Top Education Boards in India: Which One Is Right for You? 

Which is the best board in India? Which board will be appropriate for the children? From where can they make it big in the future? And the list continues. A lot of parents have these questions in mind while selecting an education board for their child. 

Our country has an esteemed education system and some prestigious boards make it possible to keep up with excellent work in academics. If you’re one of those having a bunch of such questions inside your head, you’re at the right place. In this blog, we will take you through the different education boards in India, their features and their respective pros and cons. It would help you make a firm decision about your ward.

Top 10 Board in India List

Here is a list of the top 10 education boards in India, based on popularity and reputation:

1. Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
2. Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE)
3. International Baccalaureate (IB)
4. Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE)
5. National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
6. Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE)
7. Uttar Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (UPBSE)
8. Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE)
9. Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE)
10. Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education (HPBOSE)

What is the main difference between Education Boards in India?

Each board is unique and being a part of any of them is a great thing for the students. In the below section, let us go through the features of different education boards in India and the differences. 

CBSE Board 

One of the most popular boards in India is the Central Board of Secondary Education. Administered by the Union Government of India, the board affiliates 24,000 schools in India and around 240 schools in 26 foreign nations affiliated with CBSE. Established in 1962, the board aims to upgrade the students’ social and intellectual skills and prepare them for the outside world with the right knowledge. 

Some of the top features of the CBSE board are:

• The grading system often makes it difficult to score in CBSE compared to state boards. 
• Students between grades 1 and 5 study vocabulary and social science. Students above that till 10th go for Science, Mathematics, English and other supplementary languages. 
• Extracurricular activities like art and dance are an integral part of the course. 
• A new inclusion is the Continuous Comprehensive Assessment (CCA) for grades 6 to 10 to have an overall assessment of the student’s entire year. 

Let’s have a close look at some of the pros and cons of the CBSE board. 

Pros

• Admission rates are comparatively higher in CBSE boards. 
• The extensive presence of the board makes it comprehensive access to parents and their wards. 
• Presence of application-based activities to make the students industry-ready. 

Cons

• The syllabus tends to be more focused on preparing the students with NEET/JEE knowledge. 
• Higher school fees

Here’s the small list of CBSE books available at Oswal Publishers. 

• CBSE Question Bank Class 10 Bundles 
• 36 Sample Question Papers Commerce Stream.

CISCE (ICSE) Board

The next board name in this list is the Indian Certificate for Secondary Education. The privately operated board emerged as a national alternative to the British and American School Systems. Over 2300 schools are affiliated with the ICSE board in India and foreign. The ICSE board provided certificates that have recognition in the International Education boards too. 

Some prominent features of one of the most difficult school boards in India are:

• The board’s vision is to take care of the overall development of the learners with special emphasis put on every subject and versatile selection. 
• The curriculum is focused towards an integrated and comprehensive learning methodology.  
• English is the primary teaching mode, develops high language proficiency among learners. 

Here’s a quick overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the ICSE board. 

Pros 

• The application-based curriculum nurtures the advanced development of the students. 
• The curriculum offers flexibility and variety in the subject selection, much higher compared to CBSE. 
• Special emphasis on practical learning than simple theoretical concepts. 

Cons 

• English being the main instruction mode, the students might lack proficiency in other language subjects. 
• The course curriculum is comparatively difficult to other boards which makes it hard for the students to score. 
• ICSE students might find it difficult to shift to any other board in case the situation demands. 

Some icse books available at Oswal Publishers include: 

• 10 Years Solved Papers ICSE 
• 61 Sample Question Papers ICSE Class 10

ISC Board

Among the different types of boards in India, the next name is the ISC which stands for Indian School Certificate examinations held by the CISCE. Till 2021-22, there will be exams twice a year to evaluate the students but Covid changed the scenario to yearly examinations. The board has a special focus on Maths and Science with equal importance put on Humanities and Language. 

One of the most noted education boards in India mostly has the following features. 

• The application-based learning scheme strives to develop the analytical skills of students. 
• It’s more dependent on the language and the Arts. 
• The subject offerings are varied with more options compared to CBSE. 

Pros 

• The broad curriculum takes care of the overall development of the students. 
• Application-based learning structure makes it easier for the students to be industry-ready. 
• Equal emphasis is put on the subjects, ensuring learners get a hands-on experience through task-based learning instead of simple bookish knowledge. 

Cons 

• Major emphasis is on the English language might develop a lack of proficiency in other languages.
• The syllabus might appear tiresome to some students. 

Here are some of the ISC books at Oswal Publishers. 

• 36 Sample Question Papers for Humanities Stream Class 12
• ISC Commerce Combo of 36 Sample Question Papers and 10 Years Solved Papers

IB Board 

Considered to be the toughest board in India by many, the IB stands for The International Baccalaureate. It ensures spectacular education for learners aged between 3 and 19 years. The privately-operated multinational organisation is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The prestigious board is accessible to 144 countries with 3500 educational institutions. It’s a great preference for parents having abroad travelling or settling plans. 

Here go some prominent features of one of the most aspiring education boards in India. 

• For learners, till the age of 11, the curriculum includes physics, natural sciences and language. 
• For students between the age group 11 and 16, it includes languages, physics, mathematics, art and architecture.
• For learners, till age 19 it includes three major modules: a thesis article, a critical thought project, and youth service. 

Pros 

• The extensive learning process contributes a detailed impart of knowledge among the candidates. 
• Students are free to pick one subject available from the six distinct groups. 

Cons 

• Higher admission fees
• Students affiliated with the IB board might find it difficult to shift boards in case the situation demands. 

Maharashtra Board 

Among the prominent education boards in India, state boards play a vital role. They’re hugely coveted among the parents and their wards and the Maharashtra State Board is the first name we will discuss here. 

Established in 1945, the board organises the HSC and SSC examination in Maharashtra through the nine divisional boards situated at Pune, Nasik, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Amravati, Nagpur, Latur and Ratnagiri. More than lakhs of students appear for the respective examinations every year. 

Here are some great features of the Maharashtra State Board:

• The syllabus covers important topics of regional relevance, imparting good knowledge among the students. 
• The board aims to prepare candidates for a brighter tomorrow with great lessons being included in the curriculum. 
• Mostly the state language is used as a medium of instruction but many schools operate in English too. 

Pros 

• The admission process to this board is comparatively easier than other boards. 
• The textbooks are easily accessible to the students. 
• Students aiming to sit for NEET or JEE can benefit from this board due to the course structure. 

Cons 

• The teaching facilities might vary from one school to the other, thus hampering the quality of pedagogy. 
• The syllabus is not comprehensive enough for students to prepare for the outside world. 

Uttar Pradesh Board 

Another prominent state board and one of the most important education boards in India is the Uttar Pradesh Board, set up in 1921. Currently, the board carries the tag of Asia’s largest board provided the number of students it has. The 10th and 12th-grade board exams are called the High School Examination and Intermediate Examination respectively. 

Here are some top features of this board of education. 

• Special emphasis is based on regional knowledge and lessons based on relevant topics. 
• The grading system is comprehensive and students can benefit from the overall curriculum. 
• The vision is to educate the candidates on core regional concepts and help them have a nice preparation for competitive examinations. 

Pros 

• Students can have easy access to the reading materials and books are easily available on the market compared to other boards like the ICSE or CBSE. 

• Candidates aspiring for competitive examinations have great benefits from this board. 

Cons 

• The syllabus might not be comprehensive enough to impart skill-oriented lessons to the students. 
• Again, there can be a difference in teaching quality across the different schools affiliated with the respective board. 

Himachal Pradesh Board 

The next one on the board name list is the Himachal Pradesh Board of School Education. Headquartered in Dharamshala, the board was set up in 1969 with a responsibility to prescribe courses and textbooks and organise examinations for the affiliated secondary school students. 

The board arranges 1650 exam centres for above 500,000 students every year. Let’s get a quick look at the top features of one of the most popular education boards in India. 

• At present, above 8000 schools are affiliated with the board which takes care of the overall good education of the students. 

• It follows the general syllabus guidelines to help students unveil topics of regional relevance and sharpen their knowledge. 

Pros 

• The high rate of admission policy makes it easy access to the parents and their wards. 
• The course curriculum is a good fit for students willing to take competitive examinations in the future. 

Cons 

• The syllabus might not be very comprehensive to prepare the students for real-world scenarios in future. 
• Teaching quality can be an issue across the different affiliated schools. 

Madhya Pradesh Board 

Among the different boards in India, the next one is the Board of Secondary Education, Madhya Pradesh. Headquartered in Bhopal, the board came into existence in 1965. It is responsible for deciding the policy-associated administrative and intellectual direction of the higher education system in the State. 

It takes care of various activities including study courses, prescribing syllabi, organizing exams and granting support and direction to all the affiliated institutions. Here are some features of one of the most coveted education boards in India. 

• It grants recognition to schools and prescribes the concerned textbooks and materials for intermediate and high school levels. 

• It provides equivalence to the examinations organised by other boards. 

• In addition to the compulsory English and Hindi languages, students are free to choose a language subject from the given options. 

Pros 

• The board conducts three examinations namely the Middle School Exam for class 8 students, High School Certificate Examination for Class 10 students and the Higher Secondary Certificate Exam for the 12th-grade candidates this has a fair evaluation process. 

• The vast syllabus is helpful for the students to educate their brains on diverse topics. 

Cons 

• The grading system can be complicated. 
• The syllabus is not comprehensive enough to impart industry-based lessons to the students. 

Telangana Board 

Among the most prominent education boards in India, comes the name of Telangana board of secondary education or BSET. It is also among the newest secondary boards of education, which was established almost 7 years back in 2016, and is situated at Nampally, Hyderabad.

The board is engaged in the regulation and supervision of the functioning system of the development education of secondary examination for both private as well as public schools, that are government accredited.

• The board affiliates all the state schools along with private schools in colleges in this state.
• It conducts final examinations every spring for higher secondary students, along with high school certificate exams, and exams of other courses, prescribed under the 10th boards.

Pros

• Telangana Board of Secondary Education has had high admission rates for the past few years and is highly accessible to the common people.
• The course curriculum of this board can be said student friendly, which ensures proper learning.

Cons

• The marking system is a bit complex here, as several assessment scores are added to the final exam.
• The syllabus might not be comprehensive enough, to make the students ready for their future endeavours.

The prominent names among the education boards in India are the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education. Established in 1951 and 1975 respectively, the board conducts class 10 and 12 examinations: Secondary and Higher Secondary Exams. 

West Bengal Board 

More than 10 lakhs of students every year appear for the Secondary exam while the number is as high as 8 lakhs for the Higher Secondary Examination. 

Here are some prominent features of one of the top 10 toughest state boards in India. 

• It aims to educate people with critical knowledge on regional relevance. 
• The grading system is strict and provides room for strong competition during the board exams. 
• Special emphasis is given to the understanding of candidates and how they describe the concept while framing an answer. 

Pros 

• The difficult grading system makes the students ready for a competitive setting. 
• The easy availability of textbooks and reading materials is a big bonus. 

Cons 

• Agins, the syllabus might not be comprehensive enough for industry-based knowledge. 
• High rate of competition.

Bihar Board 

One of the most popular education boards in India is the Bihar School examination board which conducts examinations at the secondary and senior secondary levels both for private and government institutions in Bihar. Headquartered in Patna, it was set up in 1952. 

Besides organising school examinations, it takes care of departmental exams as well like Diploma in Physical Education and TET for Bihar State, Examination for Diploma in Elementary Education, etc. Among the different types of educational boards in India, the Bihar board is a prominent one and let’s discuss some of its features. 

• The vision is to shape the candidates for a brighter tomorrow. 
• Secondary and senior secondary school exams are held twice a year including a supplementary examination in May-June. 
• Including maths and social science, two language subjects are compulsory for 10th-grade students. In 12th, the students have the flexibility to choose their stream of choice. 

Pros 

• Students develop core knowledge on issues about regional relevance and are well prepared for competitive examinations. 
• A higher admission system makes it comfortable access to students. 

Cons 

• Similar to other state boards, the syllabus might not be comprehensive enough to prepare them for a tough competitive setting in years to come. 

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

Set up by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in 1989, the National Institute of Open Schooling is one of the most popular education boards in India. It presents vocational and community-linked courses for the respective secondary and senior secondary levels. Close to 3,50,00 students sign up for the programs every year and it’s denoted as one of the largest open schooling systems in India. 

The board aims to impart versatile education among the learners to reduce illiteracy and increase flexible education. Here are some of the features of the NIOS board. 

• The books follow NIOS and NCERT books in the curriculum.

• The grades between 3 and 8 cover basic concepts in Math, Environmental Science and Computer. Class 10 students are free to choose from two basic groups and 12th-grade candidates can select their stream between arts, commerce and science. 

Pros 

• Students have a maximum span of five years to complete their course program. 
• Benefits a flexible education system and students can pursue the course in an open mode. 

Cons 

• An open mode of learning can sometimes be a major cause of distraction. 

Wrapping Up 

Which board is best for education? This is a common question many counsellors face from parents. Well, there can be no definitive answer as it depends on the adaptability of the student. As long as the student can embrace the concepts and curriculum they can do wonders. 

We hope this blog helped clear significant doubts about the different education boards in India. Which one would you prefer for your ward? 

FAQs on Education Boards in India