ICSE schools are affiliated to Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). ICSE is considered to be more difficult curriculum at the level of higher classes. It gives importance to in-depth details of a particular topic / lesson. Hence these students can excel in academics and research oriented careers. There are 87 ICSE / ISC Schools in Andhra Pradesh out of which about 40 are situated in Hyderabad.

Before going into the detailed views on ICSE pattern, you may also like to know differences and comparison between CBSE, ICSE and State Boards .

1. Best suitable for those interested in Under Graduate studies in UK, USA etc as ISC Certification is widely recognized on par with their local certifications. This may not apply to large number of parents as UG education in abroad is highly expensive (about $ 30000 – 40000) and financing options are very less for UG comparing with higher education.

2. Comparatively easy to crack SAT, TOEFL etc. as the curriculum gives huge importance to English Literature / Language.

3. Helps in inculcating out of the box thinking and churn out more confident children.

4. Highly recommended in a globalised world where good knowledge of English is a must for jobs from call centers to top MNCs.

5. The curriculum is perceived to be insufficient for India – centric entrance exams. Those interested in all India level entrance exams such as IIT JEE, AIEEE, AIPMT (Pre- Medical Test) have to put extra efforts on Maths and Science subjects.

6. Very difficult to score high percentage of marks as questions in the examinations can not be predicted. This will be a big disadvantage when some premier institutes and recruiters insist on past academic record for admissions and placements.

Top ICSE Schools in Hyderabad:

1. Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet
2. Aurobindo International School, Vidyanagar
3. Johnson Grammar School, Habsiguda
4. Chaitanya Vidyalaya, Lower Tank Bund, Domalguda
5. Nasr School, Khairatabad
6. Ramadevi Public School, Hayathnagar
7. St. Ann’s High School, Secunderbad
8. Niraj Public School, Ameerpet

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is the mose popular board in India and its system of education is widely accepted across the country. These schools are spread across India and Andhra Pradesh (AP) as well. Hyderabad has more than 100 CBSE Schools located in various parts of the city.

CBSE: Advantages and Disadvantages

1. Highly recommended if the student is interested in Engineering and Medicine careers.
2. Biggest advantage is the availability of CBSE schools across the country.
3. Curriculum and Materials are designed and written by eminent educationists and most experienced in the field. Content affiliation with NCERT is the biggest advantage for these schools. The material is highly recommended for prestigious exams like Civil Services.
4. Students can score higher percentages as the Board discloses weightage of marks to be allotted for various topics and units in the examinations.
5. Most of the CBSE schools are well networked and focus on inter-school sports and other extra curricular activities are relatively good.
6. International focus in the curriculum is less at the moment.
7. Rote learning is still in practice in these schools. The highly structured syllabus and rotten teaching methods usually does not allow students to think beyond the text book.

Some famous CBSE Schools in Hyderabad:

1. Kendriya Vidyalayas; Picket, Uppal, Golkonda, Gachibowli, Bowenpally, Tirumalgiri, Kanchanbagh, Ghatkesar, Bollarum etc.
2. Howard Public School, Himayatnagar
3. Delhi Public School, Secunderabad
4. Sarathi School. Habsiguda
5. St. Andrew’s School, Bowenpally
6. Meridian Schools
7. DAV Public Schools
8. Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Begumpet
9. Hyderabad Public School, Ramanthapur
10. Bhartiya Vidya Bhavans Public School , Jubilee Hills
11. Obul Reddy Public School, Jubilee Hills