ICSE Class 10 Sanskrit Previous Year Question Papers
This page hosts all 7 ICSE Class 10 Sanskrit previous year question papers we have on file, spanning 2018 to 2025, as direct PDF downloads. The set covers the standard Second Language paper and one Group-II Elective paper from 2023, so check which course your school follows before you download. For the wider Class 10 subject list, see the Class 10 ICSE resource page, and for other subject PDFs visit the ICSE books PDF collection.
The paper format itself is set by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE).
Download ICSE Class 10 Sanskrit Question Papers PDF
These are the 7 question papers PDFs hosted on icseboard.org for ICSE Class 10 Sanskrit, organised by subject. Each section below explains what those papers cover before the download table.
These Sanskrit papers follow the <strong>Second Language</strong> pattern: a compulsory <strong>Section A</strong> worth 40 marks, followed by <strong>Section B</strong>, where you answer four questions covering the two set books you have studied plus two more from the same books. Section A opens with a 150-200 word Sanskrit composition worth 15 marks, so this set is most useful for practising that essay along with the literature questions from Section B. One 2023 paper in the set follows the separate Group-II Elective format instead, built around grammar exercises like sandhi and word declension rather than essay writing.
| Paper | Download |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit Second Language Set A (2024) | Download PDF |
| Sanskrit (2018) | Download PDF |
| Sanskrit (2020) | Download PDF |
| Sanskrit (2019) | Download PDF |
| Sanskrit Second Language (2025) | Download PDF |
| Sanskrit (2023) | Download PDF |
| Sanskrit Second Language Set A (2023) | Download PDF |
Paper Pattern: Marks, Time and Sections Across These Years
The Sanskrit Second Language paper keeps the same two-part structure every year in this set. Section A is compulsory and worth 40 marks, opening with a composition question. Section B asks for four more answers, with at least one question each from the two set books you studied.
The 2023 set also has a separate Group-II Elective paper. It drops the two-section format and runs for two hours instead of three, testing grammar directly through sandhi and word-form questions.
| Year | Paper | Time Allowed | Maximum Marks (as printed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Second Language | Three Hours | Not printed on this paper’s opening page |
| 2019 | Second Language | Three Hours | Not printed on this paper’s opening page |
| 2020 | Second Language | Three Hours | Not printed on this paper’s opening page |
| 2023 | Second Language (Set A) | Three Hours | 80 |
| 2023 | Group-II Elective | Two Hours | 80 |
| 2024 | Second Language (Set A) | Three Hours | 80 |
| 2025 | Second Language | Three Hours | 80 |
Which Questions Repeat Every Year
Across the papers in this set, a few question types come back with the same weight each time. Knowing this helps you decide where to spend revision time.
- The 150-200 word Sanskrit composition in Section A, worth [15] marks, appears in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
- The Section B rule — answer four questions, at least one from each of your two set books — repeats in every Second Language paper listed above, worded almost identically each year.
- Sandhi (joining and splitting words) and noun declension questions, each worth [10] marks, appear only in the 2023 Group-II Elective paper in this set.
Worked example: planning a composition answer
Say the Section A topic is the value of regular physical exercise. Do not start writing sentences immediately.
- Note 4-5 points in Sanskrit before writing: definition, benefits, examples, a closing line.
- Write an opening sentence that states the topic directly.
- Develop each point in 2-3 sentences, keeping verb forms consistent.
- Count words as you go. Stop once you cross 200 words. Anything under 150 loses marks even if the content is correct.
Worked example: a sandhi and declension question
Grammar questions in the Group-II Elective paper ask you to join or split five word pairs, and to decline a noun in a given case. Here is the method, using fresh examples, not the exact paper question.
- Joining sandhi: सत् + जनः becomes सज्जनः — the final त् of सत् changes before ज.
- Splitting sandhi: परोपकारः splits into पर + उपकारः.
- Declension: the noun बालक (boy) in the nominative case reads बालकः (singular), बालकौ (dual), बालकाः (plural).
Practise five or six such pairs a day rather than memorising the exact words already asked in past papers. The words change every year.
What a [15]-mark and a [10]-mark answer must show
A [15]-mark composition answer needs the full 150-200 word count, a clear structure, and grammatically correct Sanskrit. Partial credit drops fast once the word count or grammar slips.
A [10]-mark grammar answer, whether sandhi or declension, needs all five parts attempted correctly, written in Devanagari as the paper instructs. Missing one part costs roughly a fifth of that question’s marks.
Common Mistakes Students Make With These Sanskrit Papers
- Writing the composition with Hindi or English sentence order instead of proper Sanskrit syntax.
- Falling short of the 150-200 word count, or padding well past it without adding real content.
- Answering Section B from only one set book instead of at least one question from each of the two.
- Practising only Second Language papers when the school follows the Group-II Elective scheme, or the reverse. The two papers test different skills.
- Writing grammar answers outside Devanagari script, which the Group-II Elective paper explicitly requires.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Sanskrit previous year papers does this page have?
This collection has 7 ICSE Class 10 Sanskrit papers, covering the years 2018 to 2025.
Are solutions included with these papers?
No. These are the original question papers only, without solutions.
What is the difference between the Second Language and Group-II Elective Sanskrit paper?
The Second Language paper runs three hours across two sections built around composition and literature questions from set books. The Group-II Elective paper runs two hours and is built entirely around grammar exercises like sandhi and declension.
How long is the Class 10 Sanskrit exam?
Three hours for the Second Language paper. Two hours for the Group-II Elective paper in this set.
Do all schools use the same Sanskrit paper?
No. Course options and school booklists differ, so check with your school which paper and set books apply to you.
More ICSE study material on this site
Reference: CISCE-aligned ICSE Class 10 textbook material.