This strengthens the preparation and raises the ranking of students. (“CBSE Vision”).
2 OBJECTIVES FOR ASSESSMENT
Students are evaluated over the course of the school year,based on assignments, activities, and reviews, but with a greater focus on the effective use of acquired skills and knowledge. Each subject has their own evaluation objectives, followed by the examiners.
 OBJECTIVES FOR ASSESSMENT
Students are assessed on their strengths to remember, recollect and reproduce the contents in the examination. Students will also need to submit assignments with specified weightage. Although the program is based on direct application, the majority of the exam consists of memory-based questions followed by a relatively small section for direct-application.
3 STAGES
- Cambridge Primary
- Cambridge Lower Secondary
- Cambridge Upper Secondary
- Cambridge Advanced
STAGES
- AISSE (Class X)
- AISSCE (Class XII)
4 SUBJECT MATTER
Here, students are free to choose from a range of 70 different subjects including 30 languages. They are not designed to restrict students, but acquire a comprehensive perspective. Although some subjects are mandatory according to the diploma that the student wants to study.
SUBJECT MATTER
Here, the students should select the subjects from a pre-existing set of programs as their field of study. They are designed to help students develop intellectually in an area of particular interest, such as Science, Mathematics, Human sciences or Commerce.
5 DISADVANTAGES
- The IGCSE program is broad in scope and can be stressful for students. The reference materials are not readily available for use.
- The grading method is also strict and has a repute of being one of the extensive education programs on a scholastic level.		 DISADVANTAGES
- The CBSE curriculum doesn’t converge practical knowledge like the IGCSE. Languages are relatively unimportant and are studied at a secondary level.
- The curriculum deals only in a theoretical manner in all subjects and there is no focus on the concepts of real life. Although the curriculum is application-centric, there is no room for effective understanding.

CBSE or IGCSE? The choice is yours to make. While CBSE shapes your children to become learners, IGCSE molds them to become inquirers. Hence, it is important to make a well informed decision. It is not easy to keep up with the advancements and transformations pertaining to the boards of education. Therefore, you will need the help of experts for your children to accomplish their desired goals.

Here, at Vidyalai we help your child achieve the grade they aspire for. Our subject matter experts are trained and experienced tutors who will provide you with each and every help when required. We are just a click away. Request your first lesson now.. We guarantee 100% satisfaction on your first session, if you are not satisfied,the session will be absolutely free.

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