The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) is CISCE’s Grade 10 examination, recognized across India and abroad. It emphasizes an English-medium, application-oriented curriculum with balanced depth across mathematics, sciences, and humanities.
Science is taught as separate subjects—Physics, Chemistry, and Biology—with compulsory practicals. Mathematics covers algebra, geometry, trigonometry, mensuration, and statistics. English is split into Language and Literature, building grammar, composition, and critical reading. History–Civics–Geography develops source use, mapwork, and structured writing. Electives such as Computer Applications, Commercial Studies, Art, and Technical Drawing add applied skills.
Curriculum Highlights
- English-medium instruction with strong weight on language proficiency.
- Balanced depth in Maths, Science, and Humanities.
- Compulsory science practicals and maintained lab records.
- Applied electives to build real-world competencies.
Assessment & Marking
Assessment combines external written papers with internal assessment and practical work that materially affect final results.
- External exams plus school-assessed projects/practicals.
- Marking rewards accuracy, clear working, neat presentation, and labelled diagrams.
- Rubric alignment and English proficiency influence performance across subjects.
Pedagogy & Workload
The pedagogy favors conceptual understanding, cross-topic links, and real-world tasks. Typical activities include lab notebooks, projects, field studies, and data handling.
- Steady practice and early completion of project milestones..
- Concept-first approach with integrated applications.
- Reading-intensive workload requiring time management.
ICSE provides strong preparation for senior secondary streams (ISC/other boards) across science, commerce, humanities, and design, and builds transferable skills—analytical writing, data interpretation, and lab competency—useful for competitive exams and global curricula.
| Item | Summary |
|---|---|
| Board & Level | CISCE; Grade 10 (ICSE) |
| Medium | English; language proficiency affects all subjects |
| Core Subjects | English (Language & Literature), Mathematics, History–Civics–Geography, Physics, Chemistry, Biology |
| Electives | Computer Applications, Commercial Studies, Art, Technical Drawing, etc. |
| Curriculum Focus | Application-oriented; balanced depth in math, science, humanities |
| Assessment | External written papers + internal assessment/practicals |
| Marking Emphasis | Accuracy, clear steps, neat presentation, labelled diagrams, rubric alignment |
| Pedagogy | Conceptual understanding, cross-topic links, real-world tasks; labs, projects, field studies, data handling |
| Workload | Rigorous, reading-intensive; requires time management and steady practice |
| Recognition | Widely accepted in India; recognized internationally for secondary equivalence |
| Next Pathways | Strong base for ISC/Class 11–12 across Science, Commerce, Humanities, Design; transferable skills for tests/global curricula |
ICSE Board Books PDF Download
Download ICSE Board Books PDF for Classes 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Access the latest syllabus-aligned textbooks, specimen papers, and open learning materials recommended by CISCE. All links are curated for legality and educational fairness.
Table of ContentsOverviewSubject-wise ICSE Book ListHow to DownloadOpen Educational ResourcesFAQs
The ICSE Board, conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), follows a flexible textbook policy. Unlike CBSE’s single NCERT series, ICSE allows schools to choose from approved publishers while maintaining uniform learning outcomes. Students can download these digital resources for revision, online learning, and offline access.
- Medium: English
- Classes Covered: 6 to 10
- Subjects: English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History-Civics, Geography, Computer Applications, and Electives
- Format: PDF (where legally available) or publisher eBook
Subject-wise ICSE Board Book List (Class 6–10)
| Class | Core Subjects | Access |
|---|---|---|
| Class 6 | English, Mathematics, History–Civics, Geography, Science, Second Language | View Books |
| Class 7 | English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History–Civics, Computer Applications | View Books |
| Class 8 | English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History–Civics | View Books |
| Class 9 | English I & II, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History–Civics | View Books |
| Class 10 | English I & II, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History–Civics, Computer Applications/Commercial Studies | View Books |
How to Download ICSE Books
- Go to the class-wise book page using the links above.
- Choose the subject (e.g., Mathematics, Science, English Literature).
- Click the official publisher or open-resource link labelled “Download PDF.”
- Save the file for offline study or print chapters for personal use.
Open Educational Resources
ICSE schools supplement textbooks with project material, lab manuals, and open study notes. These can be freely accessed:
- ICSE Specimen Papers – Understand the latest question structure and marking scheme.
- Lab Manuals – Physics, Chemistry, and Biology experiment records and observation templates.
- Chapter Notes – Concise summaries for quick revision.
- Past Papers – Solve previous years’ questions for exam readiness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are ICSE books available free online?
Yes, some publishers release free digital editions or open access notes. All links on this site comply with copyright guidelines. Are ICSE books different from NCERT books?
Yes. ICSE books are from CISCE-approved publishers and not standardized across schools like NCERT. They emphasize English-medium explanation and conceptual practice. Can these PDFs be used for offline study?