HSC Full Form

HSC full form is Higher Secondary School Certificate, and is a public exam organized in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. This exam is conducted by some boards like ISC, CBSE, ICSE, Bihar Board or UP Board. In India, the 12th exam comes under HSC, and this certification helps students take admission to colleges and universities for further education. Each of the boards has set certain rules and patterns when conducting HSC examinations. For example, CBSE or ICSE conducts this exam once a year whereas NIOS or National Institute of Open Schooling conducts it twice a year. 

What is HSC Full Form?

As discussed above, HSC full-form is Higher Secondary School Certificate. It is regarded as a national level exam allowing school students to pursue higher studies in colleges. In fact, the most competitive exam in India takes into consideration 12th result to offer admission in UG/PG courses. 

Basically, HSC is categorized into three broad fields; Science, Arts/Humanities and Commerce. We have listed down the subjects included in each of these fields.

Well, there might be slight changes in the subjects and curriculum based on the board a candidate has chosen. 

Highlights on HSC

Outlining Framework of HSC

HSC came into existence in 1989 with Indian states agreeing upon teh standard 12 years of school education. The exam pattern, syllabus, and other important components are taken care of by 47 state boards and 3 national boards. HSC pass certificate is earned by students who successfully score the required pass percentage in the examination. Generally, in HSC, students are required to choose out of five subjects in different sessions. In the CBSE board, students have to study 5 major compulsory subjects and in case a student fails in any of teh subjects, they will be declared as fail in the course.

Whereas CISCE assesses students based on five subjects along with community service and SUPW. The evaluation process is conducted internally for class 11. In the 12th external examiners conduct the assessment of performance. Well, in some boards external examiners evaluate the practical exams of teh students. Those willing to get admission to any competitive state or national level entrance have to target at elats 75% in the HSC exam. 

What is the Significance of HSC?

HSC is a nationally acclaimed degree, and it somehow plays a crucial part in defining a student’s future prospects. No matter whatever field you choose, be it enrolling to any UG course or looking for an internship, an HS certificate matters the most. Given below are some of the benefits of securing an HS certificate.

• The curriculum of the Higher Secondary School certificate is designed to enable students to gain knowledge in subjects they need to cover for higher education like in UG courses.
• One of the biggest advantages offered by HSC is that students belonging to every income group can afford education as it's the most cost-effective system. 
• Boards conducting this national-level exam teach subjects and topics that are included in their curriculum thereby, allowing students to get study material easily. 

Different Boards in HSC

The Indian education system relies on various boards that conduct examinations to evaluate students and grant them HS certificates. Students can pave the path to a bright future with their choice of board and streams. This section covers three important boards, CBSE, ICSE and state boards and tries to point out their benefits and loopholes.

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

CBSE, full form of which is Central Board of Secondary Education, is a national board for various public as well as private schools and is administered by the Union Government of India. This is regarded as the most popular board with 24000 schools in India and 26 in foreign countries. It works on the prime objective of imparting intellectual, physical and social skills to students.

Pros:

• It enables students to imbibe practical skills in the subjects they were taught in school through application-based activities.
• Continuous evaluation tests help in assessing students belonging to classes 6 to 10.
• It has gained recognition from all colleges in India.

Cons:

• Private schools’ fees are pretty high.
• CBSE syllabus is designed to help students prepare for medical, and engineering exams while the scope for Arts students is comparatively low.
• Theoretical concepts are more than practical application.

Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)

CISCE, full form of which is Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination, is administered by a non-government board, and it conducts ISC and ICSE examinations for classes 10th and 12th. It is often considered the toughest board as the curriculum is pretty comprehensive and deals with a wide range of topics. 

Pros:

• The curriculum offers a detailed course which results in the overall development of students
• Unlike CBSE, this board puts adequate emphasis on each stream like science, arts, and languages.
• Students get a chance to choose from various subjects

Cons:

• The vast syllabus proves difficult for the learners to assimilate properly
• A lot of focus is on English as the board covers topics from the literature
• The fee structure is quite high

State Boards

State boards in India organize exams that help students complete their schooling. The secondary school certificate, and higher school certificate, and as per data, almost 32 state boards exist in India. 

Pros:

• The syllabus and textbooks are easy compared to other boards
• Those willing to participate in engineering exams can reap benefits from the curriculum
• The admission process is easy

Cons:

• School infrastructure is poor
• The syllabus is adequate for students to pursue higher education
• The quality of teaching in some states might be below average

States that conduct HSC exams

The mentioned below are the states that conduct Higher Secondary Certificates (HSC) in their respective region

1.   Kerala

2.   Rajasthan

3.   Maharashtra

4.   Andhra Pradesh

5.   Karnataka

6.   West Bengal

7.   Bihar

8.   Gujarat

9.   Punjab

10.   Goa

Interesting Facts About HSC

HSC is perhaps the most popular and accredited examination conducted across India each year. As per data, in Maharashtra board 2023 around 14.57 Lakh students have appeared for HSC. To gain a better understanding of this popular examination, let’s explore some of the interesting facts.

• In 1967 around 18000 students appeared for HSC organised by the board of senior school studies.
• From 1977 onwards a major change was noticed in the school assessment as the result turned into a reflection of 50% marks in the exam and 50% in moderate that was determined by a school
• The HSC exam follows a standardized duration across different boards which is 3 hours.
• With the release of the HSC results, students not contented with teh marks can file an RTI or request for paper re-evaluation.
• To qualify HSC exam, students must score a minimum of 40% in the five subjects. Well, in certain boards, 33% is considered a passing score.

Hope you have got a fair idea regarding the HSC and the various boards helping students strengthen their academic skills. Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC full form) is perhaps a crucial certification required to pursue further studies hence, it is suggested to work hard in the HSC exam as it will open new prospects in career.