What is the external examiner's role during the ICSE 2025 practical exams and internal assessments, as per the ICSE exam pattern?

According to the ICSE exam pattern 2025, there will be one external examiner for the practical exams and internal assessments. This external examiner will be a teacher who does not teach the examinee's class for that particular subject. The external examiner will evaluate 10 marks out of the total 20 marks allotted for the subject. The remaining 10 marks will be evaluated by the subject teacher. The ICSE board has specified that the external examiner will be from a different school than the examinee's school. This is to ensure fairness and impartiality in the evaluation process. The external examiner will assess the students' performance based on the ICSE exam pattern and marking scheme. They will look for the students' understanding of the subject matter, their ability to apply the concepts, and their critical thinking skills. The ICSE board has also specified that the external examiner will not be aware of the students' identities during the evaluation process. This will help maintain the anonymity of the students and prevent any bias in the evaluation. Overall, the external examiner plays an important role in ensuring the fairness and credibility of the ICSE exam pattern for practical exams and internal assessments in 2025.

What is the duration of the ICSE 2025 exam for class 10, and how many questions will be asked in each subject?

The duration of the ICSE 2025 exam for class 10 will be 2/3 hours and varies from subject to subject. The exam will consist of five subjects, including English, Hindi, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Each subject will have a different number of questions, with English having 20 questions, Hindi having 15 questions, Mathematics having 25 questions, Science having 25 questions, and Social Studies having 20 questions. The questions will be multiple-choice and short-answer type, and students will be required to answer all questions. There will be no negative marking for incorrect answers. It is advisable to attempt all questions and complete the paper within the given time frame.

In case the ICSE exam goes digital, will they follow the same exam pattern?

There is no information about ICSE 10th exams going digital this year. In case this happens, the board will inform if any changes are made in the ICSE exam pattern. For now, the Council will conduct ICSE exams in pen and paper format in February, March 2024. Students must go through the detailed ICSE syllabus and exam pattern to know the topics, units to study and to know the marking scheme, the difficulty level and more.

How can I stay updated on any changes to the ICSE exam pattern 2025?

To stay updated on any changes to the ICSE exam pattern 2025, you can regularly check the official website of the Council of Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) for any announcements or updates. You can also follow Shiksha.com as it provides information on ICSE exams and exam patterns. Additionally, you can contact your school authorities or teachers for any information or clarification on the exam pattern.

How many minutes will students have to complete the ICSE 2025 exam, according to the time table?

According to the ICSE council, students have 2 hours (120 minutes) to complete the exam. This includes the time for reading the question paper and answering the questions. The exam is held in offline mode, and students are not allowed to carry any electronic gadgets inside the exam hall. The duration of the exam may vary for different subjects, but 2 hours is the standard duration for most papers. Students are advised to utilize their time carefully and think about the answers before writing them down on the answer sheet. It is important to note that the ICSE exam 2025 will be held in offline mode, and students will not be allowed to use any unfair means during the exam. Students must reach the examination hall at least 30 minutes before the commencement of the examination. Overall, it is important for students to be well-prepared and manage their time effectively during the exam.

What items are not allowed to be carried inside the exam hall during the ICSE exam 2025?

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.

How many marks are allotted for the 6-mark questions in the ICSE 2025 exam pattern for Group 3 subjects like Physical Ed & Fashion Des?

ICSE 2025 exam pattern for Group-III subjects like Physical Education and Fashion Designing have 6-mark questions. The marks allotted for these questions are 24. These questions are designed to test the candidates' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The questions will be based on practical and theoretical knowledge. Candidates 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 be evaluating the candidates' understanding, application, and analysis of the subject.

What is the duration of the ICSE board exam 2025 for Group-I subjects, such as History, Civics, Geography, and English?

The duration of the ICSE board exam 2025 for Group-I subjects like History, Civics, Geography, and English will be 3 hours. The exam will consist of 75 minutes for each paper, with a 15-minute break in between. The papers will be held on different dates, so please check the exam schedule carefully. Remember to reach the exam center early and take all necessary documents with you. All the best!

ICSE Exam Pattern 2025: Know Marking Scheme & Exam Duration

347 Students Q&A

Exam On - 18 Feb '25 - 27 Mar '25

Updated on Jan 6, 2025 17:14 IST

By Jasleen Taneja

ICSE Exam Pattern 2025: Council of Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) released the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education or ICSE exam pattern 2025 through ICSE specimen question papers on the official website. The ICSE board exam 2025 will be conducted only once between February 18 and March 27, 2025 in pen and paper format. The ICSE pattern lists the marking scheme, duration, and the different types of questions that are asked in the exam. Students preparing for the exam must go through the ICSE 10th exam pattern 2025 and solve as many ICSE question papers of previous years’ for better preparation. The ICSE exam pattern for different subjects is provided below.

ICSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025 - Highlights

This year, the ICSE board exams will be conducted ONLY ONCE. The board is likely to conduct the Board exams twice from the academic session 2025-26.
The exams will be conducted in February/March 2025.
They will be held in offline mode.
The duration for every paper is 2/2,5 hours (varying for different subjects).
Students will have to write the paper for a maximum of 80 marks. 20 marks are allotted for internal assessment.
Students can click on ICSE 10th time table 2025 to check the tentative exam dates. These will be updated soon after the official dates are announced.
Students can check the ICSE board syllabus 2025 to know the chapters and topics to be covered for exam.

Also read: Quick prep tips to score above 90% in CISCE 10th, 12th exams

ICSE Pattern 2025

Groups

Subjects

Group-I – 80% exam + 20% internal assessment

History
Civics
Geography
English
Second Language

Group-II – 80% exam + 20% internal assessment

Physics
Chemistry
Biology

Mathematics
Economics
Modern foreign language
Classical language
Environmental Science

Group-III – 50% external exam + 50% internal exam

Performing Arts
Computer Applications
Commercial Applications
Economic Applications
Arts
Yoga
Cookery
Physical Education
Fashion Designing
Environmental Applications
Technical Drawing Applications
Home Science
Modern foreign language

Subject-wise ICSE Board Pattern 2025

Students can find the ICSE exam pattern for some of the major subjects below.

ICSE Class 10 Exam Pattern 2025 for English

English Language (Paper-I)

The duration of the exam is 2 hours (for writing the answers)

The maximum marks allotted will be 80

Students will first get 15 minutes to read the question paper

The question paper will have five questions

The first question requires writing a composition. It is advisable to spend not more than 30 minutes on answering it.

The second question is letter-writing. Students should not spend more than 20 minutes on it.

Next question is on notice writing or email writing

For the fourth question, an unseen passage would be given and students have to answer the questions the given related to the passage. The students are also provided with a choice in this question.

The last question tests the students on their English Grammar skills.

English Literature (Paper-II)

The duration of the exam is 2 hours (for writing the answers)

Maximum marks allotted will be 80

Students will first get 15 minutes to read the question paper

Section A contains 16 MCQs. It is necessary to attempt all questions in this section

Students are to attempt one question each from all sections B, C and D and one more question from any Section of their choice

ICSE Exam Pattern 2025 for Hindi

Hindi (Second Language)

The duration of the exam is 2 hours (for writing the answers)

Maximum marks allotted will be 80

Students will first get 15 minutes to read the question paper

Section A will require students to write a composition (250 words approx), letter writing, answer questions related to an unread passage and some MCQs. It is important to answer all questions in Section A.

From Section B, students will have to attempt any four questions (It is important to answer at least one question from each of the two books read in class and any other two questions)

ICSE Pattern 2025 for Mathematics

Mathematics

The duration of the exam is 2.5 hours (for writing the answers)

Maximum marks allotted will be 80

Students will first get 15 minutes to read the question paper

Students must attempt all questions from section A and any four questions from section B

All working, including rough work, must be done on the same sheet as the rest of the answer. Omission of essential working will result in loss of marks

For more details on ICSE pattern 2024, students can click on ICSE specimen question papers 2024 and download them.

ICSE Exam 2025: Combination of subjects that are not allowed

In the ICSE 2024, students are not allowed to select certain combinations of subjects. These are:

Environmental Science in Group II and Environmental Applications in Group III
Economics in Group II and Economic Applications in Group III
Commercial Studies in Group II and Commercial Applications in Group III
Sanskrit as a second language in group I and Sanskrit as a classical language in group II
Modern Foreign Language must be a different language for all groups

ICSE 2025: Points to note

Students will be required to choose their optional subjects during Class 9 registration. Also, they will not be allowed to change the subjects in class 10.
Apart from the two optional subjects, students can also choose one additional subject from group II.
Students have the choice to opt for one additional secondary language if they have already chosen Hindi as one of their second languages.

ICSE preparation tips

Students must go through the complete ICSE syllabus and ICSE 10th exam pattern thoroughly before beginning to prepare for exams
Complete the syllabus at least one or two months before the commencement of the examination. This will leave them ample time for revision
Make a plan of study and follow it religiously
By following the latest ICSE 10th exam pattern 2025 and practicing more with previous year papers and sample papers, students will perform better

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Marking Scheme for ICSE Exams

The marking scheme of ICSE (CISCE Class 10) is given below:

Group 1 is Compulsory for all
Students may select any 2 subjects from group 2 and any 1 subject from group 3.

Group 1

Subject Name	Percentage Marks - External Exams (%)	Percentage Marks-Internal Exams (%)
English	80	20
Second Language	80	20
History, Civics & Geography	80	20
Environmental Science	80	20

Group 2:

Subject Name	Percentage Marks-External Exams (%)	Percentage Marks-Internal Exams (%)
Mathematics	80	20
Science	80	20
Economics	80	20
Commercial Studies	80	20
Technical Drawing	80	20
A modern Foreign Language	80	20
Classical Language	80	20
Computer Science	80	20
Environmental Science	80	20
Agricultural Science	80	20

Group 3

Subject Name	Percentage Marks-External Exams (%)	Percentage Marks-Internal Exams (%)
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