ICSE, ISC 2026 Region-wise Performance: Western and Southern Zones Outperform Others; Result Link Active

The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations announced the ICSE (Class 10) and ISC (Class 12) results for 2026 on April 30 at around 11 AM, with overall pass percentages remaining above 99% in both examinations.

While national averages continue to stay exceptionally high, a closer look at the data reveals subtle variations in regional performance and participation trends.

Strong Participation Across Levels

The ICSE Class 10 examination was conducted in 2,957 schools, with a total of 2,58,721 candidates, including 1,37,503 boys and 1,21,218 girls.

For ISC Class 12, 1,03,316 students from 1,553 schools appeared, comprising 54,118 boys and 49,198 girls. The figures indicate steady participation across both secondary and higher secondary levels.

ICSE recorded an overall pass percentage of 99.18%, while ISC stood at 99.13%. Girls continued to outperform boys in both exams.

• ICSE: Girls – 99.46%, Boys – 98.93%
• ISC: Girls – 99.48%, Boys – 98.81%

The gender gap remains marginal but consistent, pointing to stable performance trends rather than any widening disparity.

Regional Performance Highlights

In ICSE Class 10, the Western region emerged as the top performer with 99.85%, closely followed by the Southern region at 99.81%. The Northern (98.86%) and Eastern (98.84%) regions trailed slightly, while the Foreign region recorded a notably lower 90.41%.

For ISC Class 12, the Southern region led with 99.87%, followed by the Western region at 99.55%. The Northern and Eastern regions recorded 99.05% and 98.93% respectively, while the Foreign region stood at 99.77%.

Interestingly, the Northern region had the highest number of candidates in both examinations, highlighting a contrast between participation volume and performance outcomes.

The ICSE exam covered 67 subjects, including 20 Indian and 14 foreign languages, while ISC included 45 subjects with 13 Indian and 2 foreign languages. This breadth continues to distinguish CISCE as a board with diverse academic choices.

The 2026 results reflect overall stability in India’s school education outcomes under CISCE. Pass percentages remain consistently high, gender differences are minimal, and variations are more visible at the regional level than nationally.

Western and Southern regions continue to lead in performance, while the Northern region dominates in participation. The comparatively lower ICSE result in the Foreign region stands out as an exception in an otherwise tightly clustered performance landscape.

Overall, the data suggests a system where top-end performance has stabilised, with meaningful differences emerging primarily through regional analysis rather than nationwide shifts.