ICSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2025-26

PAPER 2 - LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

Duration: Two hours
Marks: 80

Candidates will be required to answer questions based on the prescribed textbooks, which include Drama, Prose (Short Stories), and Poetry.

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT

Paper 1 - English Language

1. Schools will prepare, conduct and record assessments of the Listening and Speaking Skills of candidates as follows:

   • Class IX: Three assessments in the course of the year.
   • Class X: Two assessments in the course of the year.

2. Pattern of Assessment

   • a) Listening Skills:
     • A passage of about 300 words is read aloud by the examiner twice, the first time at normal reading speed (about 110 words a minute) and the next time at a slower speed.
     • Candidates may make brief notes during the readings.
     • They then answer an objective type test based on the passage, on the paper provided.
     • The recommended number of candidates at a sitting is 30.
   • b) Speaking Skills:
     • Each candidate is required to make an oral presentation for about two minutes, which will be followed by a discussion on the subject with the examiners, for about three minutes.
     • Subjects for presentation may include narrating an experience, providing a description, giving directions how to make or operate something, expressing an opinion, giving a report, relating an anecdote or commenting on a current event.
     • A candidate may refer to brief notes in the course of the presentation but reading or excessive dependence on notes will be penalized.
     • It is recommended that candidates be given an hour for preparation of their subject for presentation and that they be given a choice of subject, on a common paper.

Evaluation

The assessment will be conducted jointly by the subject teacher and the external examiner who will each assess the candidate. (The External Examiner may be a teacher nominated by the Head of the School who could be from the faculty but not teaching the subject in the section/class. For example, a teacher of English of Class VIII may be deputed to be an External Examiner for Class X).

Award of Marks (20 Marks)

• Listening Skills: 10 marks
• Speaking Skills: 10 marks

The total marks obtained out of 20 are to be sent to the CISCE by the Head of the School.

The Head of the School will be responsible for the online entry of marks on the CISCE’s CAREERS portal by the due date. Schools are required to maintain a record of all assessments conducted in Listening and Speaking Skills for candidates of Classes IX and X. These include copies of the assessment tests, topics for presentation and marks awarded. The record will be maintained for a period of 2 months after the ICSE (10) examinations of the candidates concerned.

Paper 2 - Literature in English

Schools will set, assess and record written assignments by the candidates as given below:

• Class IX: Two or three assignments of approximately 300 to 400 words each.
• Class X: Two or three assignments of reasonable length (not exceeding 1500 words in total).

Suggested Assignments

Assignments should be based on the prescribed textbooks on the following lines:

1. Character/thematic analysis;
2. Socio-economic, cultural, historical relevance / background;
3. Summary / paraphrase.
4. Appreciation of literary qualities.
5. Identifying with a character. Putting oneself in the place of a character in given circumstances and explaining one’s actions.
6. Imagine alternative outcomes or endings in a literary piece and the effect on all concerned.
7. Making a graphic representation of a scene/story/poem.
8. Assume the persona of one of the characters (from the play/ poem/story) and record a diary entry of a particular incident/episode.

Evaluation

The assignments/projects are to be evaluated by the subject teacher and by an external examiner.
(The External Examiner may be a teacher nominated by the Head of the school, who could be from the faculty, but not teaching the subject in the section/class. For example, a teacher of English of Class VIII may be deputed to be an External Examiner for Class X, English projects.)

The Internal Examiner and the External Examiner will assess the assignments independently.

Award of Marks (20 Marks):

• Subject Teacher (Internal Examiner): 10 marks
• External Examiner: 10 marks

The total marks obtained out of 20 are to be sent to the CISCE by the Head of the school.

The Head of the school will be responsible for the online entry of marks on the CISCE’s CAREERS portal by the due date.

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES - AURAL ASSIGNMENT (CLASSES IX & X)

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES - ORAL ASSIGNMENT (CLASSES IX & X)

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT IN LITERATURE IN ENGLISH - GUIDELINES FOR MARKING WITH GRADES (CLASSES IX & X)