ICSE Class 10 Physics Previous Year Papers (2020-2026)

This page holds all 8 ICSE Class 10 Physics previous year papers we have on file, covering exams from 2020 through 2026, as direct PDF downloads. Every file is the original Physics Science Paper 1 question paper, not a rewritten summary. Download a paper below, then use the sections after the table to understand how the paper is built and which topics come back year after year.

Download ICSE Class 10 Physics Question Papers PDF

These are the 8 question papers PDFs hosted on icseboard.org for ICSE Class 10 Physics, organised by subject. Each section below explains what those papers cover before the download table.

This set collects Physics Science Paper 1 exam papers from 2020 to 2026, matching the two-hour format used in ICSE Class 10 board-style Physics exams. The papers cover moment of force, work and energy, machines, and refraction of light, tested through both short subjective parts and multiple-choice questions. Use them to practise the full paper under timed conditions, since the section structure and mark distribution are stated on each paper itself.

Physics Paper 1 Format: What Stayed the Same, What Changed (2020-2026)

Every paper in this set runs for two hours, as stated in each paper’s own instructions. All of them give you 15 minutes at the start to read the question paper before you may start writing.

Six of the eight papers state Maximum Marks: 80 directly in their instructions: the 2023 First Comparative Exam, the 2023 Paper 1 (521 series), the 2024 Paper 1, both 2025 papers, and the 2026 paper. The 2020 paper and the 2024 Selection Test paper do not print this line on the excerpt we have, though both follow the same 40-mark compulsory first section.

The naming of the two sections also changed over time:

• The 2020 paper and the 2023 First Comparative Exam label the sections “Section I” and “Section II.”
• The 2023 Paper 1 (521 series), both 2024 papers, both 2025 papers, and the 2026 paper use “Section A” and “Section B” instead.
• In both naming styles, the first section is worth 40 marks and is compulsory. You then attempt any four questions from the second section.

Question 1 changed shape too. The 2020 and 2023 First Comparative papers open with a subjective Question 1 made of several 2-mark sub-parts. From the 2023 Paper 1 (521 series) onward, Question 1 becomes a 15-mark multiple-choice question, with an instruction to write only the final answer, not the question itself.

Topics That Keep Reappearing in These Physics Papers

Across the eight papers, a small set of chapters is tested repeatedly. This table lines up each chapter with what is actually asked and the years it appears in.

How to Use These Papers for ICSE Physics Practice

A previous year paper is only useful if you practise it under real exam conditions. Follow these steps:

1. Pick one paper and give yourself exactly the reading time and writing time it states – two hours, with 15 minutes reading time first.
2. Attempt Section A (or Section I in the older papers) fully before touching the second section, since it is compulsory.
3. Choose any four questions from the second section, the same way the actual exam requires.
4. After finishing, go back to the topics table above and check which chapter each question came from.
5. If one chapter, such as moment of force, keeps showing up in your weak answers, revise that chapter’s definitions and formulas before attempting the next paper.

If you are revising other ICSE Class 10 subjects at the same time, the ICSE Class 10 resource page lists papers and books by subject, and the Class 10 books page collects the textbook PDFs that match these chapters. For the official syllabus scope behind these topics, the CISCE website publishes the current specification document.

A Worked Example Modelled on the Recurring Question Types

These examples use the same style as the moment-of-force and energy questions in the papers above, with original numbers.

Example 1 (moment of force): A spanner of length 0.3 m is used to turn a bolt. The moment of force needed is 1.5 N m. Find the minimum force applied at the end of the spanner, at right angles to it.

• Moment of force = Force × perpendicular distance
• 1.5 = F × 0.3
• F = 5 N

Example 2 (work and energy): A mass of 2 kg is lifted using 40 J of energy. Find the height it is raised through. Take g = 10 m/s².

• W = mgh
• 40 = 2 × 10 × h
• h = 2 m

Example 3 (energy conversion): State the energy conversion that takes place when a torch is switched on. The cell’s chemical energy converts to electrical energy, which then converts to light energy, with some loss as heat.

What the Marks Tags Like [2] and [15] Expect From Your Answer

The bracketed numbers in these papers, such as [2] or [15], tell you exactly how much a question or part is worth.

• A [2]-mark sub-part usually needs a definition plus one supporting fact, or a formula plus its unit. One line rarely earns both marks.
• A [15]-mark objective Question 1, used from 2023 (521 series) onward, is really 15 separate one-mark items. Each choice must be written on its own line.
• The papers themselves instruct: “do not copy the questions, write the correct answers only.” Copying the question wastes time and earns no extra mark.

Mistakes Students Make When Practising With These Papers

• Writing during the 15-minute reading time. Every paper states this time is for reading only, not for writing answers.
• Mixing SI and CGS units when answering moment of force questions – the papers ask for the relationship between the two, not just one unit.
• Skipping Section A/Section I because it looks compulsory and short. It carries 40 of the paper’s marks and must be attempted fully.
• Copying out the MCQ question in the 15-mark objective section instead of writing only the final answer, against the paper’s own instruction.
• Ignoring units in numerical answers, such as leaving out N, J, or W after a calculation – this loses marks even when the number is right.

FAQs About These ICSE Class 10 Physics Papers

How long is the ICSE Class 10 Physics paper?
Every paper in this collection runs for two hours, as stated in each paper’s own instructions, plus a separate 15-minute reading period before writing begins.

Do these PDFs include solutions?
No. These are the original question papers only. This page does not host answer keys or solved copies.

Do all eight papers carry 80 marks?
Six of them state Maximum Marks: 80 directly – the 2023 First Comparative Exam, the 2023 Paper 1 (521 series), the 2024 Paper 1, both 2025 papers, and the 2026 paper. The 2020 paper and the 2024 Selection Test paper do not print this line in the excerpt we have.

Why do some papers say “Section I” and others say “Section A”?
The naming changed over time. The 2020 paper and the 2023 First Comparative Exam use “Section I” and “Section II.” The 2023 Paper 1 (521 series) and every paper from 2024 to 2026 use “Section A” and “Section B” instead. Both keep the first section compulsory at 40 marks.

Which chapter should I revise first from these papers?
Start with moment of force and equilibrium – it is the topic tested in the most papers here, from 2020 through 2026. Work, energy and power questions also repeat, so revise those formulas next.

More ICSE study material on this site

• Class 10
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• ICSE Books

Reference: CISCE-aligned ICSE Class 10 textbook material.