Understanding Indian State Board Diplomas: Academic Evaluation Essentials for USCIS Applications

Introduction

State Board Diplomas are a common route to higher education in India but are also a common source of confusion for immigration professionals. In this article, we’ll unpack what State Board Diplomas are, how they fit into the Indian education system, the process of evaluating them, and specific challenges they pose to the immigration process. We’ll also explain how obtaining an Academic Evaluation from MotaWord is the best way to ensure your State Board Diploma is recognized by USCIS.

Understanding State Board Diplomas

What makes State Board Diplomas confusing is that they are programs that integrate secondary and post-secondary education. In India, primary education lasts eight years and is comparable to grades 1 through 8; then this is followed by two years of lower secondary education – grades 9 and 10. These first 10 years lead to the award of a Secondary School Certificate, also known as a School Leaving Certificate, Matriculation Certificate, All India Secondary School Certificate (AISC), or Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE). It is after these 10 years of education that a State Board Diploma program begins. Students who have completed the 10th grade have the opportunity to pursue a State Board Diploma or continue on with a normal upper-secondary education. This is sometimes referred to as a 10 + 2 system; ten years of primary/lower-secondary education, and two years of upper secondary.

A state board diploma program is a three year program that includes grades 11 and 12 of High School and then an additional year of post-secondary education that is comparable to a year of undergraduate coursework in the US. In other words, a State Board Diploma is a 10 + 2 + 1 degree path – ten years of primary/lower-secondary education, plus two years of upper-secondary and one year of post-secondary education.

As noted, entry requirements for an Indian State Board diploma include completing secondary education (10th grade) from a recognized educational institution. Additionally, students may need to pass specific board examinations or meet certain academic criteria set by the respective State Board of Education. These requirements may vary slightly depending on the state and the specific diploma program pursued.

Adding to the confusion surrounding these diplomas is the fact that they are awarded by institutions that are not tertiary education institutions. While students typically complete their coursework and training at government-run polytechnic schools, the awarding institution is usually the State Board of Technical Education for the respective Indian State.

State Board Diploma programs exist for multiple fields but common fields include various engineering disciplines, particularly Electronics and Communication Engineering. However the range of fields of study available also includes: Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, and Chemical Engineering. Additionally, non-engineering courses such as Pharmacy, Hotel Management, Fashion Designing, Interior Designing, and Agriculture are available. Vocational subjects like Automobile Technology, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Welding Technology, and Electrical Maintenance are also part of the curriculum. Furthermore, students can explore traditional trades like Carpentry, Plumbing, Masonry, and Tailoring.

Lateral Entry Options for State Board Diplomas

One of the main incentives for Indian students to complete a State Board Diploma program is to gain lateral entry into a Bachelor-level degree program. Lateral entry means that the student enters the program in the second year. This means that, on paper, the student will complete the program one year quicker than expected since they are entering with one year of postsecondary education already completed. In other words, the graduate of a four-year Bachelor of Technology program who enrolled with lateral entry will only have three years of transcripts for their Bachelor’s degree. It should be noted that this does not change the duration of the program. The Bachelor of Technology program is still a four-year program, despite being completed in three years.

Academic Evaluation Process for USCIS

Evaluating State Board Diplomas can be difficult. Obtaining useful and reliable documentation at the State Board level is a challenge. Diplomas that do not come from Degree-Granting Institutions are regularly challenged from USCIS and since State Board Diplomas are issued by Technical Boards and not the actual Polytechnics that conduct the training, State Board Diplomas are ripe for this kind of challenge. For this reason, academic evaluations need to mention the name of the school. Typically, the school name is stamped on the diploma and sometimes it can be found in the transcripts. At MotaWord, we highly recommend anyone seeking to get a State Board Diploma evaluated to ensure that the school name is present and legible on the documentation, or to provide additional documentation attesting to the name of the school. Academic evaluations can be issued listing the Technical Board as the awarding institution but these evaluations will be subject to additional scrutiny by immigration authorities.

In addition to providing the name of the school where the studies were completed, submitting transcripts for evaluation is also advised. Transcripts add credibility to the evaluation process, providing the evaluator with concrete proof of the three-year program.

Challenges and Considerations

When it comes to evaluating State Board Diplomas from India for USCIS there are a few things to consider. First of all, what is the purpose of the evaluation? If the evaluation is to prove that the candidate completed high school, then the evaluator should provide an explanation and description of how the State Board Diploma fits into the Indian Education system in order to demonstrate that the compilation of a State Board Diploma includes the completion of High School.

However, more commonly State Board Diplomas need to be evaluated to demonstrate transfer credit to prove that the candidate has completed the equivalent of a full Bachelor’s degree after using their State Board Diploma to gain lateral entry into a four-year program. Increasingly, USCIS has been challenging the bachelor-level equivalency of visa candidates who completed a four-year Indian Bachelor’s program in three years after having previously completed their state board diploma. A careful academic evaluation of a state board diploma can help overcome these challenges. MotaWord’s expert academic evaluators can provide a compelling analysis of State Board Diplomas to prove to USCIS that candidates who’ve obtained a State Board Diploma and then completed a four-year bachelor’s degree in three years have in fact obtained the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree.

One option that lateral entry graduates can consider when responding to or seeking to avoid an RFE challenging their lateral entry Bachelor’s degree is to obtain a course-by-course evaluation which evaluates the Bachelor’s Degree and the State Board Diploma to show how, together, the candidate has completed the equivalent of a four-year, 120 credit US Bachelor’s degree.

At MotaWord, we advise clients who have a lateral entry Bachelor’s degree from India to also submit their State Board Diplomas whenever possible. Even for single-source evaluations, the presence of a State Board will aid our evaluator in creating a report that accurately reflects your academic journey and provides coverage against any challenges USCIS might normally level against lateral entry Bachelor’s degree graduates.

Tips for Applicants

• Make sure you have transcripts.
• Ensure that the name of the school (usually a government polytechnic) is in your documentation, and legible. Sometimes the school name is stamped on the State Board Diploma and becomes unreadable after scanning.
• If you’ve been RFE’d for lateral entry or your State Board Diploma, send us a copy of the RFE and chat with us–we can help!
• C. Meeting USCIS Requirements

Conclusion

Navigating the complexities of State Board Diplomas from India can be challenging, especially when it comes to meeting USCIS requirements. Understanding the intricacies of these diplomas, including their integration of secondary and post-secondary education and their role in lateral entry programs, is crucial. Academic evaluations from MotaWord play a pivotal role in demonstrating the equivalency of these diplomas to US educational standards, particularly when faced with USCIS challenges. MotaWord’s experts understand and aim to help you overcome these challenges with your immigration petition.