Indian School Certificate Class 12

The Indian School Certificate (ISC) Class 12 examination is the senior secondary board examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE). It is taken at the end of a two-year course, Class 11 and Class 12, and its results shape a student's options for college admissions, entrance exams and career paths. This overview explains what the ISC Class 12 exam is, who can appear, how subjects and marks are organised, how passing works and how to prepare for it in a practical way.

Latest update: As of 30 September 2026, the CISCE website (cisce.org) shows the notice for the ISC Year 2026 timetable but no timetable for the 2027 examination. Any 2027 dates you see elsewhere should be treated as expected, not confirmed, until CISCE announces them.

This guide is written for Class 12 students and their parents, and it also helps teachers who prepare ISC students. Where the rules can change from year to year, we say so and point you to the official source.

Table of Contents

ISC Class 12 Exam

Latest Updates and Important Dates

The table below separates what is confirmed from what is only expected. Please do not treat the expected column as official.

Bookmark the official website and check it regularly. Your school will also receive circulars and share them with students.

About CISCE and the ISC

CISCE is a national-level board that conducts the ICSE for Class 10 and the ISC for Class 12. The ISC is a senior secondary examination held through the medium of English and taken through schools affiliated to the council. Because it is a school-based, two-year course, what you study in Class 11 forms the foundation for Class 12, and the regulations require you to continue with subjects you studied in Class 11.

The ISC is recognised for admission to higher education in India, and many students also use their ISC marks for admission to universities based on board marks. Entrance-based courses, such as engineering, medical and many university programmes, have their own tests and eligibility, so check each requirement separately.

Who Can Appear in ISC Class 12?

Eligibility for ISC Class 12 is about being a regular student and meeting the conditions of the two-year course.

• School candidates only: Private candidates are not permitted. You must be registered through a CISCE-affiliated school.

• No age limit: The regulations prescribe no age limit for the examination.

• Attendance: A minimum of 75 per cent of working days during the two-year course is required, with attendance computed up to 31 January of the year of the examination.

• Promotion from Class 11: A student needs at least 35 per cent marks in five subjects, including English or Modern English, on the cumulative average, along with the attendance requirement.

A shortfall in attendance can be condoned by the council in certain circumstances, for example on medical or psychological grounds or for authorised participation in sports and arts.

Subjects and Streams

ISC does not fix rigid streams like Science, Commerce and Arts. Instead, you take English as a compulsory subject and then choose four or five elective subjects, up to six subjects in total, from the list your school offers. Students usually build a combination that matches a stream.

Some combinations are not allowed. For example, you cannot take English and Modern English together, Physics with Engineering Science, or Mathematics with Applied Mathematics. Subject changes are not permitted after 15 September of the year in which you were registered in Class 11, and you cannot opt for a subject in Class 12 that you did not study in Class 11.

Marking Scheme and Paper Duration

Each subject is assessed through a written theory paper and an internal component such as practical work or a project. The split depends on the subject.

The exact split is fixed subject by subject in the CISCE syllabus, so confirm your subject on the official site. Read the ISC Class 12 exam pattern page for more detail.

Pass Criteria and Grades

• Pass mark: 35 per cent in each subject.

• Pass certificate: A candidate must reach the pass standard in five or six subjects, which must include English or Modern English, along with a pass grade in Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW), where applicable.

• Grades: Subject grades run from 1 to 9. Grades 1 to 6 show a pass with credit, 7 and 8 show a pass, and 9 indicates a fail. Grades 1 and 2 are considered very good.

Results, Recheck and Improvement

Results are released online by CISCE and through schools. If you are unhappy with a result, the regulations allow you to apply for a recheck within four days from the day results are declared and for re-evaluation within three days from the declaration of the recheck results. Fees apply and re-evaluation charges are non-refundable.

The improvement examination lets you reappear in a maximum of two subjects. You must appear in the theory paper, practical marks are carried forward unless you were absent, and the higher of the two marks is considered final. Registration takes place through schools in June or July. Candidates who do not qualify can reappear once in the following year without attending school and must reappear in all original subjects.

Exam-Day Rules

• Carry your admit card and the stationery permitted by CISCE: blue or black ink pens, pencils, scale, eraser and drawing instruments.

• A scientific calculator, such as Casio fx-82 MS or equivalent without information-retrieval features, is permitted where the syllabus allows.

• Textbooks, notes, chits, mobile phones, smart watches, wallets and sharp objects are prohibited in the examination hall.

• Unfair means can lead to cancellation of results in the subject or in the examination as a whole.

ISC Class 12 Preparation Strategy

Because ISC papers are long, at 3 hours, and the syllabus is deep, steady preparation works better than last-minute cramming.

1. Start with the official syllabus: Download the current subject syllabus and list units with weak, average or strong tags.

2. Build concepts before speed: In Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, understand the concept first, then solve varied problems.

3. Protect internal marks: Practical files, projects and viva preparation carry 20 to 30 marks per subject, so plan for them from the start.

4. Practise full papers: Simulate the 3-hour paper regularly and check how you manage time across sections.

5. Write answers the way examiners expect: Use correct terms, labelled diagrams, stepwise working and structured points.

6. Analyse mistakes: After each test, note whether errors came from concepts, calculation slips or time pressure, and correct them before the next attempt.

7. Plan revision rounds: Keep the final two months mainly for revision and full-length practice.