The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has officially unveiled the academic calendar for the upcoming 2026 board examinations. In a significant move, the council has released the timetable well in advance, providing a clear and extended roadmap for lakhs of students preparing for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Class 10 and the Indian School Certificate (ISC) Class 12 exams.
Key Highlights and Exam Dates
Marking a shift from the previous year, the 2026 board exams are scheduled to start earlier. The ISC (Class 12) examinations will kick off the season on 12 February 2026, while the ICSE (Class 10) exams will begin shortly after on 17 February 2026. This early release of the schedule is expected to help students and schools plan their revision and mock tests more effectively.
The scale of these examinations is massive. It is projected that approximately 2.6 lakh students will appear for the ICSE exams, and around 1.5 lakh students will take the ISC exams. The curriculum is vast, with the schedule encompassing over 75 subjects for ICSE and 50 subjects for ISC, catering to a wide array of academic interests and streams.
Detailed ICSE Class 10 Exam Schedule
The ICSE Class 10 board exams will run from 17 February to 30 March 2026. The schedule is meticulously planned, with core subjects spaced out to give students adequate breathing room.
Major subject dates include:
- 17 February: English Language – Paper 1
- 20 February: Literature in English – Paper 2
- 2 March: Mathematics
- 9 March: Physics – Science Paper 1
- 11 March: Chemistry – Science Paper 2
- 13 March: Biology – Science Paper 3
- 16 March: History & Civics – Paper 1
- 18 March: Geography – Paper 2
CISCE has advised all students to arrive at their exam centres 30 minutes before the start time. They have also emphasized the importance of utilizing the 15-minute reading time effectively before commencing the writing period.
Detailed ISC Class 12 Exam Schedule
For ISC Class 12 students, the examination period is longer, stretching from 12 February to 6 April 2026. This allows for the extensive range of specialized subjects offered at the higher secondary level.
Key dates for ISC aspirants:
- 12 February: Psychology
- 13 February: English Language – Paper 1
- 16 February: Literature in English – Paper 2
- 23 February: Chemistry – Paper 1 (Theory)
- 9 March: Mathematics
- 16 March: Physics – Paper 1 (Theory)
- 23 March: Economics
- 27 March: Computer Science – Paper 1 (Theory)
- 6 April: Geography
Planning and Next Steps for Students
The early publication of the ICSE and ISC 2026 timetable is a strategic decision by CISCE to reduce last-minute stress and enable structured preparation. With the entire date sheet available on the official website, cisce.org, students can now create a personalized study plan, allocating sufficient time for each subject based on its exam date.
The board exam results for the 2026 session are tentatively expected to be declared in April-May 2026. Having a clear timeline from the start empowers students to manage their time efficiently, focus on revision, and approach the examinations with greater confidence and preparedness.
