Aiming to enhance the standard of government schools while also adopting better educational models from them in return, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) is planning to establish a partnership between ICSE-ISE schools and government schools across the country, said the CISCE’s CEO and secretary Dr Joseph Emmanuel.

Dr Joseph, a native of Poonjar in Kottayam, studied in a local school under the Kerala syllabus. He earned his postgraduate degree from MG University, Kottayam. Having begun his career as a school teacher, he served in various key positions, including as Director of the CBSE Board, before rising to the top position at CISCE. In an interview with Manorama, he elaborated on his plans to improve the quality of school education in the country.

As this is a time for syllabus revision, will the controversial omissions in NCERT textbooks be repeated in the CISCE syllabus as well?
The CISCE's scope is limited to framing the syllabus, and schools can select any textbook based on that syllabus. However, the CISCE aligns its syllabus with the NCERT, which is considered the foundation for all national-level competitive exams. Therefore, any changes brought in by the CBSE in its syllabus will apply to the CISCE as well. The CISCE will revise its syllabus only after the NCERT's revised syllabus comes into effect.

What changes are you planning to bring to the CISCE?
In alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP), a holistic progress card that envisions a comprehensive assessment of students will be implemented by next year. The Key Stage Assessment system, which evaluates whether students in classes 3, 5, and 8 have acquired the required knowledge beyond their regular examinations, will also be introduced within this period. Works in this direction have already been initiated.

Another key project is to elevate the standard of each school through detailed and individual assessments. We are also considering introducing a school grading system in the future. The proposed partnership with government schools is being planned as part of this initiative. While the ICSE-ISE schools are generally recognized for maintaining high standards, our effort is to make education even more effective and comprehensive.

But isn't the number of ICSE-ISE schools and students relatively lower compared to CBSE schools?
There exists a misconception that this is a very tough syllabus meant only for the elite. While it is true that our syllabus includes a few more components than CBSE, it is not excessively difficult. There are no significant differences in the cost of education, including examination fees, either. Across the country, the number of ICSE-ISE schools and students is steadily increasing. Currently, we have over 3,000 schools, 30 lakh students, and 1.5 lakh teachers in the country. Last year alone, 200 new schools were added. In Kerala, we have 180 schools. Students under this syllabus have achieved the highest success rates in national-level competitive exams.

What aspect of the Kerala syllabus do you feel needs improvement?
Beyond teaching, we need to focus on nurturing a desire and the necessary skills for children to study. This way, it should lead to their overall development. Having studied under the Kerala syllabus and completed my M Com from here, the biggest challenge I faced in my first job interview in Bengaluru was handling English. The Kerala syllabus should place greater emphasis on improving communication skills, especially in English, as well as social skills.