Side-by-side comparison of CBSE and ICSE textbooks, reference books, and what they cost — new vs used
CBSE vs ICSE — The Book Difference
One of the biggest differences between CBSE and ICSE isn't just the curriculum — it's the books and their cost. CBSE uses standardized NCERT textbooks (affordable, government-published), while ICSE schools prescribe a mix of publishers that can cost 2-3x more.
Here's a detailed comparison to help parents and students understand what they need — and how to save money on both.
CBSE Books — What You Need
Primary & Middle School (Class 1-8)
CBSE schools primarily use NCERT textbooks, which are among the cheapest textbooks in India:
- Class 1-5: 4-6 NCERT books per year — ₹300-500 total (new) | ₹100-200 (used)
- Class 6-8: 6-8 NCERT books per year — ₹500-800 total (new) | ₹200-350 (used)
Some CBSE schools also prescribe supplementary books (grammar, moral science, computer), adding ₹500-1,000 per year.
Class 9-10 (Board Exam Prep)
This is where spending increases — students need NCERT + reference books:
- NCERT textbooks (8-10 books): ₹800-1,200 new | ₹350-550 used
- Reference books:
- R.D. Sharma Maths — ₹600 new | ₹250-350 used
- R.S. Aggarwal Maths — ₹500 new | ₹200-280 used
- Lakhmir Singh Science — ₹700 (set) new | ₹280-400 used
- Together With / Xam Idea (per subject) — ₹350-450 new | ₹140-200 used
- Sample papers (Oswaal/Arihant): ₹250-350 per subject new | ₹100-180 used
Total Class 10 CBSE cost: ₹3,500-5,000 new → ₹1,400-2,200 used
Class 11-12 (Board + Competitive Exam)
- NCERT textbooks (10-12 books): ₹1,200-1,800 new | ₹500-800 used
- Reference books (per subject): ₹500-900 new | ₹200-400 used
- Competitive exam books (JEE/NEET): ₹10,000-18,000 new | ₹4,000-7,000 used
Total Class 12 CBSE cost (with competitive): ₹15,000-22,000 new → ₹5,500-9,000 used
ICSE Books — What You Need
Primary & Middle School (Class 1-8)
ICSE schools prescribe books from multiple publishers — not standardized like NCERT:
- Class 1-5: 8-12 books from publishers like S. Chand, Oxford, Ratna Sagar, Frank Brothers — ₹1,500-2,500 total (new) | ₹600-1,000 (used)
- Class 6-8: 10-14 books — ₹2,500-4,000 total (new) | ₹1,000-1,600 (used)
Key difference: ICSE primary books cost 3-5x more than CBSE because they use commercial publishers instead of government NCERT books.
Class 9-10 (ICSE Board)
- Prescribed textbooks (10-14 books): ₹3,000-5,000 new | ₹1,200-2,000 used
- Common publishers: Selina (Science), S. Chand, Frank, Avichal, Evergreen
- Reference books:
- Selina Concise Physics/Chemistry/Biology — ₹400-500 each new | ₹160-220 used
- ML Aggarwal Maths (ICSE) — ₹550 new | ₹220-300 used
- Total English (Morning Star) — ₹400 new | ₹160-220 used
- Specimen papers: ₹250-400 per subject new | ₹100-180 used
Total Class 10 ICSE cost: ₹5,000-8,000 new → ₹2,000-3,200 used
Class 11-12 (ISC Board)
- Prescribed textbooks: ₹3,500-6,000 new | ₹1,400-2,400 used
- Reference books: ₹500-1,000 per subject new | ₹200-450 used
Total Class 12 ISC cost: ₹8,000-12,000 new → ₹3,200-5,000 used
Cost Comparison: CBSE vs ICSE (Class 1-12 Total)
- CBSE (new books, all 12 years): ₹35,000-55,000
- CBSE (used books): ₹14,000-22,000 — Save ₹21,000-33,000
- ICSE (new books, all 12 years): ₹55,000-85,000
- ICSE (used books): ₹22,000-34,000 — Save ₹33,000-51,000
ICSE parents save even more by buying used! Since ICSE books are pricier new, the absolute savings are larger.
Which Board's Books Are Easier to Find Used?
CBSE — Much easier. CBSE is India's largest board (30,000+ schools, 2 crore+ students). NCERT books are standardized — every student uses the same edition. This means massive supply of used NCERT books on BookBazaar.
ICSE — Harder but possible. With 2,800+ ICSE schools, the supply is smaller. But ICSE books are pricier, so sellers list them more often. Pro tip: search by publisher name (Selina, S. Chand, Frank) on BookBazaar.
How to Save on Both Boards
- Buy used on BookBazaar — Filter by board (CBSE/ICSE) and class
- Check your school's WhatsApp group — Parents often sell books there
- Buy NCERT from ncert.nic.in — Free PDFs for all NCERT textbooks
- Skip books you won't use — Not every prescribed book is actually used in class
- Sell after exams — Sell your board exam books on BookBazaar to recover 40-50% of what you paid