Academics

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) is a private, non-governmental board of school education in India. It conducts two examinations in India: the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and the Indian School Certificate (ISC). The CISCE was set up in 1956 at the meeting of the Inter-State Board for Anglo-Indian Education a proposal was adopted for the setting up of an Indian Council to administer the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate’s Examinations in India. It is an all-India, but not a government sponsored board (unlike the CBSE and NIOS). It is based in New Delhi.

The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Examination is a K-10 public board examination for students in India who have just completed Class X (equivalent to the first two years of the 4 year High School programme). Seven subjects are to be taken by the candidates, of which four are compulsory and three have a choice of subjects.

Similarly, the Indian School Certificate (ISC) Examination is a K-12 public board examination for those completing Class XII (equivalent to the end of the 4 year High School programme). Candidates must have English as one of their subjects, and then may choose either three, four or five more subjects to take exams for.

The CISCE does not accept private candidates, and they must come only through the (English medium) schools affiliated to the CISCE. The medium of examination is English, except the Indian language paper. At the end of examination, marks out of 100 are provided in each subject and a separate pass certificate is given containing the equivalent grades (like almost all other Indian educational boards). Note that apart from the CBSE and CISCE, all states in India also have their own state boards for High School education.