Education plays a crucial role in shaping a child’s mind and career. So, it’s extremely important for parents to choose the right schools and boards to educate their children. All parents want to give their children access to the best education. They constantly worry and keep researching the different boards, schools and facilities they offer. Another dilemma parents face is choosing the right board of education for their child. Most schools these days are affiliated with CBSE or ICSE, and parents often have difficulty choosing between the two boards.
CBSE is the abbreviation for Central Board of Secondary Education, and ICSE stands for Indian Certificate of Secondary Education. What is the difference between CBSE and ICSE? Which board offers the best opportunity to shape your child’s growth and development? Read on to learn more about these two boards, which will help you choose the right board for your child’s education.
The Difference between CBSE and ICSE
Both CBSE and ICSE have their pros and cons, but they are great boards for your child’s education. Here are some ways in which CBSE and ICSE are different:
- Syllabus: There is a vast difference between the ICSE and CBSE syllabi. The CBSE Board stresses more Science and Maths education while ICSE gives equal importance to all subjects. In ICSE, Language, Arts, Humanities, Science and Maths get equal importance. ICSE syllabus is very detailed and comprehensive, whereas CBSE has a compact syllabus with fewer subjects. Students also have the opportunity to learn a range of languages and creative subjects in ICSE.
- Teaching methods: ICSE places more emphasis on practical knowledge. In ICSE, students are taught to apply theoretical concepts to real life to understand the concepts more adequately. CBSE focuses more on theoretical information.
- Competitive edge: ICSE students are taught to think analytically. Additionally, it focuses on developing the child’s language skills and personality. This gives students an added advantage when appearing for competitive exams like IELTS. CBSE Board’s focus on teaching theoretical information comes in handy for students while appearing for national level examinations like JEE, NEET etc.
- Medium of instruction: The medium of instruction in ICSE schools is English. The Board places more emphasis on improving the student’s language and literary skills. CBSE schools, on the other hand, offer instruction in both Hindi and English.
- Acceptability: While both ICSE and CBSE Boards are accepted by foreign universities, students with an ICSE certification have the upper hand. For parents with professions that involve a lot of transfers, CBSE is a better choice. Your child can transfer to any CBSE school across the country without any hassle.
- Exam difficulty: Both CBSE and ICSE board exams are moderately difficult. The board exams are conducted for Class 10 and Class 12 every year. Students need to prepare well in advance and study hard to ace the exams. They can also practise solving question papers like CBSE sample paper and previous years’ question papers to understand the exam pattern. They should revise and assess themselves often to score high marks. CBSE students can prepare for the exams with NCERT books. Similarly, ICSE students can refer to a variety of guides, like Selina Solutions, to prepare for the exams.
- Grading system: Both ICSE and CBSE have different grading systems. In ICSE, students receive their results in the form of scores. However, CBSE uses an alphabetical grading system, so students receive their results in the form of alphabetical grades.
- Difficulty level: ICSE’s comprehensive syllabus and the vast number of subjects make it very tough. ICSE also focuses a lot on extracurricular activities, which adds to the difficulty level. CBSE, on the other hand, has a compact syllabus that is light and easy for students to learn.
To summarise, from a national competitive exam point of view, CBSE is better. But, if you’re looking for something that focuses on honing your child’s skills along with their knowledge, ICSE is what you’re looking for. It also focuses a lot on extracurricular activities, which aids in the child’s overall development. We hope these points helped you come to a decision on which board to choose for your child’s education.