Over the years, discussions about school education in India have typically pitted Indian boards, such as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), against global curricula, including the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE).
Parents have typically grappled with the decision "Which board is best?" for their wards on parameters such as worldwide exposure, intensity of studies, affordability, and options for post-school education.
However, framing this as a competition may be misleading. Indian and international boards are actually moving closer together, each taking on the best ideas from the other to equip students for a world that requires both rich subject knowledge and nimble, global mindsets. And instead of competitors, they are becoming complementary drivers in India's education system.
Indian Boards: Building strong foundations
Indian boards like CBSE and CISCE have been traditionally linked to a syllabus-based, structured method of functioning. Their speciality is the foundation of a robust academic base, especially in mathematics and science.
Emphasis on standardised testing also provides for ease of understanding the assessment of performance, which is in tune with competitive examinations like the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
In recent years, these boards have been through radical changes to adapt to evolving education requirements.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 highlights holistic development, competency-based learning, and minimising routine memorisation of information. Accordingly, CBSE has made competency-based evaluation, integration of life skills, and critical thinking paramount.
International Boards: Broadening horizons
On the other hand, international curricula such as IB and Cambridge are founded on the concepts of global citizenship, inquiry-based learning, and critical thinking. They focus on creativity, research, and interdisciplinary learning.
For example, the IB Diploma Programme promotes independent research, service to the community, and extended essays, shaping well-rounded individuals.
These boards are usually perceived as doorways to international higher education because they reflect the pedagogy and pedagogical approaches of overseas universities.
Nevertheless, these boards are becoming increasingly relevant in India, where employers and institutions place more emphasis on skills like problem-solving, flexibility, and teamwork abilities fostered by an international curriculum.
The myth of "better"
Parents always wonder: "Is CBSE better or IB?" There is no simple reply because each system has different objectives. CBSE can train a child very well for Indian competitive exams, but IB or Cambridge can cultivate a global atmosphere and thinking outside the box.
The actual question must not be which board is best, but how education systems can collaborate to deliver students who are both academically proficient and holistically well-rounded.
Indications of convergence
Indian and international boards are becoming increasingly blurred. We observe more cross-pollination of ideas and practice:
Global practices being adopted by Indian boards: CBSE has incorporated project-based learning, coding, and entrepreneurship modules, mirroring IB-style experiential learning.
Indian boards to international standards: Several Cambridge schools in India now provide subject combinations that cater to Indian competitive exams, and IB has been implementing ways to bring its Diploma Programme in line with Indian university requirements.
Skill orientation across the board: Both models are shifting to 21st-century skills such as digital competence, collaboration, and creativity.
The future that our children will face is uncertain. Careers of the future will require depth as well as flexibility, the capability to use scholastic knowledge in tackling real-world issues. Towards this, the education system needs to transcend classic limitations.
Convergence between international boards and Indian boards offers exactly this equilibrium, such as Indian curriculum rigour and discipline, international boards' critical thinking and world views, and skill orientation, which both are now emphasising. Together, they can enable Indian students to succeed not just in competitive examinations but also in workplaces that require imagination, leadership, and teamwork.
What to choose as parents?
Rather than fretting over selecting "the best board", parents can seek schools that share this merged philosophy. More progressive Indian schools are crafting curricula that integrate the best of both worlds: regimented academic training coupled with space for project-based, inquiry-driven learning.
Finally, the board is only half the story. The culture of the school, the teachers, and the extracurricular activities play a much greater role in determining a child's destiny.
[Rima Singh is the Head of School, Delhi Public School (DPS) International. Views expressed are her own.]
