ICSE Passing Marks for Class 10th 2026, Check Grading System
Check ICSE Passing Marks for Class 10th 2026 including passing marks out of 80, Science passing criteria, ICSE 10th total marks 500 or 600, grading system and subject-wise scheme 2026.
With the ICSE 2026 Board Exams already underway (February 17 – March 30, 2026), students must clearly understand the official passing criteria prescribed by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations.
As per the revised rules, students must secure a minimum of 33% aggregate marks to pass the ICSE Class 10 Board Examination 2026. Let’s understand the complete passing scheme, subject-wise criteria, grading system, and total marks structure for ICSE 2026.
What is the ICSE Class 10 Scheme 2026?
The ICSE Class 10 Scheme 2026 includes:
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6 subjects:
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Group I (Compulsory)
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Group II (Any 2 subjects)
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Group III (Any 1 subject)
Subject Structure
|
Group |
Subjects |
|
Group I |
English, Second Language, History & Civics, Geography |
|
Group II |
Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology), Economics, Commercial Studies, etc. |
|
Group III |
Computer Applications, Art, Physical Education, Environmental Applications, etc. |
Assessment Pattern
|
Component |
Weightage |
|
External Examination |
80% (Most subjects) |
|
Internal Assessment |
20% |
(Some Group III subjects have 50% theory + 50% practical.)
ICSE Passing Marks for Class 10th 2026: Subject-wise Criteria
Students must:
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Score 35 marks out of 100 in each subject
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Secure minimum 33% overall aggregate
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Pass English compulsorily
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Appear in 6 subjects and pass at least 5
What is the Passing Marks Out of 80 in ICSE Class 10?
Most ICSE subjects follow an 80:20 evaluation pattern, where 80 marks are allotted to the external board examination and 20 marks are allotted to internal assessment. The overall passing requirement is 35% in each subject.
Since the theory paper carries 80 marks, 35% of 80 equals 28 marks. Therefore, the minimum passing marks out of 80 in ICSE Class 10 is 28. However, students must also ensure that their combined total of theory and internal assessment reaches at least 35 out of 100.
ICSE Passing Marks for Class 10th 2026 Science
Science in ICSE includes:
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Physics
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Chemistry
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Biology
Science Marking Pattern
|
ICSE Passing Marks for Class 10th 2026 Science Marking Pattern |
|
|
Component |
Marks |
|
External Exam |
80 |
|
Practical/Internal |
20 |
|
Total |
100 |
Passing Requirement for Science
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Minimum 28 out of 80 in theory
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Overall 35 out of 100 required to pass
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Practical marks are compulsory
Students appearing in ongoing Science exams (March 9–13, 2026) must ensure they meet both theory and practical criteria.
ICSE 10th Total Marks 500 or 600?
ICSE Class 10 students appear for six subjects, and each subject carries 100 marks. This means the total examination marks add up to 600. However, the percentage in ICSE is not calculated out of 600. The board follows the “Best of Five” rule for percentage calculation.
Under this rule, English is compulsory and must be included in the final calculation. Along with English, the four highest scoring subjects are counted. The lowest scoring subject out of the six is excluded while calculating the percentage. Therefore, although students write exams for 600 marks, the final percentage is calculated out of 500 marks.
For example, if a student scores 80, 92, 88, 76, 90 and 65 in six subjects, the lowest score (65) will be excluded. The remaining five subjects will be added and divided by 500 to determine the final percentage. This system benefits students because one comparatively low score does not significantly affect their overall performance.
ICSE Passing Marks 2026: Group-wise Table
The table below outlines the subject-wise passing criteria for Group I, Group II, and Group III as prescribed by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations. It clearly shows the theory, internal assessment weightage, and minimum marks required to qualify in each group for ICSE Class 10 2026.
Group I (Compulsory Subjects)
Group I consists of the core compulsory subjects that every ICSE Class 10 student must appear for and pass individually.
|
Group I (Compulsory Subjects) |
|||
|
Subject |
External % |
Internal % |
Passing Marks |
|
English |
80% |
20% |
35% |
|
Second Language |
80% |
20% |
35% |
|
History, Civics & Geography |
80% |
20% |
35% |
Group II (Any 2 Subjects)
Group II subjects allow students to choose any two subjects based on their academic strengths and career interests. These subjects generally include Mathematics, Science, Economics, Commercial Studies, and language options.
|
Group II (Any 2 Subjects) |
|||
|
Subject |
External % |
Internal % |
Passing Marks |
|
Mathematics |
80% |
20% |
35% |
|
Science |
80% |
20% |
35% |
|
Economics |
80% |
20% |
35% |
|
Commercial Studies |
80% |
20% |
35% |
Group III (Any 1 Subject)
Group III subjects are skill-based or application-oriented subjects where students select any one subject. These subjects are designed to assess practical knowledge, applied skills, and vocational understanding.
|
Group III (Any 1 Subject) |
|||
|
Subject |
Theory |
Practical |
Passing Marks |
|
Computer Applications |
50% |
50% |
35% |
|
Art |
50% |
50% |
35% |
|
Physical Education |
50% |
50% |
35% |
|
Environmental Applications |
50% |
50% |
35% |
ICSE Class 10 Grading System 2026
ICSE follows a 9-point grading system for external exams. Internal assessments are graded A to E. Here is the ICSE Class 10 Grading System 2026:
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ICSE Class 10 Grading System 2026 |
|
|
Grade |
Standard |
|
1 |
Very Good |
|
2 |
Very Good |
|
3 |
Credit |
|
4 |
Credit |
|
5 |
Credit |
|
6 |
Pass |
|
7 |
Pass |
|
8 |
Fail |
|
9 |
Fail |
Important Note for ICSE 2026 Students
With exams currently ongoing:
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Do not ignore internal assessment marks.
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Even if theory is borderline, practical/internal can help you cross 35%.
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Focus on scoring above 28 in theory papers.
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English is compulsory so, failing English means overall failure.