ISC Arts Board - Exam Dates, Syllabus, Results & Sample Papers

Hi Abhishek, The Secret of scoring above 90 % (or even 95%) is - to study NCERT's fully and solve past year question papers. NCERT's play an important role, as if you have read the NCERT properly, then most of the questions in the papers would be known to you. Just read the NCERT's again and again instead of going into guide books. Secondly, solve previous years question papers seriously as in CBSE questions do repeat. Lastly, Study efficiently, cover all the topics and just believe in yourself. This above mentioned technique was adopted by me also, and I have myself scored 95.2 % in CBSE 2017. Hope it helps you.

To score 100 percent in ISC board exams, you must complete all the topics mentioned in the syllabus and be thorough with the concepts. You can follow the points below that will help you score cent per cent-

1.     Study Plan to Complete the Syllabus on Time.

2.     Manage Time for Revision.

3.     Keep One Sample Paper & Mock Test To Solve Each Day

4.     Identify Mistakes & Rectify Them

5.     List Down Important Topics

6.     Master Good Writing Skills

7.     Stop Cramming, Understand the Concept

Following are some tips to improve the writing and presentation skills for the ISC 12th board exams.

• Students must write the answers neatly. The hand writing should be legible.
• Write the answers with proper heading and subheading.
• Highlight your important points.
• Cross out the errors neatly with single line.
• Divide the time for each question to avoid rushing.  
• Practice writing the previous year question papers.

Over 90,000 students appear for ISC 12th board exams every year. The ISC board exams 2025 will likely be held in February-March 2025 in pen and paper format.

In 2023-24, a total of 99,901 appeared of which 98,088 passed. Of these 52,765 were boys and 47,136 were girls. Unlike other boards, where mostly girls outshone boys, in the CISCE exams, boys outnumbered girls scoring 52.82 % while girls got 47.18%.

In order to clear ISC Class 12, a student is required to have obtained at least 40% marks in four subjects including English on the cumulative average and a minimum attendance of 75% of the working days. 

So yes, attendance is very much compulsory to clear the ISC board Class 12. Students must go through the exam pattern and know the ISC syllabus. They must also solve and practice the ISC sample papers and previous years question papers to score well in the exams. Maintaining consistency in studies from the beginning will help students stay focused and will help them stay regular in school and maintain the attendance. 

The ISC time table 2026 will likely be released in November 2025. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) will announce the ISC 12th time table on their official website, cisce.org. The ISC date sheet 2026 includes all subjects' exam dates and timings. The examinations will likely be held between February 12 and April 3, 2026. 

The exams are held in pen and paper format. Students are advised to go through the ISC syllabus and exam pattern 2026 thoroughly before the release of time table. 

Candidates must carry their ISC 12th admit card with them. Students failing to bring the hard copy of the admit card will not be allowed to take the examination. Students must not bring electronic devices such as calculators, mobile phones, or smartwatches with them to the examination hall.

Along with the ISC admit card, students must also carry their pens, pencils, ruler. geometry box etc.

To begin with, know the complete ISC syllabus and exam pattern 2025. Check the weightage given to each chapter. Pick up the chapters which have a higher weightage and study them well. Similarly, you can pick up chapters and topics of importance. After completing the syllabus, you must download the ISC specimen sample papers and start solving them. These will give you an idea of the difficulty level and the types of questions that are asked frequently.  

Get all your dowbts cleared soon as they arise. Make notes of the important points and this practice shall help you obtain over 90 percent in your ISC 12th board exams 2025.

There will be two papers in the subject:
Paper I - Theory: 3 hours ……80 marks
Paper II- Project Work ……20 marks
PAPER - I (THEORY) – 80 Marks
Part I (20 marks) will consist of compulsory short answer questions testing knowledge, application and skills relating to elementary / fundamental aspects of the entire syllabus.
Part II (60 marks) will consist of eight questions out of which candidates will be required to answer five questions, each carrying 12 marks.
Note: The syllabus is intended to reflect a study of the theory of Economics with specific reference to the Indian Economy. Therefore, examples and specific references to the Indian Economy must be made wherever relevant.

To download the complete ISC Economics Syllabus 2025, click on the link provided. 

There will be two papers in the subject:
Paper I - Theory: 3 hours…… 80 Marks
Paper II - Project Work ……. 20 Marks
PAPER I (THEORY): 80 Marks
There will be one paper of three hours duration of 80 marks with questions set from the prescribed textbooks. Candidates will be required to answer five questions on any three of the prescribed textbooks.

PAPER II (PROJECT WORK): 20 Marks
In addition to the syllabus prescribed above for Classes XI and XII, candidates are also required to be assessed in Project Work.

To download the complete ISC English Syllabus 2025, students can click on the link provided. 

According to ISC students who appeared for the ISC board exam last year, the Economics and mathematics subjects appeared to have been the toughest papers for both the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and the Indian School Certificate (ISC) students.

Hi Nilanjana, A few helpful tips that should work out for you - 1. Study regularly, take out time for at least three subjects in a day. Work more on those subjects, in which you feel you are weaker than other subjects. Follow the syllabus, NCERT books are best. 2. Do not leave any subject for more than 2-3 days. Every subject should be taken up for study at least in every alternate day. 3. Devote at least 6-7 hours for self study. Take out a bit of time for relaxing and entertaining also. 4. Keep checking previous years papers, sample papers etc. 5. Class tests are important so don't miss any.

ISC specimen question papers 2025 are released on the official website - cisce.org. Students are advised to download and practice the ISC specimen papers 2025 from our ISC question papers page. Practicing these sample papers help them to be familiar with the exam pattern and ISC marking scheme. 

Yes, it is preferred that the sample papers/ question papers should be practiced within the specified time. This habit will let you strategise as to which questions one must answer first and others that can be answered later. Also, it will let lone know if they need to increase their writing speed so as to answer the paper within time.

In case you are unaware of the answers to certain questions, you must connect with your teachers/peers to understand the concept and then know the answer. This will help you prepare for the board exams. While reading/studying, you must make notes of the important points which can be referred later, a day before the exam.

In case you find any discrepancies in the ISC 12th hall ticket 2025, you must report it urgently to your school authorities for correction. 

The school officials will get the details corrected and then issue you a new admit card for the exams. It is important to carry the ISC Class 12 admit card on all exam days, otherwise you will not be allowed to write the exam. 

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) will release the ISC Admit Card in February 2026 on its official website at school login. Students need to collect their ISC admit card from their school. The admit card contains important details of the students, such as their name, roll number, exam schedule, and other instructions. It is mandatory for the students to carry the ISC hall ticket on all days of the examination. The ISC exams 2026 will likely be held between February 12 and April 3, 2026 in pen and paper format.

The ISC admit card 2025 are not available for students to download. Schools need to visit the official website of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) at cisce.org. They need to find the link to download the 12th Standard admit card in the 'News' section on the right side of the page or by clicking on the 'downloads' tab. Clicking on the link takes them to a new page where they need to enter your login credentials and captcha code. After submitting the details, the CISCE Admit cards opens for the batch of students registered for the 2025 exam. Finally, schools need to download and print the ISC admit card 2025 and distribute it to students.

All students need to score at least 40 per cent in all subjects in order to clear the ISC examinations. They also need to have a minimum of 75% of attendance. 

To clear the ISC exams, students must be thorough with the ISC syllabus and exam pattern. They must also solve and practice the ISC sample papers and previous year's question papers to get familiar with the marking scheme, types of questions asked in the exam and more.  

No, the Council refrains from announcing the ISC toppers list to avoid unhealthy competition among students. 

However, Shiksha.com contacted some students who scored over 90 percent to know the study tips followed by them. You can check them by clicking on the links below:

ISC 2024 Topper: Avineer Rakshit of VIBGYOR High plans to pursue Mechanical Engineering from Finland

ISC Topper 2024 Aryaa Sethia with 98.25% aspires to crack UPSC exam

Those who completed Class 12th in Commerce stream can go for Bcom, Company BBA, LLB, Economics, Economics, etc. There are so many degree courses for commerce students. Check few courses for commerce students below.

1. B.Com Accounting and Taxation
2. B.Com Applied Economics
3. B.Com (Honours)
4. Bachelor of Business Administration
5. Chartered Accountancy
6. Company Secretary
7. Company3 Accountancy
8. Company3 of Accounting and Finance
9. Bachelor of Management Studies
10. Bachelor of Foreign Trade

There are many options to choose from after completing your class 12 in Commerce stream. You can check out a few below:

• Chartered Accountant
• Stock Broker
• Company Secretary
• Certified Financial Planner
• Career Broker
• Stock4 Entrepreneur
• Material Management Professional

 

Financial options in commerce after graduation

• Certified0 Accountant
• Investment Banker
• Actuary
• Financial Advisor
• Stock4 on the link below to read more on Career Options in Commerce

   

There are plenty of courses that you can pursue after completing Class 12th in Science stream. Many top Indian colleges admit students to their programmes that require a minimum of 50 percent in Class 12. Sharing a few courses below:

• B.Sc. in Clinical Research and Healthcare
• B.Sc. (Hons.) in Psychology
• B.Sc. in Nutrition and Wellness Management
• B.Sc. in Medical Laboratory Technology
• B.Sc. in Radio Imaging Technology
• BCA in Cyber Security
• BCA in Data Science and Met averse
• B.Sc. in Operation Theatre Technology
• B.A. (Hons.) in English
• B.A. (Hons.) in Economics
• B.Sc. (Hons./ Hons. with Research) in Animation
• B.Sc. in Gaming
• BMS in Aviation Management
• B.Sc. in Product Design in association with Strate School of Design (Paris, France)
• B.Sc. in Interaction Design in association with Strate School of Design (Paris, France)
• B.Sc. in Transportation Design in association with Strate School of Design (Paris, France)
• B.Sc. in Visual Communication

Some of the top colleges offering these courses are ICRI - Jagannath University, Delhi, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Film, TV and Animation Studies, Jain Deemed-to-be University, Bangalore, etc.

ISC practical exams 2026 will likely be conducted in January 2026. The ISC time table 2026 is expected to release in the last week of November 2025. The ISC Board theory exams 2026 will be held offline or in pen and paper format between February 13 and April 5, 2026, tentatively. 

 

After finishing Class 12 in Arts or Humanities stream, students can appear for many entrance examinations, some of which are mentioned below:

NIFT

NCHMCT JEE

IIMC Entrance Exam

JMI Entrance Exam

XIC- OET

JNUEE

DUET

PUBDET

The Class 12 grade plays an important role in college admissions. Many universities or colleges have a minimum percentage requirement to apply for different courses. For engineering, 50% marks in Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) are generally required for admission to many colleges. For some degree courses, admissions are based completely on your 12th marks. For entrance exam-based admissions (like JEE, NEET), the 12th percentage will also be considered as a criteria. Hence, your 12th grade marks are important for your higher education admission.

There are plenty of courses available after completing Class 12 with 60 percent. Some of them have been shared below. Students can select a course based on their interests and apply to an institution offering them.

• B.Tech. in Food Engineering and Technology
• B.Sc. in Clinical Research and Healthcare
• B.A. (Hons.) in Psychology
• B.Sc. in Nutrition and Wellness Management
• B.Tech. in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• BBA in Aviation Management
• BBA in Logistic and Supply Chain Management
• B.Sc. in Medical Laboratory Technology
• B.Sc. in Radio Imaging Technology
• BCA in Cyber Security
• BCA in Data Science and Met averse
• B.Sc. in Operation Theatre Technology
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)+ International Business Program, Singapore
• B.Com. + ACCA + International Study Program, Singapore
• Bachelor of Computer Applications + Cisco NetAcad + Amazon AWS Cloud + Microsoft AI Engineer + International Study Program, Singapore
• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) + International Study Program, Singapore
• B.A. (Hons.) in English
• B.A. (Hons.) in Economics
• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com. Hons.)
• Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA)
• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.Hons.)
• B.Com. in Finance and Investment
• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com. Professional)
• B.A. (History, Political Science)
• B.Sc. (Economics, Mathematics, Statistics)
• B.Com. in International Finance
• B.Com. (Hons.) in Strategic Finance

Some of the top institutes offering these courses are -Tezpur University, ICRI - Jagannath University, Delhi, International School of Management Excellence, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Film, TV and Animation Studies. Christ University etc.

Students appearing for ISC Board Exam must understand the strategy to utilize ISC date sheet for preparation of ISC Board Exams 2026. ISC Board Exam 2026 will be held between February and April 5, 2026. Now, let us understand ways to use ISC date sheet for ISC preparation 2026.  

Prepare a subject-wise list for ISC Class 12

List down all the subjects of ISC Class 12 Board Exam. Students appearing for ISC Class 12 Board Exam will commonly be appearing for English, Mathematics, Physics, Accounts, History etc.

List down ISC syllabus and list of topics to cover

Students are advised to cover the complete ISC syllabus. It is important for students to cover the whole syllabus to score well in board exams. Students must also not forget to make note of important topics to cover to avoid last minute hassles.

Know your subject-wise strengths and weakness

Prioritize the subjects you think you are weak in. Try to cover the whole syllabus using time management. It is important to cover weak subjects before the ones you feel confident about. Use the ISC 12th timetable to know the number of preparatory days allotted to each subject. Try and cover lengthy subjects much prior to any other subjects.

Make Notes for Revision

While preparing for ISC Board Exams Class 12, students are advised to make notes for all the subjects. The short notes prepared during the preparation process will help students in last-minute revisions.

Don’t forget to test yourself!

 While preparing for ISC Class 12 Board Exam, students are advised to keep testing themselves. Practice as many ISC Class 12 Sample Paper. Use previous year question papers to revise and practice for ISC board exams. Practicing sample papers will not only help students understand their preparation level but also teach them time management while making under the ISC exam pattern.

Students must go through the points below to avoid the ISC board exam-day hassles:

• All communication devices like mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, headphones, pagers, fitness bands, cameras, etc., are barred from carrying to the examination hall.
• Accessories like wallets, goggles, handbags, and purses are not to be carried.
• Students must not forget to carry all the stationary items that are required to appear for the ISC 12th board exams as sharing of stationery is not allowed
• However, do not forget to carry your ISC hall ticket on all exam days
• Students without the hall ticket will not be allowed to write their ISC board exams

The Council will release the ISC result 2025 in online mode only. In case students are unable to check their result on the official website, they can check it via SMS and digilocker too. This result will be provisional. You will be required to collect the original mark sheet from school after a few days. This is an important document and will be required for admission to higher educational institutes.

ISC 12th exams 2025 were held between Feb 13 and April 5, 2025. Students must read the tips below to score well in Class 12 exams 2025. 

Complete the whole syllabus: The Board has already released the whole ISC syllabus 2025 online. Students must note that nothing will come out of syllabus. Covering every bit of the syllabus will help student get through the tricky questions asked during the ISC board exams 2025. Focusing on one marker because those questions are the key to score 100 and being regular with your studies. Do your best and prepare in advance so you don't panic in exams. 

Do at least one revision. Also, do at least the last three years' board question papers per subject to score well in ISC board exams.

Cover Textbooks thoroughly: One of the best ways to excel in the ISC Board Exam 2025 Class 10 is to focus on the textbooks instead of any other books. Make proper notes of all subjects, especially science, and SST. The most important thing to focus on is never to ignore SST. This subject can make your percentage very low as it contains most chapters. Hence, do not neglect it. Keep your revision game strong. It is just about balancing all the subjects. 

Utilise ISC time table 2025: Students prepping to appear for ISC Board Exam 2025 must note that ISC date sheet 2025 will be out in December 2024. Students are advised to use the official schedule for the ISC exams to make a strategic plan and timetable for ISC board exam preparation 2025. 

Focus on Revision: Once the syllabus is over, all you need to do is revise your syllabus and solve as many sample papers as you can. However, you can always go back to the basics for a quick run-through. Emphasize on revision and practice sample papers as it boosts confidence when you test yourself. 

Practice ISC Sample Papers 2025: Students prepping up for ISC 12th Exam 2025 must note that ISC Sample Paper 2025 are available online. These will make you familiar with the marking scheme, exam pattern, the types of questions asked in the exam etc. 

ISC time table 2025 was released by the Council on November 25, 2024. Once the ISC 12th time table 2025 is out on the official website- cisce.org, students can download the same by clicking on ISC exam dates 2025. The ISC board exams 2025 were conducted between February 13 and April 5, 2025 in pen and paper format.

The ISC date sheet 2025 shares particulars like exam days, dates, timings along with other guidelines for students to follow. Students must ensure that they go through the entire ICSE syllabus 2024 and know the ICSE exam pattern. This will make them familiar with the marking scheme, difficulty level,   the types of questions asked in the exam etc. They must also solve and practice ICSE question papers of previous years and sample papers to get familiar with the exam pattern. 

Soon after the ISC 12th Result 2025 is announced, students login to the website to check their result. These results in traffic and causes the website to slow down. In case students are unable to check their ISC result 2025 on the official website, they can access their results via SMS, and DigiLocker too. 

To check ISC result 2025 via SMS, students need to send a text message to a number in the format provided below:

Type ISC and send it to 09248082883

To know how to check 12th result 2025 via DigiLocker, click on ISC Result 2025. 

 

In case the roll number mentioned in the ISC result 2025 is not correct, you can approach your school authorities and they will get it rectified for you. The ISC 12th result 2025 shall share details like student's name, roll number, UID, marks scored in all subjects, grades and more. 

Cover the whole Syllabus: The Board has already released the whole ISC 12th syllabus 2025 online. Students must note that nothing will come out of syllabus ISC board exam 2025. Covering every bit of the syllabus will help student get through the tricky questions asked during the ISC Class 12 board exams 2025. Focus on one marker because those questions are the key to score 100 and be regular with your studies. Do at least one revision and at least the last three years' board question papers per subject to score well in ISC board exams

Text books only: One of the best ways to excel in the ISC Board Exam 2025 Class 12 is to focus on textbooks instead of any other books. Make proper notes of all subjects. Do not neglect any. Keep your revision game strong. It is just about balancing all the subjects. Revise and practice and focus on text books.

Utilise ISC 12th Time Table 2025: Students prepping to appear for ISC Board Exam 2025 Class 12 must download and save the ISC date sheet 2025, once it is out. Students are advised to use the official schedule for the ISC board exam to make a strategic plan and timetable for ISC board exam preparation 2025. Go through the date sheet to check how many preparatory leaves are provided between exams and prepare for all accordingly. I made sure to complete the whole syllabus and keep only revision bit for the preparatory days. Date sheets are not just dates on which the exam would be conducted, it helps you strategize and prepare well in advance.

Focus on Revision: It is all about revision after a point of time. Once the syllabus is over, all you need to do is revise your syllabus and solve as many sample papers as you can. However, you can always go back to the basics for a quick run-through. This will boost your confidence when you test yourself.

Practice ISC Sample Papers: Students prepping up for ISC Board Exam 2024 must note that ISC 12th Sample Paper 2025 are available online. These makes one familiar with the exam pattern, marking scheme, difficulty level of exam, types of questions asked every year and more.

Make short Notes: While preparing for the ISC Board Exam 2025,  students are advised to cover the whole syllabus and also keep on making short notes. These notes would help students utilise their last minute in revising all the important pointers and topics. Students must complete their syllabus before the board exams 2025 begin. During the preparatory holidays, they are advised to revise for ISC board exams 2025 using these short notes. This is one of the quickest preparation techniques that is commonly shared by all board exam toppers. 

Relax: Amid all the chaos and hurriedness to complete ISC 12th syllabus 2025, students must understand to relax. Taking short breaks, managing time and taking out some free hours to relax is important. Taking short breaks enhances productivity but while doing so, make sure that the breaks do not stretch since it breaks the flow. Managing your screen time is very important. 

CISCE is going to increase questions that require understanding and critical thinking in ICSE and ISC Exams 2026. The aim is to enable students to go beyond rote learning & memorisation of facts and move towards the development of conceptual understanding. 

Thus, students are advised to practise and get their basics clear so that they are able to attempt such questions without any problem.

Yes, Shiksha.com has released the ISC question papers 2024 for some of the major subjects. Students can click on the link provided to download them for free. 

Practising the previous years' question papers gives students an idea of the type of questions asked and the difficulty level of the exam. 

Yes, ISC specimen question papers 2025 are released on the official website - cisce.org. Students can download and practice the ISC specimen papers 2025 from our ISC question papers page. Students can practice these papers to familiarize themselves with the exam pattern and ISC marking scheme. 

Solving ISC sample papers 2025 will make familiar with the erxam pattern, marking scheme, the difficulty level of the exam and the type of questions asked. Thus, it is always advised to answer as many sample papers as possible to score well in board exams.

Those who completed Class 12th in Commerce stream can go for Bcom, Company BBA, LLB, Economics, Economics, etc. There are so many degree courses for commerce students. Check few courses for commerce students below.

1. B.Com Accounting and Taxation
2. B.Com Applied Economics
3. B.Com (Honours)
4. Bachelor of Business Administration
5. Chartered Accountancy
6. Company Secretary
7. Company3 Accountancy
8. Company3 of Accounting and Finance
9. Bachelor of Management Studies
10. Bachelor of Foreign Trade