What are CBSE, ICSE, and SSC?

They are different educational counselling systems and boards followed in India. CBSE and ICSE are national-level boards, while SSC refers to state-level boards.

Which board is best for national-level competitive exams like NEET/JEE?

CBSE is ideal if your goal is to prepare for national-level competitive exams such as NEET, JEE MAIN, and Advanced.

What are the main advantages of ICSE?

ICSE offers international recognition, a productive curriculum for humanities/management, and helps with examinations like TOEFL.

Full Forms of CBSE, ICSE, SSC: Check Details

Q: When were CBSE and ICSE established?

CBSE was established in 1962 by Anita Karwal, and ICSE was established in 1956 by the Local Examination Syndicate of the University of Cambridge.

Full Forms of CBSE, ICSE and SSC Central Board of Secondary Education, Indian Certificate of Secondary Education and Secondary School Certificate. The selection of education boards and schools is challenging; it depends on the priorities of yours and what's best for you.

Full Forms of CBSE, ICSE, SSC: Check Details

Table of Contents

Pros and Cons of the Boards
CBSE - Central Board of Secondary Education
ICSE - Indian Certificate of Secondary Education
SSC - Secondary School Certificate
Difference Between CBSE, ICSE and SSC
Which Board to Choose from CBSE, ICSE and SSC?

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Certificate of Indian Secondary Education (ICSE), and Secondary School Certificate (SSC) are different educational counselling systems followed in India. While CBSE and ICSE are the most prominent educational boards in India that operate on a national level, state boards are for specific Indian states.

This article details the functions, advantages, disadvantages, objectives, and other features of these educational boards.

Pros and Cons of the Boards

It is important to weigh in all the pros and cons of all the available educational boards before finalising a decision. The table given below contains the pros and cons of all the educational boards:

Name of the Board	Particulars	Pros and Cons
CBSE	Pros	Fewer subjects and an accessible syllabus. Helps with competitive exams like NEET, JEE MAIN, Advanced, Mains, etc. More focused on Science and Mathematics. Valid across India and in several other countries. Helps increase students' innovative skills. Multiple CBSE-affiliated schools in the country.
CBSE	Cons	Focused more on theoretical knowledge, instead of practical implementation. The scope of knowledge might be limited.
ICSE	Pros	International recognition. Productive and constructive curriculum for students interested in the fields of humanities and management. Helps with examinations like TOEFL, as the syllabus is highly emphasised on the subject.
ICSE	Cons	The curriculum is complex and extensive, compared to other educational boards. It might be difficult to score higher in ICSE exams.
SSC	Pros	It might be easier to score higher marks, as the curriculum is usually simple. Helps with state-specific competitive exams, as the curriculum is focused on regional knowledge.
SSC	Cons	It might not be helpful for national-level competitive exams. The curriculum lacks analytical skills and practical components. It is usually not recognised internationally.

CBSE - Central Board of Secondary Education

CBSE was established in 1962 by Anita Karwal and is precisely controlled and managed by the Union Government of India. It is the primary educational board in India for school students. It conducts national-level exams for students that serve as the standard minimum eligibility to pursue higher education.

Objective of CBSE

Every educational board has a set of aims and goals. However, the goal is to provide new and improved education to children with modern teaching methods. The following points explain the objectives of the CBSE Board:

To impart skills among students by providing job-oriented inputs.
Workshops and training programmes for teachers and administrators to help enhance students' delivery skills.
Distributing certificates and other such accolades for students who perform well.
Updation and authorisation of the course of instruction of examinations.

ICSE - Indian Certificate of Secondary Education

ICSE was established in 1956 by the Local Examination Syndicate of the University of Cambridge. It conducts the ICSE Examination at the end of 10th grade and the Indian School Certificate (ISC) Examination at the 12th grade.

Objectives of the ICSE Board

ICSE has prepared a curriculum that provides a variety of options and helps them gain practical knowledge. Let us look into the objectives of the ICSE board below:

To encourage education, including science, literature, fine arts, etc.
Most of the syllabus provides practical knowledge to build students' analytical skills.
More focused on science, maths, and arts to enable students to take various entrance exams.

SSC - Secondary School Certificate

State governments are responsible for the operations related to the SSC Boards.

Objectives of the SSC Board

The main goals of the SSC board are explained below:

To ensure quality education for all.
A lenient grading system ensures fairness.

Difference Between CBSE, ICSE and SSC

The table given below includes the key differences between CBSE, ICSE, and SSC.

Particulars	CBSE	ICSE	SSC
Level	National-Level	National-Level	State-Level
Syllabus	Focused on Science and Mathematics	Focused on Arts, Language, and Sciences	Focused on regional knowledge
Medium of Instruction	Primarily English and Hindi	Primarily English	Primarily regional languages
Scope	Helpful for national-level competitive exams	Helpful for national-level competitive exams	Helpful for state-level competitive exams

Which Board to Choose from CBSE, ICSE and SSC?

Here are some things that you consider when choosing from the CBSE, ICSE, and SSC educational boards:

CBSE is ideal if your goal is to prepare for national-level competitive exams.
ICSE can be a good choice for students interested in exploring the field of Arts, Languages, and Sciences.
SSC can be ideal if you want to learn more about a specific region and prepare for state-specific competitive exams.

You must also consider other factors such as school infrastructure, accessibility for digital learning modules, reading culture, performing arts, and sports. It will help your kid get a comprehensive learning experience.