The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has announced the examination schedules for the ICSE and ISC for the year 2026. The ICSE examinations are scheduled to take place from February 17 to March 30, while the ISC examinations will occur from February 12 to April 6.
This announcement, made on Thursday, provides essential information for the numerous students preparing for their board examinations both in India and internationally.
According to CISCE, approximately 260,000 candidates are expected to sit for the ICSE exams, and nearly 150,000 students will participate in the ISC examinations in 2026.
Exam Schedule
The ICSE Class X examinations will commence on February 17, 2026, and will conclude on March 30, 2026. In contrast, the ISC Class XII examinations will start on February 12, 2026, and will continue until April 6, 2026.
CISCE has maintained the tradition of providing students with 15 minutes of reading time prior to the commencement of the examination.
In announcing the schedule, Dr. Joseph Emmanuel, Chief Executive and Secretary of CISCE, remarked that the release of the timetable represents “a moment of focus, anticipation, and aspiration for every learner.”
He further noted that the timetable has been designed to strike a balance between academic demands and sufficient preparation intervals, enabling students to “approach each paper with clarity rather than pressure.”
Important ICSE (Class X) Dates for 2026
February 17: English Language (Paper 1)
February 20: Literature in English (Paper 2)
February 21: Art Paper 1 (Still Life)
February 23: Group III Elective (Robotics & AI, Basic Data Entry Operator, Dietetic Aide, Cashier, Early Years Physical Activity Facilitator, Auto Service Technician)
February 26: Hindi
February 27: Art Paper 2 (Nature Drawing/Painting)
February 28: Art Paper 3 (Original Composition)
March 2: Mathematics
March 6: Languages (Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Khasi, Lepcha, Mizo, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Tangkhul, Telugu, Urdu, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Persian, Modern Armenian, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Tibetan).
March 6: Languages (Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Khasi, Lepcha, Mizo, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Tangkhul, Telugu, Urdu, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Persian, Modern Armenian, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Tibetan)
March 7: Art Paper 4 (Applied Art)
March 9: Physics – Science Paper 1
March 11: Chemistry – Science Paper 2
March 13: Biology – Science Paper 3
March 16: History & Civics – HCG Paper 1
March 18: Geography – HCG Paper 2
March 23: Group III Elective (Commercial Applications, Computer Applications, Cookery, Drama, Economic Applications, Environmental Applications, Fashion Designing, French, German, Hindustani Music, Home Science, Hospitality Management, Indian Dance, Mass Media & Communication, Physical Education, Spanish, Western Music, Yoga) and Technical Drawing Applications
March 25: Commercial Studies / French (Group II Elective)
March 27: Economics (Group II Elective)
March 30: Environmental Science (Group II Elective)
Key ISC (Class XII) 2026 Dates
February 12: Psychology
February 13: English – Paper 1 (English Language)
February 14: Art Paper 3 (Drawing or Painting of a Living Person)
February 14 (2 p.m.): Legal Studies
February 16: English – Paper 2 (Literature in English)
February 17: Home Science – Paper 1 (Theory), Electricity and Electronics, Geometrical & Mechanical Drawing
February 20: Accounts
February 21: Mass Media & Communication
February 23: Chemistry – Paper 1 (Theory)
February 25: History
February 27: Commerce
February 28 (9 a.m.): Art Paper 1 (Drawing or Painting from Still Life)
March 2: Environmental Science – Paper 1
March 6: Biology – Paper 1
March 7: Fashion Designing – Paper 1; Indian Music (Hindustani) – Paper 1
March 9: Mathematics
March 11: Business Studies
March 13: Language papers (Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Khasi, Mizo, Malayalam, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Armenian, Tibetan, Arabic, Sanskrit)
March 14 (9 a.m.): Art Paper 2 (Drawing or Painting)
March 16: Physics – Paper 1
March 18: Physical Education
March 23: Economics; Biotechnology – Paper 1
March 25: Sociology
March 27: Computer Science – Paper 1
March 28 (9 a.m.): Art Paper 4 (Original Imaginative Composition in Colour)
March 30: Political Science
April 1: Elective English; Hospitality Management
April 4 (9 a.m.): Art Paper 5 (Crafts ‘A’)
April 6: Geography
Note: Students are encouraged to check the official CISCE website for any updates or modifications.
