7 School Boards in India You Didn’t Know Existed
Apart from CBSE and state boards, there are various school boards in India that you might be unaware of. The majority of these boards follow the Western curriculum and have global recognition. Some of these boards are generally adopted by rich and elite schools like DIAS. However, not all of them are expensive, as some provide high-quality education at affordable prices.
1. Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE): It’s the first foreign government-supported school board operating in India after 25 long years. Acknowledged by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), it provides education at reasonable prices, following the no-textbook curriculum planned for global standards.
2. Cambridge International (CIE) IGCSE and A-Level: Several schools in India embraced the Cambridge curriculum, which emphasises inquiry-based learning and usually grooms students for international universities.
3. International Baccalaureate (IB) Affiliated Schools: A good portion of schools in India offer IB programs, which lay emphasis on comprehensive education, critical thinking, and global university recognition.
4. National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) – International Streams: It’s an open board that offers flexible secondary and senior secondary education to students—a concept that is opposite to traditional Indian classrooms. NIOS offers online streams to international students as well.
5. Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB): It was established to offer international-level education in Marathi. To date, MIEB continues to combine local language learning with global best practices.
6. Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) with International Partnerships: Although ICSE/ISC is widely known in India, several CISCE schools partner with global schools and exchange programs, offering students international exposure.
7. Emerging Private Schools Using Western Australian Curriculum: Numerous private schools in India work under WACE independently of CBSE or ICSE. Students from these schools can directly apply to global universities.
Schools Affiliated with Diverse Boards in India
Refer to the table below to check the schools which are affiliated with above-listed boards:
| School Board | Affiliated/Associated Schools/Centers in India |
| Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) | Pilot campuses in Bengaluru and Bidar |
| Cambridge International (CIE) IGCSE and A-Level | Trivandrum International School (Kerala), Kasiga School (Dehradun), Dhirubhai Ambani International School (Mumbai), Thakur International School (Maharashtra), Christ Nagar International School, L’ecole Chempaka International. |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) Affiliated Schools | Dhirubhai Ambani International School (Mumbai), The International School Bangalore (TISB), Stonehill International School (Bengaluru), Pathways World School (Gurgaon), UWC Mahindra College (Pune), Scottish High International School (Gurugram). |
| National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) – International Streams | Kalvi International Public School (Madurai) – Accredited Center. |
| Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB) | Holy Cross High School (Marathi Section) (Kurla, Mumbai). |
| Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) with International Partnerships | Salwan Public School (New Delhi). (Many established CISCE schools have international programs or partnerships). |
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