Yes, ICSE is a bit tougher than CBSE because both boards have different levels of teaching. CBSE focusses more on theoretical knowledge whereas ICSE focusses on the practical aspect of the topic.
In addition to that, the ICSE curriculum is more complex due to its in-depth and vast syllabus which makes it tougher for the students to grasp.
There are few parameters that can be used to distinguish between both the boards:
1. Syllabus
The syllabus that you have to cover for the CBSE board will be helpful if you are aspiring to go for competitive exams like JEE or NEET etc.
Because CBSE Syllabus is more inclined toward theoretical knowledge, but ICSE syllabus is more toward practical knowledge.
2. Level of Ease
CBSE Syllabus is way easier, well structured, and compact than the ICSE curriculum.
ICSE follows a designated higher English language level than the other boards, whereas CBSE does not follow a particular English language preference.
The higher level of English language for the ICSE curriculum assists students in performing better in exams like TOEFL.
3. Acceptability
Irrespective of the course you opt for, CBSE Board marks are widely accepted in nearly all universities. But, if you are seeking foreign schools and universities, ICSE Certification is preferred.
4. Level of Explanation
ICSE Syllabus is well-researched and extensive to provide in-depth knowledge to the students. But, the CBSE syllabus is found to be more precise and on point.
5. Difficulty Level
ICSE Syllabus is more difficult than CBSE. It follows more internal assessments and concepts that can be applied to a practical environment.
6. Transferability
If you are someone who travels a lot then getting admission to the CBSE school will be best suited because there are few ISCE schools in the country.
7. Range of Subjects
ICSE covers a huge range of subjects. It even offers a variety of languages like English, Hindi, Kanada, Tamil, Telugu, and others. It even has Fashion Design, Agriculture, Home Science, and Cookery for extraordinary minds.
8. Grading System
CBSE follows an alphabetical based grading system. Whereas for ICSE, the marks are shown in numbers. It helps them to get a better idea of how much they have scored.
9. Regular and Private Candidates
Students who haven't been admitted to CBSE affiliated schools or non-regular candidates can also appear for CBSE Exams.
But this approach is not followed in the ICSE schools. Students should mandatorily be a part of ICSE affiliated schools to appear for the ICSE exams.
10. Medium of Instructions
CBSE has flexibility in the language of exam instructions and gives instructions in English and Hindi, but ICSE follows only English for instructions.
CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education)
Pros:
1. If you want to relocate to the country then CBSE schools are best-suited. As they have their presence in almost every city of the country.
2. CBSE is also responsible for conducting a lot of Scholarships and talent search exams.
3. CBSE students have the privilege of finding the tuitions easily as most of the teachers are from CBSE School and are well-versed in the CBSE Syllabus.
4. CBSE doesn't have a large burden of syllabus just like ICSE.
Cons:
1. Students studying on the CBSE board can’t take individual subjects and have to pick a stream (Science, Commerce, or Arts) for classes 11thand 12th
2. Mathematics and Science are the subjects of major concern in CBSE. Whereas, other subjects are given less priority.
3. CBSE follows a strict marking method.
ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education)
Pros:
1. Students can study from any textbook of their choice and there is no compulsion offered to them from this perspective
2. ICSE lays a great focus on the English language. Therefore, students have great room for improvement to gain a good command of English.
3. All the subjects in ICSE are given equal priority, no matter, whether it is English, Arts, or Science.
4. ICSE focuses on detailed explanation of the topics with in-depth research
Cons:
1. It is very difficult to find private tuition for ICSE students because there is less number of ICSE teachers in India.
2. ICSE board is way more expensive than compared to CBSE. Be it school fees, books, etc. all of these things are not very affordable as they are for CBSE.
3. ICSE has a large number of subjects to be prepared for. A normal ICSE class 6thstudent will study 12-13 subjects but on the other hand, CBSE students will only study 5-6 subjects at the same age.
If the percentage is compared, ICSE had a better result than CBSE.
The debate of whether CBSE is better than ICSE remains ever-lasting but parents can choose the board for their kids based on the various factors with pros and cons discussed above.
ALL THE BEST!
