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Choosing a school board can feel like choosing your child's future in one step. In practice, the board decides some things, such as textbooks and the board exam format, and leaves many others, such as the quality of teaching, to the school. This post explains what each kind of board is, what official documents say about how they work, and questions to ask before you decide.
Who runs each board?
CBSE, the Central Board of Secondary Education, describes itself on its official letterhead as an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
CISCE, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, runs two main examinations: the ICSE at Class 10 and the ISC at Class 12. According to CISCE's own history page, the Council was established on 3 November 1958, the first ICSE (Class X) examination was held in 1970, and the first ISC (Class XII) examination in 1977.
State boards are set up by each state government. Syllabuses, textbooks, languages offered and exam patterns vary from state to state, so check the board's own website for your state.
What do children study from?
For CBSE, the subject syllabus lists the books. The CBSE Class X Science syllabus for 2026-27 prescribes the NCERT Science textbook for Class X, the NCERT laboratory manual and NCERT exemplar problems, along with CBSE's own reading material. NCERT books are free to download from the NCERT textbooks page.
CISCE and state boards publish their own syllabuses. Schools under them may use different textbooks, so ask the school which books it uses in each subject and whether they are available in the language your child will study in.
How do board exams work now?
Board exam rules are changing. The National Education Policy 2020, in paragraph 4.37, says all students will be allowed to take board exams on up to two occasions in a school year, "one main examination and one for improvement, if desired."
CBSE has acted on this for Class 10. Its press release of 25 June 2025 says that from 2026:
The first board exam is compulsory for all students and starts in mid-February.
A second exam in May lets passed and eligible students improve in up to three subjects from science, mathematics, social science and languages.
Both exams cover the full syllabus. Results come in April and June.
These rules can be revised, so read the current year's circulars on the board's website. For CISCE and state boards, check their own notices.
Does the board matter for JEE and NEET?
The entrance exam syllabus is the same for every student. The National Medical Commission notified the NEET (UG)-2026 syllabus for all candidates, and NTA publishes a single syllabus for JEE (Main). What can differ is how closely a board's school syllabus overlaps with these lists. If your child is aiming at either exam, put the entrance syllabus next to the school syllabus for Classes 11 and 12 and mark the gaps. Our guide to why NCERT matters for NEET shows one way to do this mapping.
Eligibility rules, such as Class 12 subject requirements, are set in each year's information bulletin, so read the latest one rather than relying on older advice.
Questions to ask when comparing schools
The board is only one line on a long list. These questions often matter more:
Language. What is the medium of instruction, and which second and third languages are offered? NEP 2020 keeps a three-language formula with flexibility for states and students.
Teaching. How are science and maths taught? Ask to see a lab, and ask how often students do practical work.
Assessment. How are internal marks given, and how are students prepared for board exams?
Moves. If your family may relocate, will the same board be easy to find in the new city?
Your child. Do they do better with a wide set of subjects or a narrower, more focused one? Do they like reading and writing at length?
Support. What help is there for a child who falls behind, or one who wants to go further, for example into olympiads?
Whichever board you choose, the underlying science is the same. When your child needs a second explanation of a topic, the Fermi Concept Library covers every concept in physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics, each with its own lesson. If the board decision comes at Class 11, our post on choosing a stream after Class 10 covers the next choice too.
Before you visit a school, write down your top three questions from the list above and ask each school the same ones.
