In short: Nobody outside CISCE knows the exact 2027 questions, so this list ranks question types by evidence: the topics reported from the March 2026 Physics, Chemistry and Biology papers, the Section A and Section B layout, and CISCE's statement that about 50% of 2027 marks go to higher-order thinking. Each science subject is a separate 80-mark paper. Section A is compulsory with no choices, and Section B asks you to pick four questions. Numerical examples below were checked by calculation. Treat this as a practice priority list, not a leak.
Last updated: October 28, 2026. The ICSE 2027 date sheet is not out yet. CISCE has released specimen papers, and PW notes the final papers may differ from them in format and content.
ICSE Class 10 Science 2027 — Quick Reference
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Papers | Physics (Science Paper 1), Chemistry (Science Paper 2), Biology (Science Paper 3) |
| Theory marks | 80 per paper, plus 20 internal assessment |
| Duration reported for 2026 | 2 hours, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM |
| Section A | Compulsory short answer and objective questions, 40 marks, no choice |
| Section B | Long answer, 40 marks, choose four questions |
| 2026 dates | Physics March 9, Chemistry March 11, Biology March 13 |
| 2027 weightage for higher-order questions | About 50% |
Sources: PW Live Physics analysis, PW Live Chemistry analysis, PW Live Biology analysis and PW Live on the 2027 specimen papers. PW's pages describe the Section A and B layout for Physics and Chemistry. I could not confirm the identical layout for Biology, though PW's Biology page also speaks of Sections A and B.
What I could not verify
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| The 2027 specimen paper layout | I could not open the CISCE PDFs. Confirm marks per question there |
| Biology syllabus items below | Taken from the standard ICSE Class 10 chapter list. Check the 2026-27 CISCE syllabus |
| Chemistry and Physics facts in the answer tables | Standard textbook facts. Confirm values in your textbook |
What the 2026 Papers Showed
| Paper | Reported |
|---|---|
| Physics | Moderate. About 40% direct (definitions, units) and 60% inferential (reasoning, circuit analysis, complex numericals), per PW. Strong marks came to students with solid Heat and Light |
| Chemistry | Moderate to challenging and largely concept-based. Direct equations were straightforward. Application and observation questions needed analysis. Section B numericals needed careful time use |
| Biology | Moderate. Section A easy to moderate, Section B moderate. Mix of direct and concept-based questions, with diagram-based and structured questions |
PW's estimate of a good score was 70 to 75 out of 80 for Physics, 65 to 72 for Chemistry, and 55 plus for Biology. These are PW's views, not CISCE figures.
Physics: Topics From the 2026 Paper
PW lists these topics as asked in 2026.
| # | Expected question type | Topic in the 2026 paper |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State the condition for a body in dynamic equilibrium | Dynamic equilibrium |
| 2 | Name the energy conversion in a process, such as photosynthesis | Energy transformation |
| 3 | Find the velocity ratio of a block and tackle | Simple machines |
| 4 | Relate refractive index to the speed of light in two media | Refraction |
| 5 | Explain why a blackened bulb thermometer detects infrared radiation | Radiation |
| 6 | Apply conservation of mechanical energy to a cyclist on a hilly track | Energy |
| 7 | Find the maximum distance of a virtual image formed by a lens | Lenses |
| 8 | Explain why the sky looks blue using scattering | Scattering of light |
| 9 | Predict what happens to other lamps when one fails in series or parallel | Electric circuits |
| 10 | Explain why the note gets shriller as water rises in jars | Sound and resonance |
Answer formats and checked examples
| Question | What to write |
|---|---|
| Dynamic equilibrium | No net force and no net torque on the body, so it stays at rest or moves at constant velocity |
| Block and tackle | The velocity ratio equals the number of rope segments supporting the load. Count the segments in the diagram |
| Lens numerical | Use 1/v minus 1/u equals 1/f with sign convention. Example: object 20 cm in front of a convex lens of focal length 15 cm gives 1/v = 1/15 minus 1/20, so v = 60 cm on the other side. Magnification = v/u = minus 3, so the image is real, inverted and magnified |
| Series and parallel | In series, one failed lamp breaks the circuit and all go off. In parallel, the others stay on because each has its own path |
| Circuit numerical | Example: 3 ohm and 6 ohm in parallel give 2 ohm. Add a 4 ohm resistor in series for 6 ohm total. A 12 V cell then drives 2 A |
| Calorimetry | Heat lost equals heat gained. Example: 200 g of water at 80 degrees C mixed with 300 g at 30 degrees C gives a final temperature of (200 x 80 + 300 x 30) / 500 = 50 degrees C |
| Sound in jars | A longer air column has a lower frequency. As water rises, the column shortens, so the pitch rises |
| Scattering | Shorter wavelengths scatter more, so blue is scattered most by air molecules |
The other Section B topics PW names are the principle of moments, pulley systems, ray diagrams for prisms and lenses, echoes and ultrasound, fuses and earthing, and radioactivity with alpha, beta and gamma decay. Practise one numerical and one diagram from each.
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Chemistry: Topics From the 2026 Paper
PW lists these topics as asked in 2026.
| # | Expected question type | Topic in the 2026 paper |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Position of an element in the periodic table and trends in properties | Periodic table |
| 12 | Electron dot structure for ionic or covalent bonding | Chemical bonding |
| 13 | Identify an acid, base or salt and write a neutralisation equation | Acids, bases and salts |
| 14 | Identify an ion or gas from an observation | Analytical chemistry (observation-based) |
| 15 | Gay-Lussac's law, vapour density or empirical and molecular formula calculation | Mole concept and stoichiometry |
| 16 | Industrial preparation: Haber process or Contact process | Study of compounds |
| 17 | IUPAC name and structural formula, reactions of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols and acids | Organic chemistry |
| 18 | Extraction of aluminium by the Hall-Heroult process | Metallurgy |
| 19 | Ionic reactions at the cathode and anode during electrolysis | Electrolysis |
| 20 | Name an alloy, its components and a property | Alloys |
Answer formats and checked examples
| Question | What to write |
|---|---|
| Empirical formula | Divide each percentage by atomic mass, then by the smallest. Example: C 40%, H 6.7%, O 53.3% gives a ratio of 1 : 2 : 1, so the empirical formula is CH2O |
| Vapour density | Molar mass is 2 times the vapour density. Example: a hydrocarbon with empirical formula CH2 and vapour density 14 has molar mass 28, so n = 28/14 = 2 and the molecular formula is C2H4 |
| Gay-Lussac's law | Gases combine in simple whole-number volume ratios. Example: 20 mL of hydrogen and 10 mL of oxygen give 20 mL of steam at the same conditions |
| Haber process | N2 plus 3H2 gives 2NH3, with an iron catalyst, a moderate-high temperature and high pressure. Check the exact conditions in your textbook |
| Contact process | 2SO2 plus O2 gives 2SO3, with vanadium pentoxide as catalyst. Check the conditions in your textbook |
| Hall-Heroult | Alumina is dissolved in molten cryolite with carbon electrodes. At the cathode, Al3+ gains three electrons to form aluminium |
| Electrolysis of molten lead bromide | Cathode: Pb2+ plus 2e- gives Pb. Anode: 2Br- gives Br2 plus 2e-. Write the half-equations with charges |
| IUPAC | Example: CH3-CH2-CH(CH3)-CH3 is 2-methylbutane. Choose the longest chain, number from the end nearest the branch |
| Alkene test | Ethene decolourises bromine water, forming 1,2-dibromoethane |
| Esterification | Ethanol plus ethanoic acid with a catalyst gives ethyl ethanoate and water |
For Section A, practise observation questions: colour changes, precipitates and gases. PW says these needed analytical thinking in 2026.
Biology: Topics From the 2026 Paper
PW's overall analysis names human physiology, plant processes such as photosynthesis and transpiration, genetics and cell biology as key areas. Section B included diagram-based and structured questions.
| # | Expected question type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Compare mitosis and meiosis, or describe the stages of the cell cycle | Cell biology named in 2026 |
| 22 | Monohybrid cross with genotypes, phenotypes and ratios | Genetics named in 2026 |
| 23 | Sex determination and chromosome structure | Genetics |
| 24 | Photosynthesis: equation, site and factors affecting the rate | Photosynthesis named in 2026 |
| 25 | Transpiration: definition, factors and importance | Transpiration named in 2026 |
| 26 | Draw and label the human heart, or trace the path of blood | Human physiology. Standard syllabus topic |
| 27 | Draw and label the kidney or nephron and describe urine formation | Human physiology. Standard syllabus topic |
| 28 | Reflex arc and the parts of the nervous system | Human physiology. Standard syllabus topic |
| 29 | Hormones, their glands and their functions | Human physiology. Standard syllabus topic |
Answer formats and checked examples
| Question | What to write |
|---|---|
| Mendel's cross | Cross two tall heterozygous plants, Tt x Tt, to get TT : Tt : tt in the ratio 1 : 2 : 1. Phenotypes are 3 tall to 1 dwarf. Draw the Punnett square |
| Photosynthesis | Carbon dioxide plus water, in the presence of light and chlorophyll, gives glucose plus oxygen. Name the chloroplast as the site |
| Mitosis versus meiosis | Compare in a table: where it occurs, number of divisions, number of daughter cells, chromosome number and purpose |
| Diagrams | Draw large, label with straight lines, and use a sharp pencil. Biology marks depend on accurate labels |
| Reflex arc | Receptor, sensory neuron, spinal cord, motor neuron and effector, in order |
I did not open the CISCE syllabus PDF, so check that each topic in rows 26 to 29 is on your 2026-27 list before you spend time on it.
Preparing for the 50% Higher-Order Pattern
CISCE says about half of 2027 marks test application, analysis, evaluation and creation. For science, that means:
| Habit | What to do |
|---|---|
| Reason, do not recite | After each definition, write one "why" or "what if" sentence |
| Mix numerical and explanation | In Physics, state the principle, then solve, then interpret the sign or unit |
| Observation questions | In Chemistry, write the colour, gas or precipitate, then the ion it proves |
| Diagrams in Biology | Practise one labelled diagram a day, then answer a reasoning question on it |
Our guides to the 50% HOTS pattern and the specimen papers cover this in detail.
4-Week Practice Plan
| Week | Focus | Questions in this list |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Physics, mechanics and heat | 1 to 6. One numerical and one diagram a day |
| Week 2 | Physics, light, sound and electricity | 7 to 10. Redraw every ray diagram |
| Week 3 | Chemistry | 11 to 20. Write every equation with state symbols |
| Week 4 | Biology and mixed papers | 21 to 29, then one timed paper per subject |
This is a suggestion, not an official schedule. Use the ICSE last 100 days plan to place these weeks in the calendar.
Paper-Day Time Plan
For a 2-hour paper:
| Step | Suggested time |
|---|---|
| Section A (compulsory, 40 marks) | About 40 minutes. PW says Physics Section A takes roughly this long |
| Choose your four Section B questions | About 5 minutes. Pick the ones where you are certain of every step |
| Section B (four questions) | About 65 minutes |
| Review | About 10 minutes |
These timings are illustrative. CISCE publishes no per-section time split.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these the exact questions in the ICSE 2027 Science papers?
No. Nobody outside CISCE knows the 2027 questions. This list ranks question types by evidence from the 2026 topic lists and the 2027 weightage statement. Any page or channel that promises the actual paper is a scam.
How are the ICSE Science papers structured?
Physics, Chemistry and Biology are separate 80-mark papers. PW's analyses show Section A as compulsory with no choice, worth 40 marks, and Section B as 40 marks where you attempt four questions. Internal assessment adds 20 marks per subject.
Which Chemistry topics were asked in 2026?
PW lists the periodic table, chemical bonding, acids, bases and salts, analytical chemistry, mole concept and stoichiometry, study of compounds, organic chemistry, metallurgy, electrolysis and alloys. Section B included Gay-Lussac's law, vapour density and formula calculations.
What does 50% higher-order thinking mean for me?
About half the marks come from questions that test application, analysis, evaluation and creation, per PW's report on the specimen papers. Practise reasoning, observation and data questions, not only definitions. The final papers may differ from the specimen papers.
How many marks should I aim for?
PW's analyses suggest 70 to 75 out of 80 as top-tier for Physics, 65 to 72 for Chemistry, and 55 plus for Biology. These are coaching-site views, not CISCE benchmarks, so use them only as rough targets.
Is the 2027 date sheet out?
Not as of October 28, 2026. Last year's ICSE exams ran from February 17 to March 30, 2026, and the 2026 date sheet came in November 2025. Check cisce.org.
Related Guides
- ICSE Class 10 Science Chapter-Wise Marks Weightage 2027
- ICSE Class 10 Physics Formulas: Complete Chapter-Wise
- ICSE Class 10 2027 New Pattern: 50% HOTS Preparation
- ICSE 2027 Specimen Papers and Higher-Order Thinking
- ICSE Class 10 Last 100 Days Plan 2027 — Subject Wise
- How to Score 90% in ICSE Class 10: Subject-Wise Strategy
Sources
- PW Live: ICSE Class 10 Physics exam analysis 2026
- PW Live: ICSE Class 10 Chemistry exam analysis 2026
- PW Live: ICSE Class 10 Biology exam analysis 2026
- PW Live: ICSE Class 10 exam analysis 2026
- PW Live: ICSE, ISC specimen papers 2027 released
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