IGCSE vs ICSE vs CBSE: Best Comparison Ever!

IGCSE Vs ICSE Vs CBSE, the baffling battle continues in the mind of both parents and students as soon as one enters its education life!

Are you also struggling with which Board to choose from?

Being a student is hard! Choosing the best board for Quality Education is harder!

Earlier, the times were simple. Today with Globalization, it has become important to nurture a student into a “Global Citizen” right from the beginning. The confusion between IGCSE Vs ICSE Vs CBSE adds fuel to the fire!

Are you still looking for answers to your question?

Search no more! The best comparison ever between IGCSE Vs ICSE Vs CBSE is here to end your hunt for your best education.

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IGCSE Vs ICSE Vs CBSE:

IGCSE: If you are truly looking for an International Education in your future then, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education is the right board for you. A curriculum that focuses on intellectual achievements with personal grooming gives you an over-the-edge approach to a Quality International Education.

Why to Choose IGCSE:

• Best Quality Education according to foreign standards, having over 500 schools in India.
• Well-researched curriculum reviewed every 5 years and updated with Foreign Education based courses.
• The curriculum encourages a Global Perspective with critical thinking, language skills, and overall personality development to study in foreign schools after 10th.
• The student-teacher ratio is low and hence more focus on students and their overall skill development.

Points to Ponder:

• Most schools do not offer IGCSE education. It becomes difficult to enroll in another school or any other board.
• Strict Attendance rules. Fees for the curriculum are very high as compared to other boards. 
• Timelines and the curriculum are not in sync with Indian higher education and hence the eligibility for the Indian entrance exams is reduced.
• Tough and demanding curriculum with the assessment based on practical knowledge along with written examinations.

Top Schools offering IGCSE Education:

• The British School, Delhi
• Thakur International School, Mumbai
• Dr. Pillai Global Academy, Mumbai
• Singapore International School, Mumbai
• Raffles International School, Rajasthan
• Genesis Global School, Noida
• Trivandrum International School, Kerala
• MIT Vishwashanti Gurukul School, Pune
• Pathways Schools, Noida
• Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai

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IGCSE Vs ICSE Vs CBSE:

ICSE: Indian Certificate of Secondary Education focuses equally on the subjects of literature and art, along with Math and Science which opens up a lot of opportunities for students.

Why to Choose ICSE:

• The second most Common Board has over 2,000 schools in India.
• Well-researched curriculum with more volume under 3 streams. Encourages more focus on language (Mainly English).
• The curriculum encourages critical thinking, skill development, and knowledge in its application, making it easier for students to apply to Foreign Universities through SAT and TOEFL.

Points to Ponder:

• Some schools do not offer ICSE education and hence it becomes difficult to get a transfer to another school.
• Examinations are not student-friendly with high complexity levels and stringent markings. 
• A detailed curriculum is taxing on the student and admissions to National Colleges are a little tough since Government colleges prefer National Boards like CBSE.

Top Schools offering ICSE Education:

• Greenwood High International School, Bangalore
• The Cathedral & John Connon School, Mumbai
• Jamnabai Narsee School, Mumbai
• Johnson Grammar School, ICSE, Hyderabad
• St Joseph’s Academy, Dehradun
• N. L. Dalmia High School, Thane
• Maneckji Cooper Education Trust School, Mumbai
• Holy Heart Presidency School, Amritsar
• The Chintels School, Kanpur
• Vaels International School, Chennai

IGCSE Vs ICSE Vs CBSE:

CBSE: Central Board of Secondary Education is a public board that has established a good number of schools outside India as well. It offers great variety in its curriculum and prepares the student for the quality education needed for all-India entrance examinations like NEET-JEE.

Why to Choose CBSE:

• Most Common Board, has over 16,000 schools in India. Parents with transferrable jobs prefer the CBSE Education system. Supported by Govt.
• NCERT-based curriculum to prepare for NEET or JEE, UPSC, or Civil Service examinations post 12th. It is easier to find tutors for the CBSE curriculum.
• Some schools offer a 5th Vocational subject like Physical Education, Informative practices, etc. in high school.
• Textbooks are updated regularly and prescribed in the curriculum itself.

Points to Ponder:

• Some schools do not offer CBSE education after class X so students need to shift to other schools or other boards.
• Student needs to study the entire syllabus, No “Easy” option in any subject.
• Limited opportunities in relation to other Vocational Subjects. No focus on extracurricular activities.
• A traditional approach focuses mainly on the subjects of Math and Science.

Top Schools offering CBSE Education:

• DAV Sr. Sec. School, Mogappair, Chennai
• DAV Girls Sr. Sec. School, Lloyds Road, Chennai
• DAV Boys Sr. Sec. School, Lloyds Road, Chennai
• Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith, Jharkhand
• Sri Kumaran Children’s Home School, Bangalore
• National Public School, Bangalore
• Chinmaya International Residential School, Coimbatore
• National Public School, Bangalore
• Delhi Public School, Vadodara
• The Heritage School, Gurgaon

IGCSE Vs ICSE Vs CBSE: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• When can one choose the IGCSE curriculum? Tell me some names of the common Universities that accept IGCSE scores?

Any student aged between 14-16 who has just entered class 9 level can opt for the IGCSE Education curriculum to be recognized globally. Common Universities* that accept these scores are:

• Aligarh Muslim University, India
• Flame University, India
• Goa University, India                  
• Australian National University, Australia                      
• Curtin University, Australia                        
• American University, United States                        
• Berkeley College, United States                         
• Harvard University, United States                           
• Haverford University, United States

NOTE: Kindly check their websites for eligibility criteria

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• If a student fails in the pre-board examination of the CBSE board, will he/she be detained from giving the final Board Examination?

No, Pre-board examinations are just a pre-evaluation of your learning of the curriculum. They are there to give you a general perspective of what you have learned. If you fail the examinations, then it is time to study hard for the boards, for which you will not be detained, if otherwise eligible. Also, your pre-board scores have no influence over the main board examination scores.

• How does the ICSE system of board grade a student’s performance?

Each paper carries 100 marks. 20% marks are included in the school curriculum that contains various project works undertaken. Optional subjects are divided into theory and practical examinations and carry 50% internal and 50% external evaluation. The marks are graded from A to E, where A is the highest and E is the lowest evaluation. A, B, C, and D indicate “Exam Passed” whereas E is Fail.