The CISCE is a private, non-governmental board of school education in India. It conducts two examinations in India: the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and the Indian School Certificate (ISC). The ICSE examinations covered 62 subjects and the ISC was held in 53 subjects. The CISCE does not accept private candidates, and they must come only through the (English medium) schools affiliated to the CISCE. The medium of examination is English, except the Indian language paper. At the end of examination, marks out of 100 are provided in each subject and a separate pass certificate is given containing the equivalent grades (like almost all other Indian educational boards).

The CISCE was set up in 1956 at the meeting of the Inter-State Board for Anglo-Indian Education a proposal was adopted for the setting up of an Indian Council to administer the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate's Examinations in India. It is an all-India, but not a government sponsored board (unlike the CBSE). It is based in New Delhi.

Indian School Certificate Examination (Class XII) is treated as equivalent to Senior Examination of the University of Scotland. This implies that pupils will no longer be required to obtain 'A' level qualifications or complete bridging courses, while seeking entry to Universities in the UK and other overseas Universities in the Commonwealth. Indian School Certificate qualification is the only qualification from India that has been granted this special recognition.