CISCE revises Class 10 & 12 board exam rules, Key Changes made

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has introduced a major update to its examination framework, beginning with the 2025 academic session. From now on, students who successfully pass the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) for Class 10 and Indian School Certificate (ISC) for Class 12 will be awarded a single “Pass Certificate cum Statement of Marks”, replacing the previously separate documents.

This unified certificate will be issued to candidates who are officially enrolled in the examination with a minimum of six subjects, as per regulations outlined in Chapter II, B (1) of the CISCE rules. In order to qualify, students must attain pass marks in at least five subjects, including English, which is a compulsory subject. In addition, students must also secure a pass grade in Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW) and Community Service, evaluated internally by the respective schools.

The minimum pass percentage for each subject remains at 33%. Candidates who fulfill these criteria will be awarded the Pass Certificate cum Statement of Marks, which can be viewed and printed online. Printed result documents will also be sent to school heads after the official declaration of results.

For students who do not qualify, a Statement of Marks will still be issued, reflecting their performance. Those who take supplementary exams to improve in one or more subjects will receive a Supplementary Statement of Marks.

The Council has also clarified its stance on answer script evaluation. The process is entirely within CISCE’s jurisdiction, and no external authority or candidate has the right to scrutinize or demand rechecking of evaluated scripts.

Another significant provision is the introduction of the Improvement Examination, available to students who wish to enhance their scores in the same year as their main examination. However, students marked ABSENT in the main examination will not be eligible. Candidates opting for improvement must compulsorily appear for the theory paper of the selected subject(s). Examination charges for this process will be announced separately and must be paid online by the schools during candidate entry submission.

The results of the Improvement Examination are expected to be declared within a month after the last paper concludes, enabling students to use their updated results promptly for academic progression.

This step by CISCE aligns with efforts to simplify documentation, ensure academic transparency, and support student aspirations.

EXAM AMENDMENTS