Differences Between CBSE and ICSE Boards

The dilemma of which school, and in turn which board, will be better for their child is faced by every parent. At the national level, parents have to choose between two different boards, namely ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) and CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education). Different schools are affiliated with different boards, so before choosing the right school, parents have to decide which board they prefer for their child. In the case of CBSE, the syllabus is prepared by NCERT. Thankfully, there are ample study resources to support students of both the boards. For instance, you can easily get ncert solutions for class 11 maths or any other subject online as well as offline.

That means there are no constraints as far as study resources are concerned, irrespective of which board you choose. But then, there are still some fundamental differences.

CBSE Board

CBSE is a board that is responsible for promoting quality education for private and public schools, which falls under the purview of the Central Government. The 10^th and 12^th standard final exams of the schools that are affiliated with CBSE are conducted every year in March. The goal of the CBSE board is the all-around development of the intellect and personality of students. CBSE board is also responsible for promoting cultural growth in a child.

ICSE Board

The ICSE board is a private board that was founded in 1958. It is mainly responsible for conducting the 10th and 12th standard exams. The main agenda of the All India Certificate Examinations Conference as discussed in 1952, was to conduct an All India Examination in place of Cambridge School Certificate Examination. This council aimed at providing Indian children with proper education.

Core differences between CBSE and ICSE boards

• Pedagogy:

The CBSE and ICSE boards have strict policies regarding the admission of children and allow children to switch from ICSE to CBSE or vice versa, only if their parents have to move to a different location. The schools that are affiliated with the CBSE board, prefer to accept children for the 12^th standard if their previous education has been completed in a school that is affiliated with CBSE board. CBSE board’s main goal is to build a solid foundation in its students, and it aims for the overall development of a child. Whereas ICSE focuses more on lab work and project management. 

• Syllabus:

The CBSE syllabus is recognized by the NCERT. Whereas the ICSE syllabus is created by the CISCE. The students who opt for the CBSE board are usually more interested in science subjects. The ICSE board, on the other hand, puts more focus on language and arts subjects. ICSE tries to teach their students about management, arts, and literature. Hence, these students have higher chances of scoring good marks in scholarship exams. On the other hand, the CBSE board prepares its students for various competitive exams like JEE, NEET, etc. 

• Exam pattern:

The exam pattern that is followed by ICSE stipulates that the Class 10 mathematics question paper should be completed in 2.5 hours. Part A will contain compulsory short questions of a total of 40 marks. Part B consists of 7 questions. If 4 of them are correctly answered, you will be able to score 40 marks. For subjects like Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, each paper lasts 2 hours. Part A has a 40-mark of compulsory short questions and in part B there will be a total of 6 questions. The student must attempt 4 of these questions to earn another 40 marks.

In the case of the CBSE board, students will have to appear for formative assessment and summative assessment. In schools that are affiliated with the CBSE board, each question paper consists of 100 marks, out of which 80 marks are assigned to the theory paper and the remaining 20 marks are assigned to practical, internal assessment and project works. The theory paper for all the subjects has to be completed within 3 hours.

Both the boards, though different in many aspects, have their advantages. If one will prepare students for competitive exams, the other will improve the management skills of the student. Therefore, you need to prepare yourself accordingly. If you are studying under the CBSE board, you have to pay more attention to science and maths, especially if you are in 12th standard as things get a little tougher. If you face difficulty in coping up with the vast syllabus, you can take up Cuemath online classes where you will easily get class 12 maths ncert solutions. 

Nonetheless, both the boards aim at improving students’ life by providing them with adequate and quality education.