ICSE vs CBSE: Which board is best for your child?

My child is stepping into schooling years; which school is best for my child? Which board is suitable for his overall development? What medium of instruction will help my child learn better? Am I making the right decision?

If you are a parent, these questions are forever in your mind until you see your child performing well in school. Every Indian parent probably goes through the same dilemma when enrolling their child for the first time in a school. We totally understand. The big confusion lies because we have two big education boards in our country- ICSE and CBSE. These boards are primarily considered best for a child’s strong academic foundation and preparedness for higher studies.  

What is the ICSE Board?

The full form of the ICSE Board is the ‘Indian Certificate of Secondary Education Board. It is a private national-level education board in India. The examinations are conducted by the CISCE (Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination). This council conducts ICSE exams for Std. 10th and ISC (Indian School Certificate) for Std. 12th. 

What is the CBSE Board?

The full form of the CBSE Board is the ‘Central Board of Secondary Education Board. It is a body under the Government of India. The board itself conducts the examinations. Major examinations of the CBSE Board are AISSE(10th Standard), AISSCE (12th Standard), competitive entrance exams such as JEE, NEET, and more. 

ICSE vs CBSE: SYLLABUS

When it comes to comparing the education boards’ syllabus, CBSE and ICSE both have their own benefits.  CBSE Board focuses on the holistic development of students. It has an NCERT approved syllabus and is more inclined towards – Science subjects and skill-building for competitive exams such as JEE for engineering and NEET for medical science. This board is good for students who aspire to enter India’s mainstream professions – Engineering, Doctor, etc. Whereas, ICSE Board gives exposure to interdisciplinary and experiential learning. The ICSE syllabus is comprehensive and well-structured, boosting analytical skills and practical knowledge. Students who aspire to choose a career in management, humanities, arts, literature, science, or study abroad should consider learning in an ICSE Board School. The board emphasizes language subjects. It helps students to form a strong foundation and crack foreign eligibility tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, and more with ease.  Even though the CBSE Board sets the JEE & NEET exams, ICSE students perform better in these exams due to in-depth knowledge and practical understanding of the concepts.   In difficulty level,  the ICSE Board has a comprehensive and detailed syllabus and is often considered difficult whereas, the CBSE Board syllabus is considered easy and precise. The high difficulty level helps the ICSE students to face challenges and enhances their problem-solving abilities. 

ICSE vs CBSE: MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTIONS

The CBSE Board follows English as a medium of instruction and also allows Hindi. On the other hand, ICSE Board strictly follows the English language as a medium of instruction. The language preference of ICSE is the same across all the states of India. However, ICSE offers the opportunity to learn languages such as Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telegu, English, etc. Choosing CBSE based on language could give your child a better understanding in their initial years. However, the ICSE board can help your child set a strong foundation for foreign studies and communication in the future. Choose wisely!

ICSE vs CBSE: TEACHING METHODOLOGY & MARKING SCHEME

The CBSE board syllabus is compact, has fewer subjects, and hence teaching methodology often remains confined to the classrooms. In contrast, the ICSE board has a broad range of subjects and emphasizes the application of the concept. The real-life experiences and learnings have more importance in the ICSE board. The ICSE curriculum has various activities involved in the process of learning. CBSE Board uses Grades System (Alphabetic Parameters) for the evaluation of students’ performance in examinations. ICSE Board uses a combination of Grades Systems and Marks. It discloses examination results in both formats. While CBSE & ICSE both marking systems are acceptable in all universities across India, ICSEs’ marking scheme helps students with better foreign academic opportunities.

ICSE vs CBSE: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM SCHOOLS?

When your child is in the best CBSC board school in Jalna, you can expect the school to have a balanced learning curriculum and fair weightage to academics and sports. If you are looking for ICSE schools in Jalna, expect more practical engagement and assessment in academics. ICSE schools prepare students to learn with an application approach.  Both the boards are good for your child’s overall development. However, as parents, your call is to choose your child’s career direction or set the preferred academic foundations. Schools of both ICSE and CBSE Boards receive a certification based on quality education, and they do their best in aligning syllabus with their day-to-day classes and activities. 

The topic and dilemma of choosing between ICSE and CBSE are never-ending. Every family has different notions, the purpose for academics. It is up to the parents to take the final call and choose what’s right for their child. We hope the above differences in ICSE and CBSE Board have given you a path to explore more in your board’s interest. MRDA Day Cum Boarding School is one of the leading boarding schools in Jalna. The school is affiliated with the ICSE Board. We have a dedicated, highly qualified faculty, modern school infrastructure, and amenity-rich campus to give our students the best environment for learning, playing, and exploring their talents. Once at MRDA, your child will understand an abundant holistic approach towards life and experience well-structured ICSE education. We welcome your child to build a bright future with MRDA. 

Admissions For Academic Year 2021-2022 Are Open. For further queries, call: 9021387262,  9422226534 or click here.

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