Frequently Asked Questions:
IGCSE/Examinations
Is the certificate recognised in India? In Indian institutions of higher education or for jobs, etc? How about the IITs and IIMs?
Yes. There is legally no bar against IGSCE/GCE in any school or college in India, and the larger, better known colleges (for example, St. Stephen’s or St. Joseph’s) recognise the Cambridge certificate. In other smaller colleges, a Cambridge board student would be completely eligible on producing an ‘Equivalence Certificate’. An Equivalence Certificate converts Cambridge grades into equivalent marks in the ISC system. Any student may ask for this certificate. This is as good as having an Indian exam certificate, so there is absolutely no problem.Of course, the subjects that the student chooses in school will have a bearing on the student’s eligibility for college courses.Why Cambridge and not an Indian board? Subjects like Indian History would not come under Cambridge.
These are the factors that make us prefer Cambridge to the Indian boards:- The approach towards assessment and examinations is investigative, and tests understanding and application of concepts rather than mere memory. The exams are quite student-friendly. The marking is also positive and student-friendly.
- The textbooks and guides are very well written. They are far more up-to-date with recent developments in the sciences and humanities than any of the Indian board textbooks.
- The Cambridge system offers a variety of subjects from which the student is free to select, unlike the Indian boards in which subject selection is very rigid.
- There is the option of doing either a Core or an Advanced level for each subject. This enables a student who is moderately interested or skilled at a subject to do the subject at Core level, instead of Advanced. Likewise, a student may choose to study some subjects at Advanced level, or at an even further Higher level.
- Cambridge board also offers the option to stagger examinations if a student cannot or wishes not to take all the exams at the same time.
- A student may re-take just one exam to better her grade in that subject, rather than having to re-take the entire set of exams, which she would have to do in the Indian boards.
As for subjects like Indian History we would much rather help students learn these through activities and experiences like travel, than through books.
At what age will children start giving exams? How will children cope with exams if they haven’t done any earlier?
The first exam a child writes will be the IGCSE, which can be given at age 16. However, children will give the exams at different ages depending on their skills and readiness.There will be no exams before the IGSCE, but training the child to be able to give the exams confidently is our responsibility.How will children be assessed? How do they move to the next level?
The text books come with evaluation questions at the end of each unit. We will individually look at the understanding developed by the child, and her confidence and readiness to move ahead.
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