Report card software for CBSE, ICSE and state board schools
Report cards are where school software most often lets a school down: the format doesn't match the board. What to check, and how holistic progress cards change the picture.
On this page
Report card software should produce your board's report card, with your subjects, grading scale, terms, co-scholastic areas and attendance, from marks that teachers have already entered, with no retyping in the office. Ask any vendor to produce your own report card before you sign. A sample from another school proves nothing.
Who this is for: schools that spend the last week of every term retyping marks into report cards. Who it isn't for: coaching centres issuing test scores rather than term reports.
Cloudgramam makes Classveda, a school ERP, so we have an interest here. The checks below work for any product you compare.
Why do report cards go wrong in school software?
Because each board, and often each school, lays them out differently. CBSE, ICSE and each state board have their own assessment schemes, which change from time to time. Schools then add their own co-scholastic areas, remarks and layouts. Software built around one generic template forces the office to fix every card by hand, which is the work the software was meant to remove.
What should report card software handle?
| Part | What to check |
|---|---|
| Format | Your board's layout, terms and subjects, set up per class |
| Marks entry | Each subject teacher enters marks for their own classes, with a deadline |
| Grades | Your grading scale applied automatically, including rounding rules |
| Co-scholastic areas | Arts, sports, values and other areas your school reports |
| Attendance | Pulled from the attendance records, not typed |
| Remarks | Class teacher remarks with a character limit that fits the printed card |
| Checks | A list of missing marks before anything prints |
| Delivery | Printed cards, and a copy in the parent's app |
What are holistic progress cards?
NCERT's standard-setting body, PARAKH, has developed holistic progress cards for the foundational (Classes 1 and 2), preparatory (Classes 3 to 5) and middle (Classes 6 to 8) stages. They report more than marks: self-awareness, problem-solving, creativity and similar areas, with input from the student, peers and parents. States and boards can adopt or adapt them, so check what your board currently requires.
For software this means report cards need flexible sections, not a fixed marks table. (Classveda lists the CBSE holistic progress card as coming soon.)
A worked example: the last week of term
This example is made up. A school with twelve sections of Class 6 to 8 closes term on a Friday.
- Without report card software: teachers hand in mark sheets, two office staff type them into a word template over four days, and a teacher spots three wrong totals after printing.
- With it: teachers enter marks by Tuesday, the office runs the missing-marks check on Wednesday, chases two teachers, and prints on Thursday. Totals and grades are calculated, and attendance comes from the register.
What to check before you buy
- Bring your current report card and ask the vendor to reproduce it.
- Enter marks as a teacher for one subject and one section.
- Change a grading rule and see the grades update.
- Run the missing-marks check.
- Print one card and check it fits the page without manual fixes.
- Look at the parent's copy in the app.
For the wider buying process see school ERP software in India and the school management software checklist. Attendance totals come from the attendance app.
Frequently asked questions
Can one software handle CBSE and state board classes together?
It should, with each class set to its own board's format. Check this if your school or group runs more than one board.
Do teachers enter marks or the office?
Teachers, for their own subjects. The office checks for missing marks and prints. That's where most of the time is saved.
Will report cards show attendance automatically?
They should, if attendance is marked in the same system.
What is a holistic progress card?
A report card format from NCERT's PARAKH that records a child's progress beyond marks, for Classes 1 to 8. Boards and states decide how to adopt it.
Want report cards in your board's format from marks teachers already entered? See Classveda.
