CISCE Considers Advancing ICSE Class 10 Board Exam Start Time to 10 AM for 2027

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) is currently evaluating a proposal to adjust the start time for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) Class 10 board examinations. If implemented, the change would shift the commencement of the exams from the traditional 11 AM slot to 10 AM, starting from the 2027 academic year.

This potential adjustment is reportedly being considered to streamline the logistical coordination between the ICSE Class 10 and the Indian School Certificate (ISC) Class 12 examinations. By initiating the Class 10 papers an hour earlier, the council aims to manage the examination schedule more effectively, particularly on days when both sets of board exams are held in close proximity.

Proposed Schedule and Procedural Changes

According to reports regarding the revised timetable circulated to examination conveners, the proposed shift would necessitate a change in the handling of confidential question paper packets. Under the new plan, these packets would need to be collected from banks before 9:15 AM. Students would be required to be seated in their respective examination halls by 9:45 AM, at which point the question papers would be brought into the rooms.

The proposed timeline suggests that the examination process would officially begin at 10 AM, with the first 15 minutes dedicated to reading the question paper. Students would then begin writing their answers at 10:15 AM. Under this structure, a two-hour examination would conclude at 12:15 PM, while a three-hour paper would finish at 1:15 PM. These adjustments are currently under discussion with the banks responsible for storing confidential exam materials to ensure all necessary arrangements are in place.

Context and Current Examination Protocol

The current examination protocol, which has been in place for some time, sees papers beginning at 11 AM. In this existing system, question paper packets are retrieved from banks between 9:30 AM and 10 AM, and students are expected to be seated by 10:30 AM. Answer booklets are typically distributed by 10:40 AM, followed by a 15-minute reading period starting at 10:45 AM, with the writing phase commencing at 11 AM. Under this current arrangement, three-hour examinations can extend until 2 PM.

While these changes have been outlined in a revised timetable shared with conveners, CISCE has not yet issued an official confirmation regarding the final implementation of these timings. The council continues to review the logistical requirements to ensure that the transition, if approved, supports a more efficient conduct of board examinations for all candidates.