Passing marks
Passing marks are the lowest marks needed to pass a subject, which is 33% in both CBSE and ICSE Class 10.
In CBSE Class 10, most subjects carry 100 marks. Eighty come from the board paper. Twenty come from the school, through internal assessment - the school's own tests and projects. The 33% rule covers both parts.
"To be declared successful in a subject, a student must secure a minimum of 33% marks separately in external and internal assessments, calculated on the combined total of Internal Assessment and External Examination marks, as per the prescribed scheme."
That line is from CBSE's Secondary Curriculum for 2026-27. External means the board paper. Internal means the school marks.
A small example
33% of 80 is 26.4, a little over 26. 33% of 20 is 6.6, a little over 6. Those are the numbers if the 33% is taken on each part. The rule also speaks of the combined total, and CBSE gives no worked example, so ask the school if your child is close to the line.
A subject not passed is shown as Compartment. It can be taken again in the compartment exam, held in May.
Passing marks in ICSE
CISCE's regulations for the 2028 exam also set 33% for each ICSE subject. The school's internal marks are added to the written paper marks. For the pass certificate, a student must pass at least five subjects, and English must be one of them.
What the passing rules actually say works through both boards in full.
Sources
Facts last checked against these sources on 30 September 2026.
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