Just lately, on 30 April, the Council for the Indian Faculty Certificates Examinations (CISCE) introduced the outcomes of the Class 10 (ICSE) and Class 12 (ISC) board examinations, with each recording go percentages above 99 per cent. Round 2.5 lakh college students appeared for the ICSE examination, with the go share standing at 99.18 per cent, whereas over 1.03 lakh college students took the ISC examination, recording a go price of 99.13 per cent.
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Nonetheless, amid heightened geopolitical tensions in West Asia, the Council additionally cancelled the 2026 ICSE and ISC examinations at centres within the UAE, amid the continuing battle involving the US, Israel, and Iran, stating that another evaluation mechanism could be adopted for affected candidates, the main points of that are but to be introduced.
The developments as soon as once more convey consideration to the CISCE — a board that started as an Indian different to the Cambridge examination system and has progressively expanded its presence within the worldwide schooling house. But, regardless of constantly excessive go percentages, regular progress in enrolment over the previous decade, and a powerful emphasis on application-oriented studying, it continues to occupy a comparatively small house in India’s faculty schooling panorama in comparison with the government-backed Central Board of Secondary Training and numerous state boards.
Lengthy related to perceptions of being an “elite” board, with a powerful emphasis on English and academically “robust”, in addition to a relatively “costly” one, the CISCE right now finds itself balancing its historic legacy with evolving academic calls for amid growing competitors from nationwide and state schooling techniques.
From cambridge legacy to Indian board
Based on the CISCE, the roots of it may be traced to the College of Cambridge Native Examinations Syndicate, whose examination system had operated in India for the reason that pre-independence period for greater than a century. Throughout this era, the Inter-State Board for Anglo-Indian Training was established to coordinate and preserve educational requirements amongst Anglo-Indian faculties. These faculties throughout the nation ready college students for the Abroad Faculty Certificates Examination carried out by the College of Cambridge.
Nonetheless, post-independence, discussions started in 1952 underneath India’s first Training Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, to interchange the Cambridge examination system with an Indian different. After six years of debate and planning, the CISCE was formally established in Delhi in 1958. In its early years, the Cambridge Syndicate continued to arrange query papers, consider reply scripts, and situation examination outcomes, whereas the Council managed the executive obligations in India. Over time, the Council progressively assumed full management of the examination course of. Following its recognition underneath the Delhi Faculty Training Act, 1973, handed by the Parliament of India, the CISCE grew to become an authorised physique to conduct public examinations independently, alongside state schooling boards, and different nationwide boards because the Central Board of Secondary Training (CBSE).
The CISCE, although a personal nationwide board, has been constituted with illustration from the Authorities of India, State Governments and Union Territories with affiliated faculties, the Inter-State Board for Anglo-Indian Training, the Affiliation of Indian Universities, the Affiliation of Heads of Anglo-Indian Faculties, the Indian Public Faculties’ Convention, the Affiliation of Faculties for the ISC Examination, in addition to members co-opted by the Government Committee of the Council. At current, the CISCE conducts the Indian Certificates of Secondary Training (ICSE) examination for Class X, the Indian Faculty Certificates (ISC) examination for Class XII, and the Certificates of Vocational Training (CVE) examinations.
Restricted in adoption
Based on knowledge, the variety of college students showing for the ICSE and ISC examinations has steadily elevated over the previous decade. ICSE enrolment rose from 1,68,500 college students in 2016 to round 2.5 lakh in 2026 — a rise of round 48%. ISC enrolment elevated from 72,000 to round 1.03 lakh college students throughout the identical interval, marking an increase of round 42%. The variety of affiliated faculties additionally grew from over 2,750 between 2014 and 2024 to greater than 3,300 faculties (together with Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates) in 2025, reflecting a rise of about 20%. Nonetheless, regardless of this progress, the CISCE continues to stay comparatively smaller in scale, accounting for under round 10% of the faculties and scholar enrolment in comparison with its counterpart, the CBSE, an autonomous physique underneath the Ministry of Training.
There are numerous causes attributed to this. Based on the founding father of a faculty affiliated with the CISCE in Bengaluru, within the southern a part of India, which follows the ICSE syllabus and has a power of over 1,000 college students, two main causes are doubtless chargeable for its restricted growth. He explains that the fee concerned in operating a CISCE-affiliated faculty is relatively greater than that of faculties affiliated with the CBSE or state boards. Consequently, though the payment distinction is just not extraordinarily excessive, it’s nonetheless comparatively greater. He additionally notes that consciousness about CISCE stays restricted past metropolitan areas; even inside metro cities, many dad and mom are usually not sufficiently conscious of the board.
One other head of a faculty affiliated with the CISCE from the northeastern a part of India provides that faculties affiliated with state boards and the CBSE are extra broadly obtainable. This usually makes dad and mom hesitant to confess their youngsters to CISCE-affiliated faculties, as they worry that appropriate CISCE faculties will not be obtainable in case of migration or relocation. He additionally factors to the board’s robust emphasis on English-medium instruction and its better give attention to the English language as one other issue influencing accessibility and parental choice.
“Misconceptions”
Addressing the notion of CISCE because the “hardest board,” a principal of a faculty affiliated with the CISCE says, “It can not actually be categorised as robust, since that’s subjective, however it might definitely be described as having a broader-based curriculum with a stronger emphasis on application-oriented studying.” General, in response to obtainable knowledge, the go share in CISCE examinations has remained constantly excessive over the previous decade. The ICSE go share has not fallen beneath 98%, whereas the ISC go share has constantly remained above 96%.
“There’s additionally a false impression that this board doesn’t adequately put together college students for aggressive or authorities examinations, whereas the nationwide board, CBSE, alone is taken into account extra appropriate for such exams,” the principal provides. Nonetheless, he mentioned that the CISCE curriculum is designed to offer each educational depth and interdisciplinary flexibility.
Based on the CISCE knowledge, the ICSE and ISC curricula are structured round a variety of topics, providing college students appreciable flexibility by means of a number of elective choices. The analysis system combines exterior examinations with inner assessments, with most topics following an 80:20, 70:30, or 50:50 ratio between principle and sensible elements, relying on the character of the topic. The Council additionally prescribes syllabi for numerous topics however recommends textbooks and examine supplies just for English and different language topics. For all different topics, it doesn’t mandate particular textbooks. “This additionally offers faculties the pliability to decide on books they think about appropriate for educating and studying, and to implement the curriculum in their very own means,” the principal says.
Additional, in response to obtainable knowledge, the CVE programme recorded solely round 40 registrations in 2025. A minimum of two heads of CISCE-affiliated faculties mentioned that enquiries concerning the programme had hardly ever, if ever, come to their consideration. They urged that this could possibly be as a result of contrasting perceptions related to CISCE-affiliated faculties and vocational schooling, which are sometimes considered as belonging to thoroughly totally different academic areas.
