The National Education Policy (NEP) -2020 envisions an education system rooted in Indian ethos that enable its citizens to be able to directly contribute to the growth of their society and nation. Keeping this in mind, the Council wants schools to create an enabling culture of Trust and fair play.
- Minimum monitoring.
- Allowing schools to evolve own niche.
- Catering to the needs of the children.
- Giving freedom to experiment with new ideas and practices.
- Diversity and plurality – the basic strength for evolution of ideas.
- Schools to motivate pupils towards the cultivation of:
1. Excellence – The Indian and Global experience.
2. Values – Spiritual and cultural – to be the bed rock of the educational experience.
- Schools to have an ‘Indian Ethos’, strong roots in the national psyche and be sensitive to national aspirations.
The curriculum
The Council for Secondary Education, strives to get the children to a clear-thinking process through realistic and experiential learning and wants them to be productive citizens contributing to the welfare of humanity. Therefore, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) that conducts the ICSE (X) and ISC (XII) examinations offers a comprehensive syllabus, with emphasis on concept learning and practical applied knowledge. To enable this, the board offers a wide range of subjects, with due importance to technology-supported learning. When students are equipped by holistic development and value-based learning, they are empowered to contribute to a pluralistic society and reach out to the larger community.
The ICSE syllabus gives tremendous importance to the Humanities and the Languages in all their classes while insisting on the systematic learning of significant subjects like Math, Science and ICT. Language development is the key to their system, and hence, all of them are compulsory subjects.
At Finland International School, from Grade VII onwards, the students can opt for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) up to Grade X; after which they may pursue the Indian School Certificate (ISC) for Grade XII. When the students reach Grade IX, they are permitted to choose from a wide range of subjects (as their sixth or Group III subject) such as –Computers, Economics, Commerce, Art, Home Science, Environmental Studies, Technical Drawing —-etc. apart from the core subjects -English, Second Language, History, Geography, the Sciences, Mathematics or Commercial Studies. The students will have to study 6 subjects including the optional subjects and must clearly pass in at least 5 subjects effortlessly to get promoted to the next class. The students are even permitted to drop Science or Math in grade IX as per the board. But the school advises the parents not to make use of that option considering the future interests of the children.
The following are the subjects offered at ICSE/ISC-
In Grade VII, and Grade VIII
Subjects offered in ICSE Class VII, VIII
English
Second Language – Hindi / French
Third Language – Marathi
Mathematics
History & Civics, Geography
Science
(Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
Computer Studies
Students are also offered lessons in Indian Music, and Art and Physical Education
From Grade IX and X
Group I (Compulsory)
Group II (Compulsory)
Group III (Any one of the following subjects)
English – Language
-Literature
Mathematics OR Environmental
Studies
Computer Applications, Commercial Applications, Economic Applications, Environmental Applications, Art, Home Science,
Physical Education, Fashion Designing (among others)
Second Language – Hindi / Marathi / French
Science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology) OR
Commercial Studies
History-Civics, Geography
Grade XI and XII
Compulsory Subjects
Science
Commerce
Humanities
English – Language
-Literature
Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Computer Science, Physical Education.
Commerce, Accounts, Economics, Business Studies/ Mathematics, Physical Education. .
Sociology, Psychology, Art, Home Science, Physical Education.
ICSE 2023: Points to note
● Students will be required to choose their optional subjects during Class IX registration. Also, they will not be allowed to change the subjects in class X.
● Apart from the two optional subjects, students can also choose one additional subject from group II.
● Students have the choice to opt for one additional secondary language if they have already chosen Hindi as one of their second languages.
Assessment/Examinations:
Grade IX requires the students to be registered with the Council and those who are registered are permitted to write the Grade X examinations in all six subjects including the optional.
According to the official circular, this year, the ICSE board exam will be conducted only once. The ICSE pattern lists the marking scheme, duration, and the different types of questions that are asked in the exam.