Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)^[2] is a non-governmental privately held national-level^[3][4] board of school education in India that conducts the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Examination for Class X and the Indian School Certificate (ISC) for Class XII.^[5]

The Council for the Indian School Certificate

Seal of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
Abbreviation	CISCE
Formation	1958; 67 years ago (1958)
Type	Non-Governmental Board of School Education
Legal status	Active
Headquarters	New Delhi, India
Official language	English
Key people	G. Immanuel (Chairman) Joseph Emmanuel (Chief Executive & Secretary) Ricardo Henry Soler (ICSE- Deputy Secretary) Sangeeta Bhatia (ISC- Deputy Secretary)
Affiliations	3,100+ schools (2025)[1]
Website	cisce.org

History

It was established in 1958.^[6] Over 2750 schools in India and abroad are affiliated to the CISCE.^[3] It is also recognized as a 'Non-Governmental National Board of Secondary Education'.^[7] CISCE conducts ICSE exam for Class 10 and ISC exam for Class 12.

Derozio Award

The Derozio Award is an annual prize awarded to the top Indian educationists by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations.^[8][9] It was instituted in 1999 in memory of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, a poet and educator from West Bengal. It is the highest award conferred by the council for contributions in the field of education.^[10]

Curriculum

The ISCE and ISC syllabi intend to incorporate comprehensive and application-based learning concepts. This board includes an extensive curriculum, particularly in English, which covers a range of literary works, including Shakespearean plays such as Julius Caesar and Macbeth.^[11]

Subjects Offered

"The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) offers a diverse curriculum across two major levels: the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) for Class 10 and the Indian School Certificate (ISC) for Class 12.

At the ICSE level, students study core subjects such as English, a second language, History-Civics-Geography, Mathematics, and Science, along with a variety of elective options, including Computer Applications, Economics, and Physical Education.

At the ISC level, students choose from three broad streams—Science, Commerce, and Humanities—with a range of subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Accountancy, Business Studies, Political Science, Psychology, and more. Both curricula emphasize a well-rounded education, including language studies, social sciences, and applied learning.

For detailed subject lists and structures, refer to the individual pages for ICSE and ISC."