ICSE, ISC results: Admissions to Mumbai colleges may be tougher for CBSE, state board students

Number of students on ICSE and ISC topper and merit lists have increased; disparity in marks from different boards a problem, say principals

It’s raining marks on students who took the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and Indian School Certificate (ISC) examinations this year. And it will likely make it tougher for the students who appeared for secondary school certificate (SSC), higher secondary certificate (HSC), and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) examinations to get into coveted junior and degree colleges in the city.

Students of Lilavatibai Podar school in Santacruz, including all-India topper Priya Khajanchi (5th from left) and Abhijnan Chakraborty (next to her), celebrate their success. (HT Photo)

Figure this: Last year, only six students, including one from Mumbai, featured in the ICSE merit list. This year, the list has 13 students, including six from Mumbai and one from Navi Mumbai, all of them scoring 99% and above.

Similarly, the number of students on the ISC merit list swelled from 10 last year to 49, six of whom are from Mumbai and Thane. What’s more, all these students secured 99% or higher.

“It seems that every passing day, new records are being set. And it’s making me worried about the state board students,” said Ashok Wadia, principal, Jai Hind College, Churchgate.

The worry is shared by other colleges in the city. Parag Thakkar, principal, HR College, Churchgate, said, “In some of the neighbouring schools, there has bee a rise in the number of students scoring beyond 93%, the college’s cut-off last year.”

For principals, the disparity in the marks of students from different boards has become a recurring problem, with no solution in sight. Unless a uniformity is brought in the marking scheme and paper pattern of various boards, the problem will likely persist, they believe.

“There seems to be a competition among boards to doll out marks to students. It’s not healthy. Is the objective of the boards to provide quality education or scores?” said Wadia.

He puts the onus of bringing parity in the marks on the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). “It’s understandable to award marks generously in papers like science and mathematics. But what justification do they have for giving such scores in humanities subjects?” said the principal.

Thakkar believes that it’s the state board, which should bring its evaluation method at par with the national boards. “I am not saying if one method is better than the other. But since, the students from the state board are suffering, it should take the lead.”

Agnelo Menezes, principal, CXavier’s college, said, “We have separate quotas for students from state and national boards. We believe in equity when it comes to providing an opportunity for admission to the institute.”