ICSE Board Exam 2026: Time Table (OUT), Dates, Syllabus, Specimen Paper & Pattern

ICSE time table 2026 released on November 13, 2025. The ICSE 10th time table 2026 is out on the official website- cisce.org. The exams wll be held between February 17 and March 30, 2026.

The ICSE date sheet 2026 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 2026 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. 

Following the some of the ICSE preparation tips following which students will be able to prepare smoothly and achieve the desired top scores in the ICSE class 10th Board examination:

• Go through the complete ICSE Class 10th syllabus and analyse the contents
• Prepare a study time table and study plan to cover the syllabus content
• Include time for revision
• Practise the questions provided in the prescribed textbooks
• Attempt specimen question papers of ICSE Class 10
• Solve previous year class 10 ICSE question papers
• Analyse your strengths and weaknesses

ICSE and CBSE both are equally good in their way of rendering education but considering the need of today's competitive world, I would say CBSE is better. CBSE has a comprehensive way of rendering education which is more appealing and understandable by the students and furthermore the concepts taught have a more practical focused approach which is in my opinion a merit point of CBSE.

The full form of ICSE is Indian Certificate of Secondary Education. It is a class 10 examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). The exam is held every year in February and March, and the results are usually declared in May.

To pass the ICSE exam, students need to score at least 33% marks in each subject and 33% marks in aggregate. The difficulty level of the ICSE exam is considered to be quite tough, and students are advised to prepare well in advance to secure good marks. If a student has cleared all subjects in the ICSE examination, they can reappear in one or more subjects to improve their grades.

The ICSE time table 2026 will share the subjects, exam day, dates, timings, duration for all subjects. Along with this, it also shares the general guidelines to be followed by students. 

ICSE time table 2026 will likely be out in November 2025 and the exams will be held between February 18 and March 27, 2026 in pen and paper format. Students can download the official ICSE date sheet 2026 by clicking on the link provided. 

The duration of the ICSE 2026 exam is 2 or 3 hours, varying from one subject to another. The exam consists of five subjects- English, Hindi, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Each subject will have a different number of questions. English will include 20 questions, Hindi -15 questions, Mathematics - 25 questions, Science -25 questions, and Social Studies -20 questions. There will be multiple-choice and short-answer types. There is no negative marking for wrong answers. 

Yes, CISCE released the ICSE specimen sample papers for the session 2025-26 for all subjects. The sample papers are out on the official website- cisce.org. Students can download them from the official website or they can also download the ICSE sample papers and previous years question papers from the link provided on this page. 

Students must solve and practice the ICSE 10th sample papers 2026 as they will make them familiar with the marking scheme, the types of questions asked frequently in the exam, the difficulty level and more. Students must also solve the sample papers within the stipulated time to learn time management.

The ICSE exam pattern is quite comprehensive and covers a wide range of subjects and topics. The difficulty level can vary depending on the individual student's background and preparation. However, based on past year papers and experts' reviews, the exam can be considered moderately challenging.

The English Language paper has a composition section that requires creativity and writing skills, while the Literature in English paper has a mix of MCQs and short answers. Mathematics and Science papers have a good balance of theoretical and numerical questions.

It's important to note that the pattern and difficulty level can vary for each subject and year, so it's always a good idea to review past year papers and specimen papers to get a better idea of what to expect.

To get ready for the ICSE exams 2026, solve previous year question papers and sample papers. Work on your comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar skills. You may practice writing compositions, letters, and various types of essays. Familiarize yourself with the marking scheme as well as the types of questions that appear in the exam.

The length of the ICSE exam 2026 in Group-I subjects such as History, Civics, Geography, and English will be 3 hours. Each paper will have 75 minutes of examination time, followed by a 15-minute gap between the papers. Papers will fall on different dates; kindly go through the schedule of the examination carefully. Keep in mind the reporting time and carry all the necessary documents with you.

The ICSE Class 10 admit card for the 2026 session will be made available in February 2026. As soon as the admit cards are released, students can pick them up from the school administration.Students who are qualified to sit for the ICSE Class 10 board exams can get their admission cards from the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations. Only applicants who complete the application form successfully will receive their ICSE Class 10 admission card. The exam admit card is made available 7-15 days in advance. Admit cards are available for pickup by students from the administration of their individual schools. The information that students filled out on the application form is contained on the ICSE Class 10 admit card. 

To get their ICSE Admit Card 2026, students can collect it from their school. The ICSE 10th hall ticket 2026 will be made available on the official website of the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) in February. Schools can access the ICSE admit card using their login details.

Students must check for any discrepancies in their ICSE 10th hall ticket 2026. In case of any errors or discrepancies, students should immediately contact the authorities. The admit card will contain important details such as the student's personal information, exam date, timings, and exam center address. Students must carry the admit card to the exam centre on all exam days. No student will be allowed to sit for the exam without the admit card.

Losing the admit card of ICSE 2026 must have left you in a worrying situation. But this issue can be sorted out with ease.

You may first try to contact the concerned school for a copy of the admit card. If they do, they may be able to provide you with one.

In case your school doesn't have a copy, you could connect directly with ICSE Board. They can either provide you with a duplicate admit card or guide you how to avail one from them.

You can also inquire with the examination center where you will take your exam; They might have a copy of the admit card on record.

In any case, on the day of examination one needs to carry a copy of the admit card. It is not possible to appear for the exam without it.

If, therefore, you have misplaced your 2026 ICSE admit card, make sure to obtain the duplicate with urgency. Dont leave things until the last moment as itll create unnessecary tension and inconvenience 

The ICSE result 2026 is expected to be released in the last week of April 2026. Students can check their ICSE result 2026 using their roll number and index ID. Students must note that the ICSE result 2026 released online is provisional. They will need to collect the original marksheet from school. 

CISCE has discontinued the practice of issuing two documents, i.e. a Statement of Marks and a Pass Certificate to students who clear the ICSE examination. Instead, those who qualify the examination will be issued only one document titled 'Pass Certificate Cum Statement of Marks'.
The students who appear for a Supplementary Examination will be issued only a Statement of Marks.
Students must also note that the result of the students will be declared as 'Qualified / 'Not Qualified' as the case may be, instead of 'Pass Certificate Awarded' / 'Pass Certificate Not Awarded'.

ICSE result 2026 will likely be declared in he last week of April 2026. Students can check their 10th result 2026 ICSE board using their index number, UID and  captcha code. 

No, CISCE does not release the ICSE toppers list along with the ICSE result. The Council has stopped the practice of releasing the toppers list to avoid unhealthy competition. However, Shiksha.com interviews students who manage to score over 90 percent in their Class 10 board exams to learn about their preparation strategy, and tips they want to share with those preparing for the upcoming session. Students can read these interviews by clicking on the ICSE result link provided here.

ICSE specimen question papers 2026 are released on the official website - cisce.org. Students are advised to download and practice the ICSE specimen papers 2026 from our ICSE question papers page. Practicing these sample papers help them to be familiar with the exam pattern and ICSE marking scheme. 

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 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%.”

The full form of ICSE is Indian Certificate of Secondary Education. It is a class 10 examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). The exam is held every year in February and March, and the results are usually declared in May.

To pass the ICSE exam, students need to score at least 33% marks in each subject and 33% marks in aggregate. The difficulty level of the ICSE exam is considered to be quite tough, and students are advised to prepare well in advance to secure good marks. If a student has cleared all subjects in the ICSE examination, they can reappear in one or more subjects to improve their grades.

Yes, CISCE prints the statement of marks and hands it over to students after a few days of the announcement of results.

Here's the screenshot of the marksheet-

 

Class 10 students often take a lot of stress thinking about how to choose stream after 10th or which stream is the best after 10th. There are three broader types of streams available, namely Science, Commerce anf Arts. Science includes subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology; Commrce stream includes subjects like Accountacy, Economics, Business Studies, Mathematics etc. and Arts incolve Geography, History, Political Science and more. Students should select a stream which has subjects of their interests. They can decide on a stream after considering the points such as your interests, strengths and weaknesses, future career opportunities and more. Click on the link below to read more on How to decide an academic stream after Class 10?

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.

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.

In case you fail in one subject in the 10th ICSE board exam, you can appear for improvement exam for that particular subject. The only subject you have to compulsorily pass in ICSE 10th is English. If you fail in only one subject (other than English), you will get your pass certificate. Let us take an example. You pass in all subjects, but fail in English. Now, you won’t get your pass certificate and have to appear for supplementary exam. But, let us consider you pass in English, but failed in HCG only. You will get your pass certificate but will also be given a chance to appear for the improvement exam and improve your scores.

It's important to remember that failing in one subject doesn't define your abilities, and there are often opportunities to make up for it. Remember to stay positive and seek support from your teachers and school counselors.

ICSE Improvement Result 2026 is expected to be released in the last week of July 2026. The result is released on the official website- cisce.org, and students can check their results using their UID and index number. 

The ICSE improvement result 2026, which is released online, is provisional. Students need to collect their original marksheet from school.

Some of the Popular Vocational Courses after 10th in India are:

1. ITI (Industrial Training Institute) Courses - Electrician/Fitter/Mechanic/Welder/Plumber
2. Diploma in Computer Applications (DCA)
3. Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT)
4. Know in Business Management
5. Diploma in Fashion Design
6. Diploma in Hotel Management
7. Diploma in Web Design
8. Diploma in Agriculture

Know more about their eligibility criteria, admission process, scope and career prospects here

ICSE 10th Result 2026 is expected to be out in the first week of May 2026 on the official website- cisce.org. Students need to enter their index number and UID to check their results. Along with the official website, students can also check their results vis SMS by sending a message in the format below:

• SMS format: ICSE send the same to this number: 09248082883.

• SMS Example: ICSE 1786257

ICSE Class 10 result 2026 will be released online on the official website cisce.org. The results can also be checked via SMS and  DigiLocker app. To check the ICSE result 2026 via SMS, students need to send a message in the format-

• SMS format: ICSE send the same to this number: 09248082883.

• SMS Example: ICSE 1786257

Students must note that they will need to collect the original marksheet from school after a few days of the announcement of the result.

Students appearing for ICSE 10th Board Exam 2026 must understand the strategy to utilize the ICSE date sheet 2026 for preparation of the ICSE Board Exams 2026. Now, let us understand ways to use ICSE date sheet to commence ICSE preparation 2026.  

• ICSE Date Sheet 2026 Class 10

Prepare a subject-wise list for ICSE Class 10 exams

List down all the subjects of ICSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026. Students appearing for ICSE Board Exam 2026 will commonly be appearing for English, Hindi, Science, Social Science and Mathematics.

List down ICSE syllabus and list of topics to cover

Students are advised to cover the complete ICSE syllabus 2026. 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 ICSE 10th 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 ICSE Board Exams 2026 Class 10, 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!

Students are advised to keep testing themselves. Practice as many ICSE Class 10 Sample Paper 2026. Use previous year question papers to revise and practice for board exams 2026. Practicing sample papers will not only help students understand their preparation level but also teach them time management while making under the ICSE 10th exam pattern.

The ICSE admit card 2026 will be released on the official website in February 2026 and only schools can download and take a printout of the ICSE 10th hall ticket 2026. Students are required to collect their ICSE hall ticket 2026 from their school and carry it with them on all exam days, failing which, they will not be allowed to write the exam. ICSE hall ticket mentions the student details like name, roll number etc along with exam centre details, exam dates, timings, guidelines to follow and more. 

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.