ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026: Exam Timetable Released, Exam Pattern, Admit Card & Syllabus

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Bhaskar Das

Arts and Board Exam Specialist | Updated on - Nov 13, 2025

ICSE Class X board Latest Updates

13 Nov, 2025 CISCE released Class 10th ICSE exam dates 2026. The ICSE examinations for Class 10 will start on February 17 and conclude on March 30, 2026. Check Here. 

The ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) Class 10 exams for the session 2025-2026 will start on February 17 and conclude on March 30, 2026. The ICSE Class 10 exams will begin with the English Language – English Paper 1 on February 17, followed by Literature in English – English Paper 2 on February 20. The ICSE Class X exam will be held in tow shifts: 9 A.M and 11 A.M.

  • ICSE Class 10 practical exams for the session 2025-2026 students will most likely be held in January 2026 at their respective schools. Practical exam dates may vary for different schools.
  • CISCE usually releases the ICSE Class 10 Admit Card 15 days before the exam.

The CISCE Class 10 and Class 12 results will be declared in April-May 2026.. If you will fail in one or two subjects or want to improve your marks, you can also appear for ICSE Class 10 Improvement Exams.

ICSE Class 10 Board

Key Summary

In this article, we have covered the complete details of the ICSE Class 10 exam, including exam pattern, eligibility criteria, timetable, and syllabus.

  • An aggregate of 33% in each subject is the compulsory passing criteria of ICSE class 10 exams.
  • The final ICSE Class 10 result is prepared based on both theoretical (80%) and internal assessment (20%) marks.
  • The ICSE Class 10 syllabus is divided into three groups: Group I (compulsory), Group II (any two subjects from the list), and Group III (any one subject).

Also Read

ICSE Class 10 Registration

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 Highlights

Students can go through the important information regarding the ICSE Class 10 exams 2026 below:

Particulars Highlights
Full Name of Exam Indian Certificate of Secondary Education
Short Exam Name ICSE 10th
Conducting Body Council for The Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE)
Frequency Once a year
Exam Level Matriculate
Exam Duration 3 hours

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 Important Dates

The table below contains important dates for ICSE Class 10 exams:

Event Tentative Dates
ICSE Timetable Release November 2025
ICSE Class 10 Admit Card 15 days before the exam
ICSE Board Exams February– March 2026
ICSE Class 10 Result April 2026
ICSE Improvement Exams July 2026
ICSE Class 10 Improvement Result August

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Students wishing to appear for the ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 must check the important eligibility criteria that are given below in detail:

Eligibility criteria Details
Qualification Must have passed Class IX
Enrollment Must be enrolled in Class X of an ICSE school
Attendance At least 75% attendance in Class X
Examination Form & Fee Must be submitted before the due date

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 Registration

CISCE will soon release the ICSE Class 10 registration form 2026 on the official website, cisceboard.org. Students are advised to submit their registration forms within the time specified by the board.

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 Syllabus

As of now, no changes or revisions in the syllabus of the ICSE Class 10 exam have been announced by the CISCE. The syllabus is overall divided into three groups: Group I (including Compulsory subjects such as English, Social Science), Group II (any two subjects from the list), and Group III (any one subject from the list). Based on the previous year's exam analysis, we have provided the detailed bifurcation in the ICSE Class 10 exam syllabus below:

Group Subjects
Group I: Compulsory Subjects English: Second Languages (Indian or Modern Foreign Languages): History, Civics, and Geography
Group II: Choose Any Two Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology): Economics: Commercial Studies: Technical Drawing: Modern Foreign Language: Classical Language: Computer Science: Environmental Science: Agricultural Science;
Group III – Choose Any One Computer Applications; Economic Applications; Commercial Applications; Arts; Performing Arts; Home Science; Cookery; Fashion Designing; Physical Education; Yoga; Technical Drawing Applications; Environmental Applications; Modern Foreign Languages
 

Also Read

ICSE Class 10 syllabus

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 Exam Pattern

Students appearing for the ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 need to be familiar with the exam pattern. The ICSE Class 10 exam pattern for the session 2025-2026 is expected to remain the same as last year. The final marks of the exam will be calculated on the basis of both theory (with 80% weightage) and internal assessment (with 20% weightage).

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 Subject-wise Exam Pattern

The subject-wise exam pattern of the ICSE Class 10 2026 exam is given below:

Subjects Exam Pattern (Approx Weightage) Total Marks
English Paper I: Language
  • Composition: 20 Marks
  • Letter Writing: 10 Marks
  • Notice/Email Writing: 10 Marks
  • Unseen Passage: 20 Marks
  • Grammar: 20 Marks
Paper II: Literature
  • Section A (Compulsory): 16 Marks
  • One question from each section B, C & D: 16 Marks each
80 (Theory)+ 20 (Internal)
Second Language 80 (Theory)+ 20 (Internal)
History, Civics Section A: MCQs (Objective)
  • History: 18 Marks
  • Civics: 12 Marks
Section B: Subjective (Descriptive)
  • History: 30 Marks
  • Civics: 30 Marks
80 (Theory)+ 20 (Internal)
Geography
  • Topography: 10 Marks
  • Mapping Questions: 10 Marks
  • MCQs: 10 Marks
  • Short Answer + Long Answer: 50 Marks
80 (Theory)+ 20 (Internal)

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 Admit Card

The exam authorities have not officially released the ICSE Class 10 Admit Card 2026. However, it is usually released in the month of February, 2-3 weeks before the actual exam.

Once released, you can collect the ICSE Class 10 Hall Ticket from your respective school. You must verify the details mentioned on your admit card before collecting the admit card from the school. The important details mentioned are as follows:

  • Name
  • Date of Birth
  • Subjects Name
  • Subject Code
  • Exam Date & Timings
  • Exam Venue
  • Photo

Also Read

ICSE Class 10 result

ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 FAQs:

Ques: What is the ICSE Class 10 examination?

Ans: The detailed information regarding the ICSE class 10 examination is provided below in a tabular format:

Particulars Details
Exam Name ICSE (Indian Certificate of Secondary Education) Class 10 Examination
Conducting Authority Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)
Level of Examination National-level board examination
Purpose of Exam Assesses students at the end of their secondary education in various subjects
Marking Scheme A combination of theoretical Knowledge, practicals, and project-based assessment
Acceptance by Board Accepted in India and abroad for higher education and career opportunities

Ques: When will the ICSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026 timetable be released?

Ans: The ICSE Class 10 Exam 2026 is expected to be conducted in February-March 2026. The CISCE will soon release the official timetable.

  • Based on the previous year's exam analysis, the timetable PDF is likely to be out in the 2nd week of December 2025.
  • Students should regularly visit the official website (cisce.org) for the latest updates.

Ques: What are the necessary eligibility criteria for the ICSE Class 12 exam 2026?

Ans: Students appearing for the ICSE class 10 must fulfill the following eligibility criteria that are mentioned below:

Eligibility Criteria Details
School Enrollment Must be enrolled in a CISCE-affiliated school
Previous Class Must have completed the Class 9 annual examination
Attendance Fulfill the minimum attendance requirement as prescribed by CISCE/school
Exam Form & Fee Must submit through the school before the deadline

Ques: Has the exam pattern of ICSE Class 10 2026 been revised?

Ans: As of now, there are no such changes in the ICSE Class 10 exam pattern announced by the board. Based on the previous year's exam analysis, we have provided the ICSE Class exam pattern 2026 below in a tabular format:

Components Marks Distribution
Theory Papers 80 marks
Internal Assessment/Practical/Projects 20 marks
Practical Subjects (e.g., Science, Computer Application, Home Science) Mandatory practical exams
Passing Criteria Minimum 33% in each subject

Ques: Which subjects are compulsory in ICSE Class 10?

Ans: The data regarding the mandatory and optional subjects in the ICSE class 10 exam are provided below in a tabular format:

Category Subjects
Compulsory Subjects English (Papers 1 & 2), Second Language(Indian/Foreign), History,Civecs & Geography,Environmental Education
Optional Subjects (varies by school) Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Economics, Commercial Studies, Computer Applications, Technical Drawing, and more.

Ques: What are the steps to download the ICSE Class 10 2026 timetable and hall ticket?

Ans: Students appearing for the ICSE Class 10 exam in 2026 can download the timetable through the official website of CISCE, cisce.org, in PDF format.

  • The Class 10 Hall Ticket for the ICSE exam can be directly collected from schools.
  • It is expected that the examination authorities will release the ICSE Class 10 exam timetable PDF by December 2025.

Ques: Is the 33% passing criteria compulsory for the ICSE Class 10 examination?

Ans: The information regarding the passing criteria of the ICSE Class 10 examination is given below in a tabular format:

Particulars Details
Minimum Passing Marks 33% in each subject
Theory & Internal Assessment Must pass both separately
Result Declaration Expected in May 2026
Result Access Online at cisce.org using Unique ID & Index Number
Certificates Required Digital mark sheets & passing certificates available on DigiLocker

Ques: Is there any alternative if anyone fails in the ICSE Class 10 exams?

Ans: Yes, there are options available to students who, unfortunately, fail in one or two subjects.

  • Compartment Exams: CISCE allows students to appear for a Compartment Examination. The exams are usually held in July 2026 every year.
  • Re-evaluation: Students can also challenge their answer sheets for re-evaluation online. For this, candidates are requested to pay the additional amount specified by the board within the timeframe.

Ques: What are the important preparation strategies for ICSE Class 10 2026 exams?

Ans: Here are the important preparation strategies mentioned below in a tabular format:

Preparation Strategy Details
Follow the Official Syllabus Use CISCE-prescribed syllabus & recommended textbooks
Practice Papers Solve previous years' papers & sample papers
Focus on Internal Assessment Give importance to projects & practicals
Subject-wise Notes Make notes & revise regularly
Mock Tests Attempt under exam conditions for time management
Balanced Schedule Include rest & relaxation to avoid burnout

*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.

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