Which board is the right board for my child is a question, asked by every parent. Most parents ask other parents for recommendations on schools and the right board. These recommendations could probably be biased, and they may or may not be applicable to you and your child’s needs. The popular education boards in India are IB, IGCSE, SSC, NIOS & CBSE.
This article addresses the concerns of the parents regarding which board is right for their child. How the choice of board can affect college admissions and the child’s career opportunities. This article aims to help parents decide if CBSE is the right board for their children.
The CBSE Board Decoded
Central Board of Secondary Education or popularly called as CBSE is a National level Board for Education in India. The board is managed by the Union Government of India. All schools affiliated to the CBSE board, both Public or Private, on Foreign soil or within the country follow the NCERT Curriculum.
FUN FACT: There are approximately 20,299 schools in India that are affiliated to the CBSE Board. This number also includes all the Kendra Vidyalaya and all the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.
Reasons why parents could opt for CBSE as their choice of schooling for their children.
Parents who have frequent transfers due to work generally prefer to admit their children to CBSE boards. The CBSE board Books, Teaching Methodology, Exam Pattern, and Question Papers have a uniform pattern across all CBSE Board Schools whether Public or Private and whether on Foreign soil or within India. Apart from adjusting to a new school, environment, and making new friends the child is less likely to suffer academically, due to frequent relocation to another city or country. The CBSE follows a uniform pattern in all the schools affiliated to it.
Also read: How to choose the right board between CBSE, ICSE and IB Curriculums
Another major factor that tempts parents to enroll their children to CBSE schools is that most of the Entrance exams like JEE, NEET, AIIMS for Undergraduate courses borrow the exam syllabus from what is taught in the CBSE Board. Hence, children who have studied in the CBSE board have a competitive edge at the entrance exam compared to the students of other boards like IB, IGCSE, NIOS.
Another way to look at the popularity of the CBSE Board is that in India, for admissions to Medical Colleges and Engineering colleges categorically, CBSE Board prepares children the best in terms of entrance exam preparation as well as the marks/grading system works in their favour. Scoring in IB or IGCSE is tough. If your child is inclined towards Medical Science or Engineering it is best for him to continue studying in a CBSE Board. But if your child seems drawn to other streams like Commerce or Humanities then continuing in IGCSE, IB or SSC would be great options.
CBSE is comparatively cheaper in terms of cost of Education that includes: School Fees and Books than IB or IGCSE curriculum schools. CBSE is widely recognised by universities & colleges all over India and abroad. Another aspect that parents should be aware of the CBSE Board is the system of education in the board itself.
The CBSE syllabus is more focused on learning methods and formulas. Assimilation of knowledge and it focuses more towards the theoretical application of what is learnt. Although CBSE is now advancing towards introducing application of knowledge, there is a lot of scope of improvement and development here.
The combination of subjects is addressed as ‘Streams’ and pertain to particular fields such as Science, Commerce, or Humanities. Children have limited flexibility in the choice of subjects that they would prefer to learn as compared to IB or IGCSE.
Lastly, a parent’s choice of selecting a board for their child can greatly vary and can also be a very personal choice that depends upon a lot of factors. From financial considerations to the child’s future aspirations play a major factor in deciding the education board you choose to pursue.
Read More about: The difference between IB Curriculum and IGCSE and how to choose between IB and IGCSE