When a child starts his/her academics, the dilemma of choosing the board of education in India becomes a prime concern for parents. The battle over Boards (CBSE vs ICSE) continues to rattle the brains of many parents. In the Indian education system, two of the most recognized boards of education that one gets to opt for are CBSE and ICSE. The choice of board makes a significant difference in the early development of the child.
CBSE or ICSE?
There is a good difference between ICSE and CBSE Boards of Education. CBSE Board curriculum is usually application based. The curriculum will usually offer a pre-set combination of subjects geared towards specific career goals. CBSE Board focuses more on Science and Mathematics as well as application based subjects. CISCE Board (ICSE Board / ISC Board) is said to be good for students looking for more holistic knowledge without spending on an International Board curriculum.
While we scrutinize the war of CBSE vs ICSE, it can be concluded that CBSE Board is a better board for those aspiring to crack medical and engineering entrance exams while ICSE Board is for those who wish to pursue more subjective studies like an honors degree in various subjects- especially English honors.
Most of the parents are unsatisfied with the standards of education provided by CBSE Board. They feel that CBSE lack in learning and grooming process of the child as compared to what ICSE offers. ICSE has an edge over English literature and language and is more flexible in nature. ICSE board has a lot of combinations to offer to students- such as computer science, environmental science and even interior design in a lot of schools. CBSE curriculum doesn’t provide students academic luxuries.
In terms of prevalence, CBSE Board is easy to find and is very popular among schools within India and some selected other International cities. CBSE Board is being followed by most of the schools in India and it is recommended for parents having transferable jobs. The syllabus is more suitable for entrance examinations. Major competitive examinations like IIT –JEE (Indian Institute of Technology Joint Entrance Examinations), AIEEE ( All Indian Engineering Entrance Examination) , AIPMT(All India Pre Medical Test) follow the CBSE Board pattern.
ICSE Board is reasonably prevalent across India. It focuses on the child’s overall growth and provides more choice of subjects. However, strict evaluation standards creates disparity in score achievement disadvantaging CISCE students when competing for college admissions.
To conclude, in CBSE vs ICSE battle, it can be said that both have their pros and concerns and form an extremely vital part of the Indian Education System. It all boils down to what you want for your child. One can give a push on selected subjects; other can help your child in overall growth. The choice is yours.
