ICSE Syllabus tuned to entrance exams

Students of ICSE and ISC schools will find it a lot easier in a few years to crack the admission tests for a berth in the IITs, All India Institute of Medical Sciences and other centres of excellence.

The Delhi-based Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations has decided to restructure the ICSE and ISC courses on the lines of the curriculum followed by the boards that conduct all-India admission tests for leading engineering and medical institutes.

The revised syllabus is likely to come into effect from 2010.

“Preparations are on to revise the ICSE and ISC syllabus. Our students should not feel handicapped while appearing for the all-India entrance exams once these changes are effected,” said a senior official, addressing a recent meeting of 800-odd principals and teachers of ICSE-ISC schools in the city.

At present, students of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools are at an advantage in cracking the all-India tests, as their Plus-II curriculum is quite similar to the one followed by the boards organising the admission tests.

The heads of the 1,400-odd ICSE-ISC schools in the country — more than 100 of them in Calcutta — have long been urging the Council authorities to restructure their syllabus to help their students fare better in the entrance tests.

“We have welcomed the Council’s decision. Many students will benefit from the changes,” said Keya Sinha, principal of Vivekananda Mission School and vice-president of a national-level body of principals of schools affiliated to the Council.

Sinha said the Council has also decided to reconstitute the syllabus committee and include subject experts in it.

Council officials told the principals at the meeting that all aspects of the changes need to be “thoroughly examined”.

A number of principals had pointed out that since the present ISC syllabus is not in tune with the all-India entrance tests, Class XII examinees are often over-burdened, studying two separate courses simultaneously.

The same same reason has prompted the state-controlled Madhyamik and the Higher Secondary boards to incorporate changes in their syllabi and make it more competitive.

Source : The Telegraph Calcutta