The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has officially announced the results for the ICSE (Class 10) and ISC (Class 12) examinations for the year 2026. The results were released today, April 30, 2026, at approximately 11 AM. This year, the overall pass percentage has remained above 99% for both examinations, but a deeper analysis reveals significant regional variations and stable gender performance trends.
Participation Scale in ICSE and ISC
The ICSE examination was conducted across 2,957 schools, with a total of 2,58,721 candidates appearing. This included 1,37,503 boys and 1,21,218 girls. On the other hand, the ISC examination saw participation from 1,553 schools, with 1,03,316 candidates, comprising 54,118 boys and 49,198 girls. The scale of participation remains large and stable, indicating consistent uptake across both secondary and higher secondary levels.
Overall Performance Remains Above 99%
The ICSE examination recorded an overall pass percentage of 99.18%, while the ISC examination achieved a pass percentage of 99.13%. In both examinations, girls outperformed boys. In ICSE, girls recorded a pass percentage of 99.46%, compared to 98.93% for boys. In ISC, girls achieved 99.48%, while boys recorded 98.81%. The gender gap remains narrow but consistent, suggesting stable performance trends rather than a widening difference.
Region-Wise Performance Shows Clear Clustering
While national averages remain high, regional data reveals distinct clusters of performance. The Western region recorded the highest pass percentage in ICSE at 99.85%, followed closely by the Southern region at 99.81%. The Northern and Eastern regions recorded 98.86% and 98.84%, respectively. The Foreign region reported a significantly lower pass percentage of 90.41%, which stands out as an exception within an otherwise tightly clustered dataset. In terms of participation, the Northern region accounted for the highest number of candidates, indicating its continued dominance in volume even when not leading in outcomes.
For the ISC examination, the Southern region recorded the highest pass percentage at 99.87%, followed by the Western region at 99.55%. The Northern region stood at 99.05%, while the Eastern region recorded 98.93%. The Foreign region reported a pass percentage of 99.77%. Here too, the Northern region had the highest number of candidates, reinforcing a pattern where participation and performance do not always align.
Participation Patterns and Subject Spread
The ICSE examination covered 67 subjects, including 20 Indian languages and 14 foreign languages. The ISC examination included 45 subjects, with 13 Indian languages and 2 foreign languages. This spread continues to position CISCE as a board with a wide subject offering, particularly at the secondary level.
What the Numbers Show
At the national level, the 2026 results show continuity. Pass percentages remain stable, gender gaps remain narrow, and category-wise outcomes show limited variation. The more significant signals lie in regional patterns. Western and Southern regions continue to lead in outcomes, while the Northern region remains dominant in participation. The Foreign region’s lower ICSE pass percentage stands out as an exception within an otherwise tightly clustered dataset. The results do not point to a single shift. Instead, they suggest a system where performance is stabilized at the top end, and variation is increasingly visible only when examined through regional distribution.
