Comparison : Which Scrum Certification you should go for in India ?

Recently I completed my Scrum Certification from Pune, India. Before going for certification I had many questions which type, which class or which certification will be useful. And which one I should go for. If you are Tech lead or Manager currently and looking for some further certification to enhance your value then I am sure you will have similar questions too. So I decided to write it about experience and knowledge I had so anyone going to appear for Scrum certification might be benefited from it.

In this post, I will compare three, entry-level agile certifications which are most famous and most opted courses in India.

In case you don't know what is Scrum or need to brush-up your brain then you can quick go through the post Introduction to Scrum and Agile Principals .

1.Certified Scrum Master (CSM)

WebSite Link: Scrum Alliance

Intro: A Certified ScrumMaster helps project teams properly use Scrum, increasing the likelihood of the project’s overall success. CSMs understand Scrum values, practices, and applications and provide a level of knowledge and expertise above and beyond that of typical project managers.

Certification Exam:

• Format: Multiple choice
• Number of Questions: 35
• Time limit: None specified
• Passing score: 24 correct answers
• Number of attempts permitted: 2 attempts within 90 days of completing the CSM course
• Initial Cost: Free with Certified Scrum Master Course registration. Course costs generally range between 22000 to 28000/- rs. in India

Exam Prerequisites: Applicants must attend an in-person, two-day (16 hour) CSM course taught by a Scrum Trainer that’s been certified by The Scrum Alliance

Maintenance: Renewal fee: $US100 renewal fee payment every 2 years

Pros: Ease and speed with which you too can be certified agile Scrum Master.

Cons: Joining the CSM club comes with a hefty price since you must take a sanctioned course.

Note: Upon completion of the CSM course, students are eligible for 16 Scrum Education Units (SEUs) that can be used for earning and renewing additional Scrum Alliance certifications such as the CSP, CEC, and/or CST.

2.Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)

Website link: Scrum.org

Intro: Unlike other Scrum certifications that require only class attendance, Scrum.org certification requires a minimum score on an online assessment. Attending a course is neither required nor sufficient for certification. This gives Scrum.org certification teeth and ensures that it has true value in the marketplace.

Certification Exam:

• Format: Multiple choice, multiple answer and true/false
• Number of Questions: 80
• Time limit: 60 minutes
• Passing score: 85%
• Duration : 1 hour
• Number of attempts permitted: Apparently no limit
• Initial Cost: US$150 per attempt.

Exam Prerequisites:

• None
• Recommended courses: Professional Scrum Foundations or Professional Scrum Master
• Recommended Practice Assessment: Scrum Open
• Maintenance: None; it’s yours for life.

Pros:  No mandatory training or experience required; the price of admission is a only 150 US$.

Cons: 80 questions in 60 minutes and an 85% passing score—so make sure you have you’re proper study and homework done before sitting  for the exam.

Note: Scrum.org provides a free trial exam (“Open Assessment”) that allows candidates to gauge their basic knowledge of Scrum, the structure of a Scrum Team, and the fundamentals of scaling Scrum. In addition, The Scrum Guide and Nexus Guide, which provide Scrum fundamentals, are downloadable for free from the Scrum.org website.

3.PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)

Website link: PMI

Intro: Compared with other agile certifications based solely on training and exams, the PMI-ACP is evidence of your real-world, hands-on experience and skill.

Certification Exam:

• Format: Multiple choice
• Number of Questions: 120
• Time limit: 3 hours
• Passing score: 85%
• Number of attempts permitted: PMI doesn’t disclose this; however, it’s estimated to be 70%

Initial Cost:

• Member: US$435
• Non-member: US$495
• Re-Examination, Member: US$335
• Re-Examination, Non-Member: US$395

Exam Prerequisites:

• 2,000 hours of general project experience working on teams. A current PMP or PgMP will satisfy this requirement but is not required to apply for the PMI-ACP.
• 1,500 hours working on agile project teams or with agile methodologies.
• 21 contact hours of training in agile practices.

Maintenance:

• 30 Professional Development Units (PDUs) in agile topics every 3 years.
• Renewal fee: US$60 (PMI members); US$150 (PMI non-members) every 3 years

Pros: PMI brand which has great demand and reputation in market all over the world.

Cons: US$435 to sit the exam (plus US$335 if you need to re-write it)? 1,500 demonstrated agile hours plus 21 hours of training !! Do you think you will get that much benefits or salary hike after you are Scrum Certified and get back to your boss with Certification ? J

Note:  PMI relies on people it deems to be subject matter experts to determine how many questions each candidate must answer correctly to pass the exam.

Conclusion:
To summarize, all three Scrum Certification courses have great content and value in the IT market. You will have to choose right course for you depending on what is your current role/experience in Industry, How much ROI (Return on Investment) you will get after getting Certification and How much time you will able to devote for the study.

That’s all till now. So which course your planning to go for? Please leave comments below for sharing any experiences, queries or suggestions you have.