S.S.C.A.

ICSE Examination

The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ICSE) has been framed and designed as an Examination in general education through the medium of English. The ICSE Examination ensures a general education without any diversification of studies as all candidates are required to enter for six subjects, English (Compulsory) and be assessed by the school in Socially Useful Productive Work and Community Service (Compulsory).

The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education Examination is a school examination, and the standard of the examination pre-supposes a school course of twelve years duration (Nursery to Class X). At the ICSE level, students have the option to explore opportunities in choice of subjects that encourage them to enhance their performance according to their aptitude and skill.

ICSE Board Exam Details

CISCE aims to serve its learners through quality education and empower them to contribute towards humanity, a pluralistic society, by creating an exciting learning experience. The contact details of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations are given below.

Name of Board	Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE)
Established	1958
Medium of Instruction	English
Address (Head Office)	Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) P 35-36, Sector VI Pushp Vihar, Saket New Delhi – 110017
Telephone Number	(011) 29564831/33/37
E-Mail	council@cisce.org
Official Website	cisce.org
Fax Number	(011) 29564735

ICSE Exam Pattern

The ICSE exam pattern for all the compulsory subjects is provided below so that students can overview of the exact question paper pattern, the weightage of marks for each section and the number of questions in each section. By knowing the exam pattern, they get to know the important topics which need to be focused more. Students should go through the exam pattern before they start preparing for the ICSE Class 10 Board exam.

ICSE Exam Pattern English I (2 hours)

There will be 4 broad questions. A composition of 450 to 500 words, the second is a letter, the third is an unseen passage and related questions, and the fourth would be a question to test students’ grammar. In the essay and letter section, students are given a choice. They should choose only those topics which they know thoroughly.

ICSE Exam Pattern English – II Exam Pattern (2 Hours)

Section – A (2 questions )

Section – B (2 questions )

Section – C (2 questions ) contains an essay-type question

ICSE Exam Pattern For Maths (2 ½ hours)

Section – A ( 4 questions of 10 marks each = 40 marks)

Section – B ( 7 questions out of which 4 are to be solved for obtaining 40 marks)

ICSE Exam Pattern For Hindi (3 hours)- First section deals with the Hindi Language.

It has 3 major parts – i) Essay of around 250 words ii) Letter iii) Unseen passage

Second section deals with Hindi Literature, in which students are supposed to answer any 4 questions from the two books they have read from.

ICSE Exam Pattern For Physics ( 1.5 hrs)

Section – A – Short compulsory questions worth 40 marks

Section – B – 6 questions, out of which any 4 are to be solved, worth 40 marks.

ICSE Exam Pattern For Chemistry (1.5 hrs)

Section – A – Short compulsory questions worth 40 marks

Section – B – 6 questions, out of which any 4 are to be solved, worth 40 marks.

ICSE Exam Pattern For Biology (1.5 hrs)

Section – A – Short compulsory questions worth 40 marks

Section – B – 6 questions out of which any 4 are to be solved worth 40 marks

ICSE Exam Pattern For History and Civics (2 hrs)

Section – A First part deals with small answer-type questions from the civics part (10 marks)

The second part deals with small answer-type questions from the history part (20 marks)

Section – B First part has 3 long answer type questions from civics, out of which any 2 are to be solved (20 marks)

The second part has 5 long answer type questions from history, out of which any 3 are to be solved (30 marks)

ICSE Exam Pattern For Geography (2 hrs)

First part has 2 questions – i) Map of India(10 marks) ii)Survey map and its interpretation(20 marks)

The second part has 9 questions, out of which 5 are to be solved (50 marks)

ICSE Exam Pattern For. E.V.S (2 hrs)

The first part has 4 compulsory questions, and the second part has 5 long answer-type questions, out of which 4 are to be solved.

ICSE Grading Pattern

The ICSE grading pattern are given below. Group 1 is compulsory, but students can select any 2 subjects from Group 2 and any 1 subject from Group 3.

GROUP I: (Compulsory)	Percentage External Examination	Marks Internal Assessment
English	80%	20%
A Second Language (one/two)	80%	20%
History, Civics and Geography	80%	20%
GROUP II: (Any two/three of the following subjects)
Mathematics	80%	20%
Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)	80%	20%
Economics	80%	20%
Commercial Studies	80%	20%
A Modern Foreign Language	80%	20%
A Classical Language	80%	20%
Environmental Science	80%	20%
GROUP III: (Any one of the following subjects)
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%
A Modern Foreign Language	50%	50%

How to Prepare for ICSE

The preparation tips mentioned below will guide students on how to schedule their study plan effectively. It will give them some idea of how to begin the preparation according to the subject. Students are advised to go through these tips before they start their ICSE Board exam preparation so that they can work on it smoothly.

Tips to prepare for ICSE Class 10th exam

6 Tips to Prepare Effectively for ICSE Class 10 Exam

1. Be systematic and planned

Students should make a proper schedule and keep only those books or articles in front of them which are mentioned in the schedule. Maintaining a proper and systematic study plan will help them assign equal importance to all the subjects. The study plan should be framed according to the importance of the subject for ICSE Class 10 exam.

2. Knowledge of the syllabus

Before starting the preparation, students are suggested to analyze all the topics of each subject covered in the . Knowing your syllabus will help the students to prepare themselves accordingly, and they must stick to it. So, map your syllabus from the ICSE textbooks and prepare each line of it.

3. Focus on all the subjects

While preparing for the ICSE Class 10 exam, most of the students tend to focus on tough subjects like Maths, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, etc. and ignore the languages. But, along with the other subjects, it is advised they concentrate on languages as well as it will help to uplift their overall percentage.

4. Proper Revision

Preparing a proper revision plan according to the subjects will help students to revise quickly in later stages. After completing one chapter, students must revise the chapter once before jumping to another chapter. It makes sense to make notes of important topics or formulas to help them revise better. Practising helps students to revise the entire syllabus without skipping any important topic.

5. Practicing Sample Paper or Previous Year Question Paper

Students should practice sample papers or previous year question papers to familiarize themselves with the exam pattern, as well as the types of questions asked in the examination. It will help the students to get an idea about the difficulty level of the paper, marks weightage, important topics, etc. Along with the study materials, students should practice or previous year question papers.

6. Follow ICSE Textbooks

To score well in ICSE Class 10 exams, a comprehensive understanding of basic concepts of every topic and thorough reading of ICSE Class 10 books are essential. Students should kick start their preparation with ICSE textbooks for Class 10 as it is considered one of the best resources of study materials for students.

Tips for scoring well in your ICSE Physics Exam

Revise Properly

Revision of notes and memorizing the formulas and the definitions of complicated terms help a great deal during last-minute preparation. Students should keep a few lists of topics handy separately for quick revision, and it must contain the important formulae, derivations and essential definitions. Students can also revise the complete Physics syllabus by solving the ICES Class 10 Physics Previous year Question Paper.

Practice numerical problems

In Physics, numerical problems are present in almost every chapter. Here a thorough understanding of all the formulae and equations is a must. Practising the conceptual questions can help in preparing practical as well as concepts that will help make clear the answer to questions from all sections.

Study Regularly

While preparing for Physics, after learning a chapter, students should practice different types of numericals from it. At least an hour of regular self-study is imperative for better preparation for Physics. They should be rigorous with the theoretical part before jumping to solve the numerical problems. Studying once daily will help them to revise the topics so that they are thorough with all the concepts and can attempt the exam with confidence.

Clear your Concepts

Students should meticulously focus on the theoretical part as it will help them to clear their concepts. To score good marks in Physics exams, students should avoid memorizing complex problems. They should understand the basic concepts, which will help them to know the fundamental principles and the connection between different concepts. Once they understand the complex concepts, then solving the related problems will become easier.

Solve practice questions

Students should make a habit of solving the practice questions once they finish a chapter. It is recommended they solve practice questions from the ICSE Class 10 Physics Selina textbook. Physics incorporates many mathematical elements, and they can quickly master this subject by tackling multiple formulas and problems. While practising, students should mark the questions they find difficult to solve. They should revise and practice them regularly.

Tips to follow while preparing for ICSE Class 10 Chemistry Exam

Understand the syllabus

Students should take time to understand the syllabus before they prepare their study plan. After identifying the weightage associated with various chapters and sections, they can easily determine the needed time for the preparation. It is always advised to prepare according to the prescribed ICSE Class 10 Chemistry syllabus, as the final question paper will be based on the same curriculum.

Prepare study notes

While studying any particular topic, it is imperative you make point-wise notes of everything necessary, including chemical formulas and reactions. It is important and will help the students to recall the details during the examination. Preparing study notes helps in an in-depth study of various topics in a systematic manner, and it will boost long-term memory. Chemistry is a subject based on conceptual understanding. So, mugging up the concepts cannot help much in making the subject easier to understand.

Start preparing early

Students should begin their preparation early if they find the subject tough. For thorough knowledge about the subject, early preparation is mandatory. While preparing, do not try to rush and finish the chapters and numerical problems. The numerical problems, if mastered, are an excellent way to score marks. In-depth knowledge is the key to yielding good results.

Practice previous year question papers

Previous years question papers and sample papers can be beneficial. By solving the ICSE Class 10 Chemistry previous year question paper, students can understand the pattern of the questions. It will help them to prepare better and finish the paper within the allotted time. Writing the answers down also improves your memory to recall specific complex yet important details in the tensest situations.

Examine your mistakes

By solving the ICSE Class 10 Chemistry Sample paper, students can analyze their mistakes and prevent them from repeating in the Board exams. It will help them to know where they lag behind and where improvement is needed. While solving the sample papers, it is advised that you take a look at the answers and the marking scheme provided, as no other source can give a better judgement than the one provided by ICSE.

preparing for ICSE Class 10 Biology Exam

Biology means the study of life. It is derived from the terms’ bio means life, and logy, meaning science or study. Biology is divided into two branches – Botany, or the study of plants, and Zoology, or the study of animals. Then, there are branches like microbiology, a field of study that deals with the study of microorganisms. For ICSE Class 10 students Biology is a favourite subject as they can score well in this subject if they put in hard work and practice the diagrams.

Most students are under the impression that they can score very high marks in Biology. However, they should remember that though the questions appear to be very easy, the marks they score depend upon how well they present their answers on the answer sheet. ICSE Class 10 Biology question paper is divided into two sections.

Section I – Objective type questions) – 40 marks

Section II – (Explanation type Questions) – 40 marks.

Given below are some tips to prepare well for ICSE Class 10 Biology subject

Tips to follow while preparing for ICSE Class 10 Biology Exam

Biology is a content-based subject which needs to be memorized. It requires multiple readings and revisions.
Students should create a proper study schedule giving time and focus on scoring units and chapters they are weak in.
Revising the entire syllabus and the keynotes helps students to get a grip on the whole curriculum without wasting too much energy.
The diagrams should be practised routinely so that students do not miss any part of the diagram or the minute details from it during the examination. Go through the diagrams thoroughly before the exam.
Preparing by noting down the important topics at the time of regular studies can help a lot at the last-minute preparation, and going through them can build up strong basics.
It is advised to read the ICSE Class 10 Biology textbook regularly, which also covers as many sample papers as possible which will introduce you to a variety of questions.
Prepare the projects and activities along with the practical work as quickly as possible to concentrate on the theory and complete the entire syllabus.
Solve the ICSE previous year question papers and take note of the common questions that have been asked, and observe how the questions should be answered.
Take as many practice tests as possible.

ICSE Class 10 Biology Marking Scheme

Subject	Percentage External Examination	Marks Internal Examination
Biology	80%	20%

ICSE Class 10 Maths Exam

Maths as a subject requires preparation throughout the whole year. Scoring in Maths becomes easier if students work hard and practise more. Getting good marks in the Maths exam is very important to those students who are looking for a career in Engineering. The most important chapters of ICSE Mathematics include Probability, Statistics, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Commercial Mathematics and Mensuration.

Mathematics is not as easy as it seems. It needs a lot of diligent practice because just a quick practice right before the exam wouldn’t help students by any means. The paper, according to the ICSE Class 10 Maths syllabus, is divided into two sections.

Section I – 40 marks – Short Answer Questions.

Section II – 7 questions, out of which you have to answer only 4.

Tips for scoring good marks in ICSE Class 10 Maths Exam

Make a proper schedule

Students should follow a proper study schedule to make the preparation more organized. First, they should understand what they need to prepare and then plan the preparation for ICSE Class 10 Maths exam with the Maths textbook. Before making a study table, students should identify their strengths and weaknesses and should set their goals according to it. It will help to give proper attention to all the concepts without missing any of them.

Cover the syllabus

Students should cover the entire syllabus of ICSE Class 10 Maths thoroughly. By going through the ICSE Class 10 Maths syllabus, students will get to know different weightage allocated to different units. It must be considered carefully while preparing for exams. It is highly recommended that they should first revise the chapters which are easy for them with maximum weightage in the Class 10 board exam.

Clear your Concepts

Students should focus on understanding the concepts for better preparation for ICSE Class 10 Maths exam. It will help students to solve all kinds of questions asked in the examination. If concepts are not clear, students will face difficulty while attempting any tricky questions related to the topic. The best way to clear the concepts is to practice them regularly.

Solve previous year question paper

Students should increase solving the number of previous year question papers and make sure to solve at least one full-length question paper a day within the given time of 3 hours. It will help to increase their speed, make them familiar with the types of questions asked in the exam and offer useful insights about essential topics for the exam and their preparation level. Solving ICSE Class 10 Maths Previous Year Question Paper will help them to be confident and also familiarize themselves with the ICSE Class 10 exam pattern.

Prepare study notes

Maintain a separate register for formulae, theories, methods and important questions. Keep these study notes handy to revise them quickly before the exam. Students should make a habit of noting down the important concepts once they are done with one chapter so that it will benefit them at the time of final revision. It will help them to cover the entire syllabus in a short time.

ICSE Latest Updates

ICSE’s latest updates help students to be updated with the recent changes and notifications released by the CISCE. Knowing the updates will help students to know all the changes initiated by the board and how it will benefit them. Given below is the table of all the notifications issued by the Council related to syllabus, compartmental exams, ICSE Board exams etc. The latest updates are taken from the ICSE official website so that students are updated with the latest changes implemented by the board.

Frequently Asked Questions on ICSE

What is the abbreviation of ICSE?

ICSE abbreviation is the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education.

If a candidate has passed in all subjects in the ICSE examination, can he/she reappear in one or two subjects to improve grades?

Yes, a candidate may reappear in one or more subjects after obtaining a Pass Certificate in the ICSE examination. A Supplementary Pass Certificate will be awarded thereafter to a candidate on successful performance in the subject/s in which the reappearance has been undertaken.

Can a private candidate or a candidate from another Board take the ICSE (Class-X) Examination directly?

Private candidates are not permitted to appear for the examination, nor can candidates from other boards take the ICSE (Class-X) Examination directly. The ICSE (Class-X) Examination is a two-year course of Classes IX and X. Candidates desirous of taking the ICSE Examination are required to register in Class IX as regular school candidates from affiliated schools and are required to enter for six subjects along with Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW). It is also necessary that the candidates have a minimum of 75% attendance in both Classes IX and X.

I had appeared for the ICSE Examination and wished to apply for a recheck in a few subjects. To whom do I have to approach for the recheck and the subsequent result?

A recheck application must be made online by the school/candidate. A fee of Rs. 1000/- is charged for each subject recheck request. After processing, the Council will intimate the school/candidate about the result of the recheck request. The parents or candidates may also get in touch with the Head of the concerned school for the result of the same.

What is the procedure that must be followed to make a correction in the name/parent’s name or the DOB in my ICSE/ISC certificates?

Students are requested to first contact the school and then forward the following documents to the Council (through the school):-
a) Duly attested copy of the amended School Admission Form.
b) Duly attested copy of the Birth Certificate.
c) Original Affidavit (signed by a First Class Magistrate)- English version.
d) Original Statement of Marks and Pass Certificate
e) Online payment of Correction fees through the school.
f) Cutting of a Newspaper announcement regarding the change/correction (English version)
g) Covering letter from the school, clearly mentioning the required correction.

What is the age limit for appearing for the ICSE (Class-X) Examination?

As such, there is no age limit for appearing for the ICSE Examination. However, schools, while admitting the candidates, are requested to follow the norms as set by the State Education Department of the concerned State Government.