Section 7c3: CISCE

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By Rajkamal Rao 


Go back to Section 7c:  Choosing a curriculum



The Council is not a government-sponsored body but structured as a non-profit organization of several educational associations.   Like the CBSE, it provides the curriculum for grades 10 and 12; and conducts a national exam for these two grades.  The name of the exam - popularly known as the ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) - is also used as the name of the curriculum itself.
There are three major differences though.

First, the emphasis of instruction is English (recall that CBSE students can study in Hindi as their primary language of instruction and entirely omit English by choosing a different second language, such as Sanskrit).

Second, and starting the 2013 academic year, CISCE students no longer need to pass (although they must still study and take an exam in) a second language.  The rule is buried in Page 5, paragraph C of the 2013 CISCE regulations handbook as follows - “ PASS CERTIFICATES will be awarded to candidates who at one and the same examination have entered and sat for six subjects (as detailed in Chapter II, B(1) above) and have attained the pass standard in at least five subjects which must include the subject English".  In other words, pass certificates are based on performance in the best five of six subjects.  Students, by designating their second language as the sixth subject, can entirely make it optional.  This is a welcome relief for NRI children struggling with the pressures of having to score well on their second language - for they can simply focus on the other five subjects.  But remember, they still must sit for the sixth exam.

And lastly, CISCE students have the option of choosing three subjects of their liking as electives, at a level as early as Grade 10.  This represents a choice that is appealing to students who have developed early interest in specialized subjects, such as environmental or agricultural science.

The CISCE conducts three examinations, namely, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE - Year 10); The Indian School Certificate (ISC - Year 12) and the Certificate in Vocational Education (CVE - Year 12).  [The CVE certificate is intended to prepare candidates for particular occupations - and is closest in philosophy to the trade school curricula in the US].

The CISCE does not accept private candidates, and students must come in only through English medium schools affiliated to the CISCE.   Numerous schools offer the ICSE curriculum but the number is still significantly fewer than those which offer CBSE.

The CISCE curriculum is flexible and ideal for older NRI children.  Because all instructions are in English the CISCE program is an easy curriculum to transition to.  The choices are varied as well.

Starting the 2013 year, all candidates for the CISCE examination must enter and sit for six subjects - three from Group I, two electives from Group II and one elective from Group III.

1. Subjects in Group 1:  English (as the primary language); a second language (but students don’t have to pass to move on to the next level; they will have to take a 20-mark oral examination that will test students’ listening and speaking skills); History, Civics and Geography;
2. Subjects in Group 2:  CISCE students need study and pass two other subjects from what is called Group II: Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology), Economics, Commercial Studies, Technical Drawing, A Modern Foreign Language, A Classical Language, Computer Science, Environmental Science and Agricultural Science.
3. Subjects in Group 3:  Finally, the student should study at least one subject from Group III - Computer Applications, Economic Applications, Commercial Applications, Art, Performing Arts,  Home Science, Cookery,  Fashion Designing, Physical Education, Yoga, Technical Drawing Applications, Environmental Applications, A Modern Foreign Language.

There are rules that prevent excessive concentration in just a few subjects.  For example, a student is not permitted to take Computer Science as a Group 2 subject and Computer Applications as a Group 3 subject.  

Critics say that the one issue with the CISCE curriculum is that students may feel that they are limiting options early in their careers.  A student may be interested in Math, Science, Computer Science, Commercial Studies and Economics - but is forced to choose just two topics from this list.  But compared to the state and central boards, the CISCE curriculum has lots of choices for the returning student.