Different nations have different systems of education and examination for students under various boards. Education Boards are responsible for setting the rules, regulations, and teaching system for a specific academic session or institution. Nowadays, the national institutions are also inculcating internationally recognized examinations into their system, which provides a broader range of perspectives in academia.
ICSE vs IGCSE
The main difference between ICSE and IGCSE is that ICSE is a board incorporating national recognition and conducts national examinations, which are extensively offered by the council of Indian School Certificate Examination throughout the nation. Whereas IGCSE is an internationally renowned examination and system governed by the University of Cambridge International Examination respectively.
ICSE is a nationally recognized system of examination that is short for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education in India. It is a private board of India which is governed by the Council of the Indian School Certificate Examination in India. It is an examination of the national level which does not entirely allow private students to take the examination.
IGCSE is an internationally recognized examination and offers an English Language Curriculum for students by the board. It is short for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education and is governed by the University of Cambridge to conduct examinations. This International board of education also provides space for private students to take examinations.
Comparison Table Between ICSE and IGCSE
| Parameters of Comparison | ICSE | IGCSE |
| Full-Form | Indian Certificate of Secondary Education. | International General Certificate of Secondary Education. |
| Subjects | It has a fixed curriculum. | Students can choose based on their interests. |
| Level of examination | National level. | International level. |
| Governed by | Council of the Indian School Certificate Examination. | University of Cambridge International Examinations. |
| Private students | It does not allow private students to take examinations. | It allows private students to take examinations. |
What is ICSE?
ICSE is a national level of examination that offers an extensive quality of education governed by the Council of the Indian School Certificate Examination in India. It is a private board of examination in India which is renowned for providing a structured and balanced set of curriculum for the students to have an extensive idea of the subject.
ICSE focuses on providing systematic education for the student to understand the concepts on a deeper level with a full understanding of the topic. They also put great emphasis on the culminating of the English Language in the overall curriculum, which prepares the student for any English Level examination on their own.
ICSE tends to encourage their students for their active participation in various extracurricular activities, which helps in the overall development of the student in every aspect of the field and simultaneously focuses on providing a general course of education conducting a balance between both sectors of knowledge.
This private board of education tends to evaluate the students based on the best five subjects in their respective courses, which determines their overall performance considering the English marks as a compulsory addition to the evaluation process. This board has proven to provide a high-quality education system throughout India.
What is IGCSE?
IGCSE is an internationally renowned examination that is known for its top-notch education system and is short for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It tends to focus extensively on the level of the English Language Curriculum in the education system to prepare the students for the A-Level examination under the International Curriculum.
IGCSE is an international level of the board, which is also considered equivalent to other different international curricula and GCSE level. It is governed by the University of Cambridge International Examination. IGCSE focuses on providing even wider ranges of subjects to choose from and keeps maintaining the overall growth of the student.
IGCSE board also provides the liberty to the students to choose subjects as per their interests and take examinations on that which improves the quality of study among students as they don’t feel burdened with the vast curriculum. It also allows for a teaching system focusing on localized programs of education.
It also allows other private students to take part in the examinations held by the board. They focus on creating a curriculum that would seek the importance of education and also interest the student in pursuing academics with keen willingness and determination for the development of the student.
Main Differences Between ICSE and IGCSE
- ICSE is a board of examination that is on the national level, while IGCSE is a board of examination on an international level.
- ICSE is an educational board that is governed by the Council of the Indian School Certificate Examination. Whereas IGCSE is an educational board that is governed by the University of Cambridge International Examination.
- ICSE does not allow private students to take their examinations. On the other hand, IGCSE has an internationally claimed system and allows private students to take examinations.
- The ICSE board of education has been working over since 1986 in India. But, IGCSE has started its full-fledged journey in 1988 internationally.
- In ICSE, the board has a set of systems and curriculum for teaching purposes from where the students are meant to choose from. Whereas IGCSE provides liberty and allows students to choose their subjects according to their interests.
Conclusion
Education is that important aspect of one’s life that can mould the overall growth of a person. With the inclusion of various other boards of education, there may arise slight conflicts while choosing the boards for yourselves. This brings the vast ranges of choices and fields where the student may thrive according to his interests through participation in different activities.
ICSE and IGCSE are boards of education that have fulfilled their promise of providing top-class education and infrastructure throughout various countries and continue to do the same. They focus on the overall growth of the student with the inclusion of an interesting curriculum and a wide range of subjects to practice their expertise.
References
- https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/966/
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-93843-1_17