CBSE vs ICSE
A side-by-side look, pulled from each board’s own curriculum.
| Attribute | CBSE | ICSE |
|---|---|---|
| Region | India (Pan-India) | India |
| Curriculum focus | Central Board of Secondary Education. National curriculum emphasizing conceptual clarity, competency-based assessment, and NCERT resources across Classes 1-12. | Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (Class 10) and ISC (Class 12) by CISCE. Rigorous curriculum with strong emphasis on English, detailed subject… |
| Exam pattern | Class 10 & 12: 50% competency-based questions (case studies, assertion-reason, source-based). Theory 80 marks + 20 internal/practical for most subjects. Focus… | ICSE Class 10: 80 external + 20 internal per subject. Mix of objective, short and structured long answers. Projects and practicals carry weight. ISC Class 12:… |
| Classes covered | 7 classes | 2 classes |
FAQ
Common questions
See the full board comparison or all head-to-heads.