ICSE Class 10 Exam Pattern 2025, released by the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), outlines the structure, marking scheme, and duration of the board exams.
These exams are conducted in offline pen-and-paper mode, with papers scheduled between February and March 2026. The exam pattern specifies that most subjects will have an 80-mark external exam along with a 20-mark internal assessment, which includes practicals or project work.
Understanding this pattern is crucial for students as it helps them prepare effectively by familiarizing themselves with the types of questions, time limits, and evaluation criteria. By following the ICSE exam pattern and ICSE class 10 syllabus , students can strategize their studies to perform confidently and score well in their board exams.
ICSE Class 10 Exam Pattern 2025 highlights the key details about the board exams, including the schedule, mode, duration, and marking scheme. Below is an overview students need to know for their exam preparation.
ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025 Highlights |
|
Feature |
Details |
Exam Sessions |
Only one exam session in 2025-26 |
Future Plan |
Two exam sessions likely from 2025-26 |
Exam Months |
February to March 2025 |
Mode of Exam |
Offline (Pen and Paper) |
Duration per Paper |
2 to 2.5 hours (subject-wise variation) |
Maximum Marks per Paper |
80 marks |
Internal Assessment Marks |
20 marks |
ICSE board divides subjects into three groups based on their exam and internal assessment weightage. Each group has a different marking scheme that students should be aware of while preparing for the 2025 exams.
ICSE Pattern 2025 Subject Groups and Marking Scheme |
||
Group |
Subjects |
Exam/Internal Marks |
Group I |
History, Civics, Geography, English, Second Language |
80% External Exam + 20% Internal |
Group II |
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Economics, Modern Foreign Language, Classical Language, Environmental Science |
80% External Exam + 20% Internal |
Group III |
Performing Arts, Computer Applications, Commercial Applications, Economic Applications, Arts, Yoga, Cookery, Physical Education, Fashion Designing, Environmental Applications, Technical Drawing Applications, Home Science, Modern Foreign Language |
50% External Exam + 50% Internal |
ICSE Class 10 exam pattern varies by subject, detailing the duration, marks, and question types. Below is an overview of the pattern for key subjects in 2025.
Subject-wise ICSE Board Pattern 2025 |
|||
Subject |
Duration |
Maximum Marks |
Key Details |
English Language (Paper-I) |
2 hours + 15 min reading |
80 |
5 questions: composition, letter, notice/email, unseen passage (with choice), grammar |
English Literature (Paper-II) |
2 hours + 15 min reading |
80 |
Section A: 16 MCQs (all compulsory); Sections B, C, D: answer one each + one extra question |
Hindi (Second Language) |
2 hours + 15 min reading |
80 |
Section A: composition (~250 words), letter, unseen passage, MCQs (all compulsory); Section B: any 4 questions including 1 from each book |
Mathematics |
2.5 hours + 15 min reading |
80 |
All Section A questions compulsory; attempt any 4 from Section B; all rough & final work on same sheet |
For the ICSE Exam 2025, students must avoid selecting certain subject combinations that are not permitted by the board. These restrictions ensure that students do not take overlapping or very similar subjects from different groups. It is important for students to choose their subjects carefully while keeping these rules in mind to avoid any conflicts during registration and exams.
The ICSE Class 10 marking scheme divides subjects into three groups, with different weightages for external and internal assessments. Group 1 subjects are compulsory for all students, while students must choose two subjects from Group 2 and one subject from Group 3. External exams usually carry 80% weightage in Groups 1 and 2, with 20% marks allocated to internal assessments. For Group 3 subjects, marks are split equally between external and internal exams, each carrying 50%. This balanced marking pattern helps assess both theoretical knowledge and practical/internal skills.
Marking Scheme for ICSE Exams 2025 |
|||
Group |
Subject Name |
External Exam (%) |
Internal Exam (%) |
Group 1 (Compulsory for all) |
English |
80 |
20 |
Second Language |
80 |
20 |
|
History, Civics & Geography |
80 |
20 |
|
Environmental Science |
80 |
20 |
|
Group 2 (Choose any 2 subjects) |
Mathematics |
80 |
20 |
Science |
80 |
20 |
|
Economics |
80 |
20 |
|
Commercial Studies |
80 |
20 |
|
Technical Drawing |
80 |
20 |
|
Modern Foreign Language |
80 |
20 |
|
Classical Language |
80 |
20 |
|
Computer Science |
80 |
20 |
|
Environmental Science |
80 |
20 |
|
Agricultural Science |
80 |
20 |
|
Group 3 (Choose any 1 subject) |
Computer Applications |
50 |
50 |
Economic Applications |
50 |
50 |
|
Commercial Applications |
50 |
50 |
|
Art |
50 |
50 |
|
Performing Arts |
50 |
50 |
|
Home Science |
50 |
50 |
|
Cookery |
50 |
50 |
|
Fashion Designing |
50 |
50 |
|
Physical Education |
50 |
50 |
|
Yoga |
50 |
50 |
|
Technical Drawing Applications |
50 |
50 |
|
Environmental Applications |
50 |
50 |
|
Modern Foreign Language |
50 |
50 |