International Schools: Cambridge Curriculum in particular saw a 58% growth between 2015 to 2020 and continues to dominate the Indian education market, the total number of Cambridge schools in India increased to 574 in 2023 from 496 in 2018.
The total number of International school enrollments in India witnessed a stellar 70% growth in the past 5 years with Swiss-based International Baccalaureate and UK-based Cambridge’s IGSCE emerging as the most popular choice for parents seeking International education for their children. Cambridge Curriculum in particular saw a 58% growth between 2015 to 2020 and continues to dominate the Indian education market, the total number of Cambridge schools in India increased to 574 in 2023 from 496 in 2018.
As per the data made available by the Cambridge University Press and Assessment, India is emerging as the key market for the International curriculum, forcing Cambridge to curate exclusive products for the growing demand in India. The March exam series is introduced as part of the Cambridge strategy to cater to India’s local academic needs, allowing students to apply for Indian universities where the academic year starts ahead of many International universities. Cambridge curriculum’s market in India saw a 30% increase in the post-pandemic period with more than 50 schools seeking to join the Cambridge network every year. Other than offering the international curriculum, Cambridge has partnered with over 2000+ CBSE schools for various academic programs.
These numbers clearly signify the growing demand for International schools curriculum like Cambridge’s IGCSE in India. More parents are overlooking CBSE schools for IGCSE schools to prepare their children for higher studies abroad. As per an estimate, close to 50% of the students enrolled in Cambridge schools are leaving India to study abroad at foreign universities. A recent survey conducted by Cambridge International states that 88% of the parents enrolling students believe that the Cambridge curriculum is the best way for progressing toward higher studies and 97% of them attest to the fact that Cambridge is globally recognized by many universities.
Hard emphasis on Research and Conceptual learning, and inculcating critical thinking are among the reasons for more and more parents opting for International schools with Cambridge curriculum for their children. The shift in mindset can be observed in parents’ willingness to spend more money on International schools than choosing CBSE schools. As per the TOI report, more than 1.2 billion USD is spent by parents every year in India on tuition fees, etc. at International schools.
Cambridge International is also the first board to implement a curriculum based on the National Education Policy 2020 in India. In fact, Cambridge is looking at implementing some of the recommendations for the National Education Policy like ‘early education curriculum’ at their schools abroad. The flexibility of the curriculum to cater to the local needs combined with the focus on Concept-based learning to prepare students for the global arena is accelerating the growth of Cambridge International in India. The demand for Cambridge is also fueled by the general rise of International schools that comes with economic growth and an increase in per capita income in the country. India is now ranked 2nd in the total number of International schools next to the first placed China. Cambridge International is leading this paradigm shift in the Indian educational ecosystem, making it the preferred choice for parents.