CBSE Vs ICSE Board: What’s Better For Your Child? – News18

Many parents face uncertainty when deciding between enrolling their children in CBSE or ICSE schools. These two educational boards hold significant recognition in India and wield substantial influence over a child’s future. Selecting the appropriate education board is a significant undertaking for every parent.

The CBSE curriculum emphasises theoretical concepts, while ICSE places a stronger emphasis on practical knowledge. CBSE prioritises Science and Mathematics, whereas ICSE treats subjects like Art, Language, Science, Mathematics, and Humanities equally. CBSE’s syllabus is concise and presented in a straightforward manner. It offers fewer subjects compared to ICSE, which provides a variety of language options including Hindi, English, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and more.

ICSE board prioritises English as the medium of instruction, whereas CBSE schools don’t favour any specific language. While CBSE boards are widely recognised, students with ICSE certification often have an advantage, especially when applying to foreign schools and universities.

Parents in professions requiring frequent travel often prefer the CBSE board due to its wide recognition across India. With a greater number of CBSE schools available, transitioning to a similar board becomes smoother for the child. CBSE employs an alphabetical grading system, whereas ICSE assesses students using numerical scores.

The primary distinction between CBSE and ICSE lies in their teaching approaches. CBSE concentrates on establishing a robust foundation for competitive exams such as IIT JEE, NEET, etc. Its syllabus is well-structured and organised, facilitating comprehension. In contrast, ICSE places greater emphasis on project assignments, allocating 20% of marks through internal assessments. Its syllabus revolves around application-based and comprehensive learning.

CBSE board supports numerous talent search exams and offers various scholarships to students. In contrast, ICSE doesn’t offer any form of scholarship to its students.

Regarding the disparity between CBSE and ICSE, ICSE holds greater recognition among students seeking admission to international universities. While the CBSE board is widely accepted, students with an ICSE certification often receive more consideration in foreign countries.

In CBSE, the total marks are out of 100, with each term accounting for 50 marks (40 for theory and 10 for internal assessment). Students need a minimum of 33% in each subject to pass. In ICSE, 80% of marks come from external assessments and 20% from internal ones. The combined marks determine the final grade.