CBSE and ICSE/ISC for students living abroad: what parents should know
Indian-curriculum students overseas still sit the same board exams. How CBSE and ICSE/ISC differ and how to keep up from another country.
Board Exam & Sample Paper MasteryCBSE, ICSE & ISCMathematics5 min read
Many families in the Gulf, Europe and elsewhere follow an Indian curriculum. Their children sit the same Class 10 and Class 12 board exams as students in India, so the preparation has to match.
CBSE
CBSE follows the NCERT textbooks closely. Questions often come straight from the book's concepts and exercises, so working through the NCERT examples and exercises is the best foundation.
ICSE and ISC
ICSE (Class 10) and ISC (Class 12) are run by CISCE. The syllabus tends to be wider and more detailed, with more emphasis on written explanations and applications.
Challenges abroad
- Fewer local tutors who know the Indian syllabus.
- Differences between the school's pace and the board's schedule.
- Time zones that make live help hard to find.
How to stay on track
Plan the year backwards from the board exams, use previous-year papers from your own board, and fix weak topics early. Online one-to-one lessons at after-school times can follow your school's order of topics and add revision before tests.