ICSE Exam Pattern 2026: Know Marking Scheme & Exam Duration

The Ministry of Education plans to conduct all national and state board exams including ICSE board exam twice a year from the session 2025-26. Both the terms will be conducted offline or in pen and paper format. However, there is a possibility that term 1 exams will objective in nature while Term 2 exam will be subjective in nature. 

The Board will release an official notification regarding the same very soon on the official website. 

Students must note that in order to pass ICSE Board Exams 2026, students must score a minimum of 35 per cent in aggregate and per subject to pass. The official websites reads, “STATEMENT OF MARKS will be issued to all students who appeared for the examination. The pass marks for each subject is 35%.”

Students must note the subject-wise ICSE passing marks in ICSE. To acquire the pass certificate, students must score at least 35% in 5 subjects out of 6 and achieve an aggregate mark of 33% as the passing marks out of 100 in ICSE. The ICSE passing marks out of 80 is 26.

ICSE 2026 exam pattern for Group-III subjects like Physical Education and Fashion Designing has 6-mark questions.

• The total marks allotted to these questions are 24.
• Such questions test the students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• The questions will be based on practical and theoretical knowledge.
• Students are advised to allocate sufficient time to answer these questions.
• The questions will be from the entire syllabus, and candidates must be familiar with all the topics.
• It is essential to answer all parts of the question to score maximum marks.
• The questions will evaluate the students' understanding, application, and analysis of the subject.

As per the ICSE exam day guidelines 2025, the following items are not allowed to be carried inside the exam hall:

• Mobile phones
• Bluetooth devices
• Earphones
• Microphones
• Pagers
• Health bands or any other electronic gadgets
• Any printed/blank/hand written paper
• Log tables
• Writing pads
• Scales

It is important to note that any unfair means will not be allowed during the exam, and students must not carry any electronic gadgets inside the exam hall. They must reach the examination hall at least 30 minutes before the commencement of the examination, and must carry their respective ICSE admit cards.

For Class 10th, it is considered to be strict. However, it is said that the checking done by evaluators is lenient in comparison to the checking done by them in Class 9 in their schools.

Students must remember to carry the ICSE 10th admit card 2026 along with the important stationery like pens, pencils, ruler, geometry box etc. It is important that they do not forget the ICSE admit card 2026 Class 10 or they will not be allowed to write the exam. 

ICSE 10th exams 2026 will be held between February and March 2026 in pen and paper format. 

Yes, the books prescribed by the CISCE includes all the topics mentioned in the ICSE syllabus. Students must go throtugh these books thoroughly before picking up ay other reference book. 

Hi Vasima, The only formula to success is hard work and dedication. Go through your syllabus properly and after that, go through sample question papers like ten years for practice and to understand the pattern of the examination.