Marks and GradesICSE and ISC: pass marks and grades
The rules of the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), from its Regulations for the ICSE and ISC examinations of the year 2028, issued in January 2026. We read both on 12 November 2026.
| ICSE (class 10) | ISC (class 12) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pass mark in each subject | 33% | 35% |
| Pass certificate needs | Entry with at least six subjects and the pass standard in at least five, which must include English | The pass standard in at least five subjects, which must include English or Modern English |
| Also required | A pass grade in SUPW and Community Service, assessed by the school | A pass grade in SUPW and Community Service, assessed by the school |
| Improvement examination | Up to three subjects in which 33% was not secured | Up to three subjects in which 35% was not secured |
English is compulsory for a pass
Both sets of regulations make English part of the five. A candidate who reaches the pass mark in five other subjects but not in English does not get the pass certificate. This is the main difference from a simple "best of five".
How ICSE marks are made up
The ICSE regulations list the subjects in three groups and give, for each, the share of the external examination and of internal assessment. For the Group I and Group II subjects, such as English, a second language, History, Civics and Geography, Mathematics and Science, the split shown is 80% external examination and 20% internal assessment. The subject mark on the result is the two together.
Grades 1 to 9
Besides marks, the result shows the standard reached in each subject by a grade from 1 to 9, 1 being the highest.
| Grade | ICSE | ISC |
|---|---|---|
| 1, 2 | Very good | Very good (also a pass with credit) |
| 3, 4, 5 | Pass with credit | Pass with credit |
| 6 | Pass | Pass with credit |
| 7 | Pass | Pass |
| 8 | Failure | Pass |
| 9 | Failure | Failure |
Note that the same number does not mean the same thing in the two examinations: grade 8 is a failure in ICSE and a pass in ISC. SUPW and Community Service are graded A to E by the school; A, B, C or D is a pass and E a failure.
Attendance
The regulations say that candidates whose attendance is below 75% of the working days are ordinarily not eligible to appear for the examination. The Chief Executive and Secretary of CISCE may condone a shortage where attendance is not less than 60% of the working days in each year of the two-year course. Our attendance calculator shows where you stand against 75%.
Promotion from class 11 to 12
The ISC regulations state that, for promotion, a candidate is required to have obtained at least 35% marks in five subjects, including English or Modern English, on the cumulative average, and a minimum attendance of 75% of the working days.
Percentage on an ICSE or ISC result
The regulations we read describe the pass standard and the grades. They do not lay down how a college should calculate an "aggregate percentage". Colleges usually set their own rule, often English plus the best four other subjects. Follow the rule of the institution you are applying to.
Regulations are issued for each examination year. If you are appearing in a different year, read that year's regulations on cisce.org.
Check with your board or university. The rules quoted on this site were read in the official documents on 12 November 2026. Boards and universities revise them, and yours may differ. For anything that decides an admission or a job, use the rule printed on your own mark sheet or in your institution's regulations. This is an independent site.