Your Strategy for ICSE 10 Maths
By Tejaswini Uma Sudhir on 22 May 2025
Tags: ICSEMaths, ICSEClass10, ICSE2026, Sudhir Sahasranaman,
Maths from 2025 has become a three hour long exam, not 2.5 hours as was the case the previous years. What difference has this made?
There is a reason why the time was increased. The Council felt that 2.5 hours made it a bit tight hence the increase in time. However, this extra 30 minutes also means that at least some questions will need more time to solve. They won't be tough but will need you to apply your mind more to solve them.
Right at the beginning of the academic year, it is important to familiarise yourself with the format of the question paper.
Section A and Section B : both carry 40 marks each
In Section A, 15 MCQs and 5 questions that would total up to 25 Marks so total = 40
There will be no choice in Section A.
Section B you have 7 questions of which you need to do 4.
1. In 15 min of reading time, decide which of the four questions you will do. There are 3 sub-parts to each question in Section B so you need to choose the 4 questions where you are well prepared and comfortable with. You do not want a situation where you decide you will attempt Question number just by seeing the first sub part and get stuck on the 2nd or the 3rd subpart.
So the decision on which 4 questions you will attempt has to be done in the 15 min of reading time. This is important.
2. Once you have done that, start working on the MCQs so that you save time during your 3 hours of writing time.
Do not decide on the correct option merely by looking. Do the calculations on each and every MCQ. Follow the elimination method to remove the distractors. Because at least one more option will be such that if you follow an incorrect method, you will get that answer and you may think, that is the answer.
Write only the alphabet of the correct option and maybe the correct answer. You DO NOT need to show the entire calculation. Many students make that mistake. Do not do that.
You could show the calculation on the right hand side but in the main part of the page. write only (v) (a) (You could expand on the option to write the answer)
As far as rough work is concerned, do it on the right hand side of the page because if you do it on the last page, many students in a hurry copy the wrong value on the main page.
Important point : Do one section first and then move to the other section. Dont do some questions of Section A , then jump to section B and then come back.
3. Time Management : Section A should not take more than one hour. Section B : 90 minutes and keep 30 minutes buffer at the end for revision, attempting an extra question.
Even within this, break it into smaller parts. Allot 25 min to MCQs and Question 2 and 3 : 35 minutes total
In section B, divide the 90 minutes as 20-25 minutes for each question.
4. Should you attempt an Extra question? Yes but only after you have attempted your four best options and revised them.
5. Never skip steps. If you do you will lose marks