Fourth Edition of CBSE Student’s Global Aptitude Index (SGAI)

(CBSE/ PRO/ SGAI/ 2013)

To,
All the Heads of Institutions of CBSE Affiliated Schools.

Dear Madam/Sir

After three consecutive successful years of Student’s Global Aptitude Index (SGAI) Board is happy to announce its Fourth Edition. The enthusiastic participation of schools in SGAI from different parts of the country and abroad is sincerely appreciated. Around 4, 00,000 students have so far opted for CBSE-SGAI in the last three years worldwide. It is worth mentioning that in  addition to CBSE schools, the Himachal Board of Higher Education also introduced CBSE SGAI for its students of Class X. The sustained strength of participation of schools in SGAI not only  signifies its usefulness but also highlights the need for such initiatives in our country. A survey of CBSE schools revealed that out of those which responded, 88 per cent relied on CBSE SGAI for aptitude testing.

As per the feedbacks received on CBSE SGAI, many schools and members of public have strongly suggested that CBSE should make this assessment mandatory. Notwithstanding the suggestions, I still feel that it should remain an optional activity. Schools and students should themselves feel the importance of such a facility and come forward to register. As such, the larger motive of SGAI is to initiate a dialogue on the decision making of academic choices among various stakeholders besides empowering a student which becomes more significant in Indian context  where subject choices of a student are very often dictated by parents’expectations, peer pressure, social prestige and many other external factors.

For the benefit of new entrants in CBSE fraternity of affiliated schools, I would like to reiterate that although aptitude testing is not a new concept in developed world; in India CBSE is the first Board of Education to conduct an aptitude assessment in the form of SGAI. Developed as an indigenous assessment tool by a renowned team of field experts, SGAI is customized to suit the  Indian context and above all, the variety of student population in CBSE affiliated Private,
Government and Aided Schools. SGAI reiterates the fact that each individual is unique in terms of aptitude, interest and motivation. The format and details of assessment are available on CBSE website.

So far, SGAI advocacy was limited to participant schools and class X students. However, it is the considered opinion that Aptitude testing should be made an integral part of school system and to make it more inclusive, the sensitization and advocacy of SGAI should start in class IX itself for the parents and students. In the past Board has arranged a number of SGAI orientation programmes in schools and trained more than a thousand strong school counsellors and teachers. For the purpose of facilitation, this year also, the advocacy material has been prepared.

Courtesy : CBSE