ICSE Class 10 Exam Pattern 2025: Check Subject Wise Pattern, Marking Scheme, Best Books

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25 will include more analytical, case-based, and application-based questions for the upcoming ICSE class 10 exam 2025, and not knowledge-based questions . The Council of Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) has already published the specimen question papers along with the answer keys which clearly shows the increase in the number of analytical-based questions. Around 25% weightage (i.e., 20 marks of the paper) have been ascribed to the questions evaluating such competencies. The weightage will keep on increasing each year to match the assessment practices with the NEP 2020 recommendations. Students can check the updated subject-wise PDFs for pattern and ICSE Clsas 10th syllabus 2024-25 .

This year, the subjects are divided into 3 Groups: 1, 2, 3. From Group 1, students will have to take 4 compulsory subjects and the weightage of theory and practical exams or internal assessment in this group will be 80 and 20 marks respectively. From Group 2 of subjects, students can opt for 2 optional subjects and the weightage of marks will remain the same as of Group 1. From the 3rd group, students can opt for 1 optional subject where the weightage of theory and practical exams will be 50-50. The IC SE class 10 time table 2025 will be released in December 2024, and the exams are to be held between February and March 2025 tentatively. Along with this, other major points related to ICSE 10th Board 2025 examination have been elaborated on this page such as exam pattern, subject-wise pattern, marking scheme, grading system, etc.

Latest Updates

• November 25, 2024: CICSE released the ICSE 10th date sheet 2025; the ICSE class 10 exam 2025 will be held from February 18 to March 27, 2025.

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25: New Changes

With the release of the ICSE class 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25, the Council has introduced some changes in the upcoming class 10th board exams, which are listed below:

• As per the transformative changes made by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the education system in CISCE 10th, and 12th has been redesigned to be more easier and holistic.
• From 2025, aligning with the NEP 2020 policy, there will be more analytical, case-based, and application-based questions as compared to the previous years.
• Such understanding or analytical-based questions will carry a weightage of 25% that is, 20 marks in the paper. The percentage has increased from 10 in 2024.
• The percentage of weightage will keep on increasing each year until the assessment practices match with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recommendations.
• The new ICSE 10th exam pattern 2024-25 will not focus on direct questions as NEP clearly stated that students should not solely depend on memorising the facts, but use their knowledge.

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25: Highlights

Given in the table below are some of the major highlights for ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025:

Exam Mode	Offline
Medium	Hindi & English
Duration	2 Hours
Type of Questions	Multiple Choice, Long/Short Questions
Total Subjects	6
Groups	Group I (4 compulsory subjects). Group II (2 optional subjects). Group III (1 optional subject).
Total Marks	100
Negative Marking	No
Theory Exam	Group I, II - Theory 80 Group III - Theory 50
Internal Assessment	Group I, II - Theory 20 Group III - Theory 50
Passing Marks	33% Aggregate in Each Subject & Overall

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25

The highlights of ICSE 10th Blueprint has been added below. Students are also advised to download ICSE Class 10 Previous Year Question Paper and ICSE Class 10 Sample Paper to get a bettern understanding of pattern and format of the questions.

• ICSE 10th exam 2025 will be conducted in offline mode (pen and paper).
• There will be a total of 6 subjects that are included in the ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025.
• The subjects will be divided into 3 groups, Group I will include 3 compulsory subjects, Group II will include 2 optional subjects, and Group III will contain 1 optional subject.
• The exam will be conducted for a total of 2 hours duration.
• The overall marks as per ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025 will be 100 marks.
• For Group I and II, 80 marks will be for the theory paper and 20 marks for the internal assessment.
• For Group III, 50 marks will be for the external exam and 50 for the internal exam.
• ICSE 10th exam will consist of different types of questions such as Multiple choice, and long/ short answer questions.
• The multiple choice questions will have 4 options out of which the candidates will have to select one correct option.
• The long and short-answer questions will range from 1 mark to 5 marks. There will be no negative marking for incorrect answers.

List of Subjects in ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25

The list of subjects included in ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025 for all three groups are listed below:

Groups	Subjects
Group 1	English Second Language History, Civics and Geography
Group 2	Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) Mathematics Economics Commercial Studies Modern foreign language Classical language Environmental Science
Group 3	Computer Applications Economic Applications Commercial Applications Art Performing Arts Home Science Cookery Fashion Designing Physical Education Yoga Technical Drawing Applications Environmental Applications A Modern Foreign Language Mass Media & Communication Hospitality Management Beauty & Wellness: Skin & Beauty Beauty & Wellness: Hair Styling

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25 Subject Wise

The subjects for ICSE 10th are divided into 3 distinct groups: Group I, Group II, and Group III. The ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025 is different for all three groups and the subjects included. Along with the understanding of pattern, students should also focus on ICSE 10th Preparation Tips 2025 by experts to direct their studies to the right path. The candidates can check below the subject-wise ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025:

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025 for Group I

Group I subjects consist of 3 compulsory subjects. Each subject will be conducted for 100 marks and 2 hours duration.

Subjects	Types of Questions	Weightage
English	Related to language skills and literature skills	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
History, Civics	Short and long answer type	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
Geography	Short and long answer type, map questions	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
Second Language	Related to language skills and literature skills	80 (external) + 20 (internal)

Quick Links:

• ICSE Class 10 Enlish Exam Pattern 2024-25
• ICSE Class 10 Social Science Exam Pattern 2024-25

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025 for Group II

Group II consists of a total of 7 subjects out of which the candidates will be provided with a choice of any two subjects.

Subjects	Types of Questions	Weightage
Mathematics	2 Sections: Section A and Section B. Each Section will have 40 marks. Section A will consist of short answer-type questions. 4 questions need to be attempted in Section B.	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
Science	2 Sections: Section A and Section B. Each Section will have 40 marks. Section A will consist of short answer-type questions. 4 questions need to be attempted in Section B.	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
Commercial Studies	2 Sections: Section A and Section B. Each Section will have 40 marks. Section A will consist of short answer-type questions. 4 questions need to be attempted in Section B.	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
Environmental Science	2 Sections: Section A and Section B. Each Section will have 40 marks. Section A will consist of short answer type questions. 4 questions need to be attempted in Section B.	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
Economics	2 Sections: Section A and Section B. Each Section will have 40 marks. Section A will consist of short answer-type questions. 4 questions need to be attempted in Section B.	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
A Classical Language	Questions based on translation & grammar	80 (external) + 20 (internal)
A Modern Foreign Language	5 questions, all compulsory, questions based on translation & grammar	80 (external) + 20 (internal)

Quick Links:

• ICSE Class 10 Math Exam Pattern 2024-25
• ICSE Class 10 Science Exam Pattern 2024-25

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025 for Group III

The students will have to choose one subject from the list of subjects in Group III.

Subjects	Types of Questions	Weightage
Performing Arts	Section A – Vocal Music Section B – Instrumental Music Section C – Tabla	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
A Modern Foreign Language	5 questions, all compulsory, questions based on translation & grammar	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Environmental Applications	Section A: Short Answer Questions Section B: Long Answer Questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Technical Drawing Applications	Section A: 3 out of 5 questions must be attempted Section B: 2 out of 3 questions must be attempted	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Home Science	Section A: Short Answer Questions Section B: Long Answer Questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Cookery	Section A: Short Answer Questions Section B: Long Answer Questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Physical Education	Section A: Short Answer Questions Section B: Long Answer Questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Fashion Designing	Section A: Short Answer Questions Section B: Long Answer Questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Yoga	Section A – All the questions are compulsory (40 Marks) Section B, C and D – Each section of 20 marks, attemp any two questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Economic Applications	Section A: Short Answer Questions Section B: Long Answer Questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Commercial Applications	Section A: Short Answer Questions Section B: Long Answer Questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Arts	Paper 1 Paper 2 Paper 3 Paper 4	50 (external) + 50 (internal)
Computer Applications	Section A: Short Answer Questions Section B: Long Answer Questions	50 (external) + 50 (internal)

Also Check ICSE Class 10 Hindi Exam Pattern 2024-25

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25 - Marking Scheme

CISCE follows a specific marking scheme to provide scores for each question in the exam. The candidates need to have an adequate knowledge of the ICSE 10th marking scheme 2025 which will help them formulate a proper strategy to answer the questions. The points listed below explain in detail the ICSE 10th exam pattern marking scheme:

• The overall marks for the exam will be 100 for each subject.
• The candidates will have to score a minimum of 33% aggregate marks in each subject to pass the exam.
• The candidates who write six subjects and pass in at least 5 subjects will be considered a pass, which must include English subjects.
• The marks for a specific question will be allotted to every question. The candidates must answer as per the allotted marks only.
• There will be no negative marking.

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25 - Internal Assessment

The internal assessment for ICSE class 10th will be a major component of the final marks. The internal exam will be conducted in the respective schools of the students. The weightage for the internal assessment will be 20%. The marks obtained by the candidates in the internal assessment will be added to the final score for ICSE class 10th result. The internal assessment will consist of different evaluation stages such as projects, multiple assessments, portfolios, and so on.

ICSE 10th Grading System 2024-25

ICSE 10th Result 2025 will be provided both in the form of marks and grades. The grading system will be done on a scale of 1 to 9. Meanwhile, the internal exams will be graded from A to E. The candidates who write six subjects and pass in at least 5 subjects will be considered a pass, which must include English subjects. The grading system for the ICSE 10th exam represents 1 being the highest grade and 9 being the lowest grade. Remarks like Good, Very Good, Pass, Fail, etc. are also provided along with the grades. Given in the table below is the ICSE 10th Grading System for both internal as well as external exams:

ICSE 10th Grading System for Internal Exams

Grade	Remarks
A	Very Good
B	Good
C	Satisfactory
D	Fail
E	Fail

ICSE 10th Grading System for External Exams

Grade	Remarks
1, 2	Very Good
3, 4, 5	Credit
6, 7	Pass
8, 9	Fail

Also Read - ICSE 10th Grading System 2025

ICSE Class 10 Passing Marks 2025

The students can check the following table to understand the passing marks for each of the subjects. Each of the subjects is divided into external and internal exams. The students get a total of marks for each of the subjects.

Group I - (All Compulsory Subjects)

Subject	Internal Assessment Percentage	External Exam Percentage	ICSE Passing Marks
History, Civics, and Geography	20%	80%	35%
English	20%	80%	35%
Second Language	20%	80%	35%

Group II - (Any 2 or 3 Subjects)

Subject	Internal Assessment Percentage	External Exam Percentage	ICSE Passing Marks
Economics	20%	80%	35%
Mathematics	20%	80%	35%
Physics, Chemistry, Biology	20%	80%	35%
Commercial Studies	20%	80%	35%
Environmental Science	20%	80%	35%
Modern Foreign Language	20%	80%	35%
Classical Language	20%	80%	35%
Aggregate ICSE Passing Marks			33%

Group III - ( Any 1 Subject)

Subject	External Exam Percentage	Internal Exam Percentage	Passing Marks
Commercial Applications	50%	50%	35%
Computer Applications	50%	50%	35%
Economic Applications	50%	50%	35%
Performing Arts	50%	50%	35%
Art	50%	50%	35%
Home Science	50%	50%	35%
Yoga	50%	50%	35%
Fashion Designing	50%	50%	35%
Physical Education	50%	50%	35%
Cookery	50%	50%	35%
Technical Drawing Applications	50%	50%	35%
Environmental Applications	50%	50%	35%
A Modern Foreign Language	50%	50%	35%

Also Read - ICSE 10th Marksheet 2025

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25: Best Books

CISCE follows the popular books including the Selina Publications Concise Series, the ICSE books by S. Chand, and the Understanding ICSE Mathematics Series by M.L. The subject-wise ICSE 10th books are tabulated below:

Subjects	Books Name	Author Name
English	Together with ICSE Practice Material for Class 9 and 10 English Language for Board Examination Merchantchant of Venice Wren & Martin’s High School English grammar and composition	AK Saxena Tuner W
Hindi	Together with Hindi for Class 9 & 10	Rachna Sagar
Maths	ICSE Mathematics for Class 10th (English – Bharati Bhawan) Mathematics for Class 10	Asit das RD Sharma
Physics	Together with ICSE physics Concise Physics ICSE	Dr. Mukesh Kumar Gandhi S. P. Tripathi and R. P. Goyal
Chemistry	Together with ICSE chemistry practical materials ICSE Concise Chemistry	Anshu Gulati Dr. S. P. Singh
Biology	Together with ICSE biology practical materials	Alice Gacob
Social science	Total History and Civics Total Geography by Morning Star Akshar publication	-

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2024-25: Preparation Tips

Students who are prepping for the upcoming ICSE Class 10 exam 2025, must consider the below given important points before appearing for the exam:

• Know your syllabus: You must be aware of the units and chapters that are included in the latest ICSE Class 10 syllabus 2025, and accordingly set your targets for each subject. Decide what needs to be covered before. Try to avoid starting with lengthy and less-weighted chapters.
• Plan a schedule and stick to it: Make an effective study schedule and follow it. Make a plan allocating almost equal time for all the subjects. If needed, give time more to the difficult subjects/ chapters. Avoid longer hours, and break it down into small study sessions.
• Keep time for relaxation: Studying for longer hours can lead to monotony. Divide the study hours in such a way that you can relax in between a particular topic. Relax for some time. This will increase your power of memorization.
• Solve previous years' papers/ ICSE 10th Specimen Papers 2025: Only completing the syllabus will not work. It is important to solve the previous year question papers and specimen papers for better preparation. It will help you get familiar with the marking scheme, typologies and difficulty level of questions asked, duration and exam pattern.
• Revision is the key to success: Try to revise the chapters after completing them. Revision helps with memorization by moving information from working memory to long-term memory, which will enable you to recall it.

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