ICSE Class 10 Syllabus 2027: Subject-Wise Topics and Structure

The ICSE Class 10 syllabus is prescribed by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) and is designed to be studied over two years, Class 9 and Class 10. The board examination in Class 10 tests the whole course, so units taught in Class 9 are part of your preparation too. This page gives you a clear, subject-wise view of what the ICSE Class 10 syllabus contains, how each paper is structured, how internal assessment works and how to turn the syllabus into a workable study plan.

Important: CISCE publishes a separate syllabus document for each subject and can revise topics, prescribed texts and question formats from one exam year to the next. The unit lists below are a study guide based on the standard course structure. Confirm the final list against the official subject syllabus for your exam year on cisce.org before you plan your revision.

Table of Contents

1. ICSE Class 10 Syllabus at a Glance

2. How the Syllabus Is Organised

3. Subject-Wise Syllabus

4. Second Language and Group III Subjects

5. Internal Assessment and Practical Work

6. Unit-Wise Study Approach for Each Subject

7. A Simple Syllabus Completion Plan

8. Common Mistakes with the Syllabus

ICSE Class 10 Syllabus at a Glance

Group I subjects are compulsory, you pick two or three subjects from Group II and one or two from Group III, and every candidate also completes Socially Useful Productive Work and Community Service (SUPW). English Language and English Literature are separate papers, so plan study time for both.

How the ICSE Class 10 Syllabus Is Organised

Each subject syllabus has three parts. The first is the list of units and topics. The second is the paper design, which tells you the sections, choice of questions and time allowed. The third is the internal assessment, which covers practical work, projects or school-based assessment depending on the subject.

• Theory units: These are tested in the external paper set and evaluated by CISCE.

• Internal assessment: Practical files, experiments, projects, map work, oral work and assignments are marked by your school and moderated by the board.

• Two-year coverage: The board paper can draw from the entire Class 9 and Class 10 course, so do not treat Class 9 topics as finished.

Subject-Wise ICSE Class 10 Syllabus

Mathematics

Mathematics is the subject where consistent practice matters most. The paper has a compulsory Section A and a choice-based Section B, so a gap in one unit can be managed, but several weak units quickly add up. The syllabus is spread across the following areas.

• Commercial Mathematics: Goods and Services Tax (GST), Banking (recurring deposit accounts) and Shares and Dividends. These are formula-driven and among the most scoring units when practised.

• Algebra: Linear inequations, quadratic equations in one variable, ratio and proportion, factorisation using the factor theorem, matrices, arithmetic and geometric progressions, and coordinate geometry including the equation of a straight line.

• Geometry: Similarity, circles (chords, angles in a circle, tangents) and geometrical constructions.

• Mensuration: Surface area and volume of cylinders, cones, spheres and combinations of solids.

• Trigonometry: Trigonometric identities, trigonometric ratios of standard angles and heights and distances.

• Statistics: Mean, median and mode from grouped data, histograms and ogives.

• Probability: Classical probability with simple experiments.

Physics

• Force, Work, Power and Energy: Turning effect of force, moments, equilibrium, work, energy and power, and simple machines.

• Light: Refraction of light at plane surfaces, refraction through lenses, and dispersion of light with the spectrum.

• Sound: Reflection of sound waves, echo, resonance and vibrations.

• Electricity and Magnetism: Current electricity, household circuits and electromagnetism.

• Heat and Modern Physics: Calorimetry (specific heat capacity and latent heat) and radioactivity.

Chemistry

• Physical chemistry: Periodic properties and variations of properties, chemical bonding, and mole concept with stoichiometry.

• Acids, Bases and Salts and Analytical Chemistry: Properties, preparation of salts, and identification of ions using tests and reagents.

• Electrolysis and Metallurgy: Electrolytic reactions, electroplating and extraction of metals such as aluminium and iron.

• Study of Compounds: Hydrogen chloride, ammonia, nitric acid and sulphuric acid, including preparation and properties.

• Organic Chemistry: Hydrocarbons, alcohols and carboxylic acids with naming, isomerism and reactions.

Biology

• Cell and Genetics: Structure of chromosomes, cell cycle and cell division, and genetics including Mendel's laws.

• Plant Physiology: Absorption by roots, transpiration, photosynthesis and chemical coordination in plants.

• Human Anatomy and Physiology: The circulatory, excretory, nervous, endocrine and reproductive systems, plus sense organs.

• Population and Environment: Human population and pollution.

History and Civics

• Civics: Harmony in diversity, the Union Legislature (Parliament), the Union Executive (President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers), and the Judiciary.

• History, India: The First War of Independence of 1857, the growth of nationalism, the two phases of the Indian National Movement, Mahatma Gandhi and the national movement, the Forward Bloc and the Indian National Army, and independence and partition.

• History, World: The First World War, rise of dictatorships, the Second World War, the United Nations and its agencies, the Non-Aligned Movement and human rights.

Geography

• Topographical maps: Reading and interpreting a Survey of India map, which forms a dedicated part of the paper.

• Map of India: Location and extent, climate, soil resources, natural vegetation and water resources.

• Resources and economy: Mineral and energy resources, agriculture, manufacturing industries and transport.

• Environment: Waste management.

English Language

The English Language paper is skill-based rather than content-heavy. It covers composition (essay writing), letter writing, reading comprehension with an unseen passage, and grammar and usage. Marks are earned through structure, accuracy and clarity, so regular writing practice is more valuable than memorising formats.

English Literature

The Literature paper is based on the texts prescribed by CISCE for your exam year, which typically span drama, poetry and prose or short stories. Questions test extract-based comprehension, character and theme analysis, and understanding of poetic devices. Check the current prescribed texts on the official site, since they can change.

Second Language and Group III Subjects

The Second Language is a compulsory Group I subject. Depending on what your school offers, it may be Hindi or another Indian language. The syllabus is published separately for each language and usually covers prose, poetry, grammar and composition. Ask your school which language you are registered for and download that specific document.

Group III subjects give you a chance to earn marks through applied and practical work. The options in the regulations include Computer Applications, Economic Applications, Commercial Applications, Art, Performing Arts, Home Science, Cookery, Fashion Designing, Physical Education, Yoga, Technical Drawing Applications, Environmental Application, Modern Foreign Language, Mass Media and Communication and Hospitality Management. Your school offers only some of these. Marks are split 50 external and 50 internal, so the internal or practical component is as important as the written paper.

Internal Assessment and Practical Work

For Group I and Group II subjects, 20 of the 100 marks come from internal assessment. In science this means experiments and a practical file, in Geography it includes project and map work, and in languages it includes oral and school-based tasks. These marks are largely within your control, so complete files and projects on time instead of leaving them for the last few weeks.

• Keep a running record: Write up each experiment or project soon after doing it, while the details are fresh.

• Ask for feedback early: Show your teacher drafts of projects so there is time to improve them.

• Practise the skill, not only the file: Practical marks often depend on how well you can perform and explain the work.

Unit-Wise Study Approach for Each Subject

Knowing the list of topics is only the first step. Different subjects need different ways of studying.

A Simple Syllabus Completion Plan

1. Download each official subject syllabus. Print the unit list and tick topics as you finish them.

2. Rate every unit as strong, average or weak. Be honest, and revisit the ratings after each mock test.

3. Split time by difficulty, not by chapter length. Weak units in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry usually need repeated numerical practice.

4. Link topics across subjects. Mensuration supports Physics numericals, and the mole concept supports Chemistry calculations.

5. Plan revision rounds. Aim to finish the first pass of the syllabus well before the exam, and use the remaining time for at least two revision rounds and full papers.

6. Practise papers section by section. Learn to finish the compulsory section first and then choose Section B questions wisely.

Common Mistakes Students Make with the Syllabus

• Studying only Class 10 chapters: Class 9 topics can appear in the board paper because ICSE is a two-year course.

• Using an outdated syllabus: Old guides may list topics that have been removed or prescribed texts that have changed.

• Ignoring internal marks: The 20 marks of internal assessment can lift your total noticeably.

• Skipping map work and diagrams: Geography maps, Biology diagrams and Mathematics constructions are easy marks when practised.

• Leaving English for last: Writing skill improves slowly, so start practice early.

Reading the syllabus tells you what to study, and tests tell you how well you have learned it. Attempt ICSE Class 10 mock tests on Testkart to check your understanding unit by unit, and explore the ICSE Class 10 exam pattern page to understand how these units are turned into questions. Teachers can also create and share chapter-wise tests for their own students using Testkart.