ICSE Class 10 Preboard Papers Mathematics PDF Download

This page hosts ICSE Class 10 preboard papers mathematics downloads: all 5 pre-board Mathematics papers we have on file for Class 10, ready to download as PDFs. These are the actual mock exam papers used by ICSE schools across three cycles: 2023, 2025 and 2026. Use them for timed practice before your board Mathematics paper, not as answer keys. For other Class 10 material, see the ICSE Class 10 hub.

Download ICSE Class 10 Mathematics Pre-Board Papers PDF

These are the 5 pre-board papers PDFs hosted on icseboard.org for ICSE Class 10 Mathematics, organised by subject. Each section below explains what those papers cover before the download table.

This set brings together five ICSE Class 10 pre-board Mathematics papers from different mock exam cycles, labelled Pre Board and Pb/Pb1 for 2023, 2025 and 2026. Each paper follows the board's own format: a compulsory Section A and a Section B where you attempt four out of several questions, covering topics such as GST, quadratic equations, matrices and the remainder theorem. Use them as timed practice papers before your school's board exam, not as answer keys.

Key Chapters Behind the Pre-Board Mathematics Questions

The pre-board papers in this set draw heavily on the Commercial Mathematics unit. Three chapters come up again and again in the MCQ and Section B questions.

• Compound Interest: the amount after n years is A = P(1 + R/100)^n, and Compound Interest = A − P. Papers sometimes use two different rates for two successive years.
• Sales Tax and VAT (now GST): when a discount is given, find the selling price after the discount first, then calculate tax on that reduced price, not on the marked price.
• Banking (Recurring Deposit Account): a recurring deposit question asks for the maturity value after fixed monthly deposits at a stated rate.

Revise these formulas before you attempt a paper. Questions often combine two topics, for example GST on a bill that already has a discount applied. You can also find the full textbook PDFs for these chapters on the Class 10 books page.

How the ICSE Class 10 Maths Pre-Board Papers Are Set Up

Every paper in this set follows the same basic rule: attempt all questions in Section A, then choose any four questions from Section B. The time allowed and the mark split of Section A change from one mock set to another.

The 2023 Semester I paper stands apart: it is a 40-mark, OMR-based paper with no long Section B questions. The rest are full 80-mark papers with a written Section B. Check the official CISCE website for the board’s current exam guidelines, and confirm which format your school follows before you time yourself.

Topics That Repeat Across the 2023, 2025 and 2026 Papers

Looking across the papers in this set, a few chapters return every cycle.

• GST and Sales Tax/VAT: asked in 2023, 2025 and 2026, usually as a discount-then-tax calculation or a CGST/SGST split.
• Quadratic Equations: asked in 2023 and 2025, testing the nature of roots or an unknown coefficient.
• Matrices: asked in 2023 and 2025, mostly about matrix order and multiplication.
• Remainder and Factor Theorem: asked in 2023 and 2026, finding a remainder or a value that makes a polynomial exactly divisible.

Shares and dividends, and linear inequations, each appear once in this set, in the 2026 and 2025 papers respectively. Treat those as one-off checks, not your main revision focus.

Using These Papers for Exam Practice: A Worked Example

To use this material for exam preparation, do not just read a paper. Solve it under time pressure, then check your working against the topic list above. Here is a worked example in the same style as the GST questions that recur every year.

Example: A shopkeeper marks a mixer grinder at ₹2,500. He gives a customer a discount of 10% on the marked price. GST is charged at 12% on the discounted price. Find the total amount the customer pays.

1. Discount = 10% of ₹2,500 = ₹250.
2. Selling price after discount = ₹2,500 − ₹250 = ₹2,250.
3. GST = 12% of ₹2,250 = ₹270.
4. Total amount paid = ₹2,250 + ₹270 = ₹2,520.

The mistake most students make here is calculating GST on the marked price (₹2,500) instead of the price after discount. This exact distinction is tested almost every year in this set.

What the Mark Tags Like [15] Expect From Your Answer

Every paper in this set carries the same line: “Omission of essential working will result in loss of marks.” It appears across the excerpts we checked, so treat it as a fixed rule.

• A [15] MCQ block, seen in the 2023 and 2025 papers, is worth one mark per question. Write only the final option or value; no working is graded there.
• A Section B question worth several marks needs every step shown: the formula used, the substitution, and the final answer with correct units.
• On the Semester I (2023) paper, the two subjective Section D questions need complete working on a separate answer script; the MCQ sections are graded only from the OMR sheet.

If a question is formula-based, write the formula first, then substitute values line by line. A correct final answer with no working shown still loses marks under the paper’s own rule.

Common Mistakes Students Make With Pre-Board Maths Papers

These are the errors that show up most often when students attempt this exact set of papers.

• Wasting the reading time: every paper allows 15 minutes to read before writing starts. Use it to mark which four Section B questions you will attempt, not to start solving.
• Mixing up Section A’s mark value: some papers give Section A as a 15-mark MCQ block, others as a full 40-mark section. Read each paper’s own instructions before you start the clock.
• Calculating tax before discount: as shown in the worked example above, GST must be applied after the discount is subtracted, not before.
• Poor OMR handling: on the Semester I paper, darkening more than one circle for an answer makes that answer invalid. Use an HB or 2B pencil only.
• Not showing working: a right final answer with no steps loses marks under the paper’s stated rule.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Class 10 Maths Pre-Board PDFs

How many pre-board Mathematics papers are on this page?

There are 5 Mathematics pre-board papers in the table above, covering mock exams from 2023, 2025 and 2026.

Do these PDFs include solutions?

No. These are the original question papers only. Solve them under time pressure, then check your working chapter by chapter against your textbook or class notes.

Are all these papers 80 marks?

No. Most are 80-mark papers of two-and-a-half to three hours, but the 2023 Semester I paper is a 40-mark, two-hour MCQ-based paper. Check each paper’s own cover page before you time yourself.

Which topics should I prioritise using this set?

Based on this set, GST/Sales Tax appears in every year covered. Quadratic Equations, Matrices, and the Remainder/Factor Theorem each appear in two of the three years.

My school uses a different pre-board pattern. Should I still use these?

Yes, for practice with real ICSE-style wording and mark tags. Editions and mock patterns differ by school, so confirm your own school’s format with your teacher as well.

More ICSE study material on this site

• Class 10
• Class 10 Books
• ICSE Books PDF Free
• ICSE Books

Reference: CISCE-aligned ICSE Class 10 textbook material.