INTERNATIONAL

The International baccalaureate Diploma – a demanding pre-university course of study in the last two years of high school – qualifies students for “credits” and advanced standing at several colleges and universities around the world.

Not based on the requirements of any specific high school or country, the curriculum is an advanced international programme  for “students of the world” who want a global perspective on people, cultures , history and events while meeting the academic requirements of college-bound students.

However, some educationists also feel that International baccalaureate is more humanities focused. While the students excel in language and literature, they face problems in coping with maths and science.

The IN thing

In India, in the last couple of years, it has become “fashionable” to attend an International baccalaureate programme. Given its substantially highers fees and the relatively fewer number of schools that offered the programme, the International baccalaureate programme acquired inspirational value and became a “status symbol”. For the rich, upwardly mobile Indians it became the “in thing” to send their kids to an International baccalaureate school. Hordes of parents across the country sought to admit their kids into the International baccalaureate programme with scant thought to its relevance in the Indian context or the ability of schools of effectively deliver and teach the International baccalaureate programme.

Schools smelt the opportunity and sought to cash in on it. So all of a sudden schools calling themselves “world school” and “international schools” sprouted in almost all parts of the country. Eager to satisfy the increasing demand, several elite schools also started offering the International baccalaureate programme.

So from a handful of schools 10 years ago that essentially catered to kids of diplomats and the expat community, you now have hundreds of schools offering the International baccalaureate(IB) programme in India

Ground reality

However, offering the IB programme and delivering the programme are two very different things, as several parents and students discovered, much to their detriment.

The rigorous IB curriculum is quite demanding on both teachers and students. Moreover, the approach to learning (and teaching0 is dramatically different from the CBSE  and CISCE system that our students and teachers are accustomed to up until class X.

It’s not an easy curriculum to teach and demands great passion and creativity from teachers. They have to undergo special training to be IB-certified. Most schools simply send their existing senior teachers for training who then in turn “train” other teachers in their respective schools. As with any education programme, it takes several years for the system to mature and capabilities to improve across the board.

Transition pangs

And by no means is it an easy transition for students. Students have been used to rote-learning and formulaic memorization, have to adapt to independent thinking and reasoning, analyzing and critiquing and research-based writing. Students who’ve gone through the programme claim they have to put in significantly more effort to maintain decent grades.

Also, so far the academic achievement at majority of IB schools is by and large mediocre. The main reason for this is that most children at these IB schools left their previous schools on account of poor academic performance. Add to this, the stress and pressure involved in needing to re0learn hoe to study, prepare and give exams.

The good IB school in India continue to be older established ones such as Kodaikanal International school, American Embassy school. The international school, Bangalore, Canadian school of India, Bangalore, Mahindra United World College, Pune Dhirubhai Ambani International school, Mumbai, Mercedes Benz International school, Pune.

Admission hiccups

The IB is recognized by the AIU (you’ll have to get an equivalence certificate from them to get a percentages equivalent) and several universities. So it’s accepted for admission to Delhi University, JNU, etc, but since the exams are held in May, students are usually late for admission to Indian colleges.

To further aggravate matters, the manner in which most Indian universities calculate percentage equivalent to IB grades leaves most students worse-off given the prevailing cut-throat admission cut-offs. The IB grade is converted to the midpoint of the indicated range. For example, where grade 6 is corresponding range is 89 to 95, the marks equivalent shall be taken as the midpoint which is 92.5 similarly, for a grade of 5 where the range is 83 to 88, the equivalent is 85.5.

Further, the varied subject choice if the IB doesn’t help either, as Indian universities are quite rigid in the subject combination they accept.

Also, if you’re looking to appear for competitive entrane exams for engineering or medicine, then the IB curriculum isn’t of much help. You will still need to attend after school coaching classes for the exams that are based on the CBSE/CISCE syllabi.

The IB appeal and value continuous to essentially be for student looking to go abroad for undergraduate studies. A good IB score may not only help in getting admission into good universities and colleges in the US and UK, it can also earn you credits that will exempt you from entry level courses – thereby saving you some time and money in completing your graduation!