ICSE Class 10 Performing Arts Syllabus 2026-27
ICSE Class 10 Syllabus |
ICSE Class 10 Performing Arts covers five distinct subjects, Hindustani Music, Carnatic Music, Western Music, Indian Dance and Drama, and a candidate studies only the one their school offers. Every subject follows the same overall weightage, a 100 mark theory paper and a 100 mark internal assessment, but the actual content, from ragas and talas to stage directions and hand gestures, is entirely different from one subject to the next. This guide breaks down all five subjects for the current session so students and parents can quickly find the syllabus, practical requirements and marking scheme that apply to them.
The page is reviewed regularly against the official CISCE curriculum, so it can be used as one dependable reference point while planning the year.
Quick Overview: Exam Structure (Applies to All Five Subjects)
Component | Marks |
Theory (written paper, 2 hours) | 100 |
Internal Assessment (practical) | 100 |
Total | 200 |
Across all five subjects, the Internal Assessment of 100 marks is typically split into 50 marks from the subject teacher and 50 marks from an external examiner, each assessing independently, with results sent to CISCE through the school's CAREERS portal. Western Music is the one exception, since its internal assessment is based directly on an external board grade rather than an in-school test.
1. Hindustani Music
Hindustani Music is split into three separately examinable streams, Vocal, Instrumental (excluding tabla) and Tabla, each carrying its own 100 mark theory paper.
Theory highlights
● Non-detail terms and detailed topics covering Nad, Shruti, the placement of the 12 swaras, and stream-specific concepts such as Meend and Gamak for vocal, Maseetkhani and Razakhani Gat for instrumental, and the 10 Pranas and basic Tabla varnas for percussion.
● Full description of the 10 prescribed ragas (or taals for Tabla) from Classes 9 and 10, including Thaat, Jati, Vadi-Samvadi and Aroha-Avaroha.
● Writing in taal notation, using Dugun, Tigun and Chaugun variations.
● Brief life and contribution of Amir Khusro and Pt. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, plus four eminent artists in the chosen stream.
Practical highlights
● Singing or playing of alankars, khayals, gats or taal development depending on the stream, along with raga or taal identification.
● Padhant, reciting the theka of prescribed taals while showing Tali, Khali and Matras on the hands.
Internal assessment
Assessed on Purity of Swar, Laya, Knowledge of Raga or Taal, Ability to Recall Concepts and Overall Presentation, each graded out of 8 marks at the top band.
2. Carnatic Music
Carnatic Music theory for Class 10 focuses heavily on history and appreciation, building on the raga and tala foundations covered in Class 9.
Theory highlights
● History of Carnatic music through 12 composers and theorists, including the trinity, Thyagaraja, Syama Sastry and Muthuswami Dikshitar, along with their biographies and contributions.
● Classification of instruments into string, wind and percussion, with a general knowledge of Vina, Violin, Tambura, Flute and Mridangam.
● Musical sound concepts including pitch, intensity and timbre, sympathetic vibration, resonance, echoes, and Grahabhedam, the modal shift of tonic.
Internal assessment
Follows the same practical structure and marking rubric as Hindustani Music, Purity of Swar, Laya, Knowledge of Raga or Tala, Ability to Recall Concepts and Overall Presentation, split into 50 teacher marks and 50 external examiner marks.
3. Western Music
Western Music theory is divided into Section A, Musical Instruments and Section B, Forms and Analysis of Music.
Theory highlights
● Sound production and playing technique across the keyboard, string, guitar, woodwind, brass and percussion families, including tuning notes and clefs for string and guitar instruments.
● Analysis of a Symphony and a Concerto using the prescribed templates, plus knowledge of Jazz genres such as New Orleans, Swing and Bebop.
● Life and works of nine Western classical composers including Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, and four Jazz exponents including Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis, tested through a roughly 500 word essay.
● Technology in music, covering Electronic Music, the Theremin and Moog Synthesizer, and DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) concepts such as loops, plug-ins and timelines.
● A personal experience essay of about 500 words on the candidate's own musical journey.
Internal assessment
Western Music works differently from the other four subjects. Instead of a school-based test, the candidate must have passed, or be passing, an external practical grade, Grade 4 or higher from the Associated Board of Royal School of Music, Trinity College London, or the London College of Music, and that external result becomes the internal assessment score.
4. Indian Dance
Candidates choose one classical dance style, Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri or Kathakali, and the internal assessment is based solely on that chosen style, though the theory paper expects a comparative overview of all six.
Theory highlights
● Identification and aesthetic appeal of all six classical styles, and the mythological and sociological evolution of dance, including the Natya Shastra.
● The guru-shishya parampara for the chosen style, prominent exponents, and the relevance of dance in the present day.
Practical highlights: Nritya and Abhinaya
● Nritya: basic stances, a minimum of 15 steps performed in three speeds, slow, medium and fast, understanding of Tal, and an individual dance presentation.
● Abhinaya: Asamyuta and Samyuta hand gestures, the Deva Hastas, the Dasavatar Hastas for the ten avatars of Vishnu, and the Nava Rasas, the nine emotions expressed through dance.
Internal assessment
Marked on Regularity and Punctuality, Movements, Facial Expressions and Make-Up, each scored out of 8 marks, split into 50 teacher marks and 50 external examiner marks.
5. Drama
Drama theory is split into Section A, Drama as Art and Section B, Technical Aspects of Drama, and questions are built around resource material such as play extracts, themes or images.
Theory highlights
● Elements of drama including Freytag's Pyramid, the role of the director, basic acting technique, stage directions across 9 zones, and types of staging such as Proscenium, Thrust and Traverse.
● Indian folk theatre forms including Nautanki, Kathakali and Ramlila, along with puppetry, street theatre and children's theatre.
● Two prescribed texts for detailed study, Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht and Antigone by Sophocles, with Julius Caesar used only for applied theatre analysis.
● Technical aspects covering set design, lighting, sound, costumes, make-up and stage management, including the five purposes of lighting and the role of a stage manager.
Practical highlights
Candidates choose one of two practical tracks, Acting, performing an original or extracted piece, or Stagecraft, building a model based on a scene from a play, book or film.
Internal assessment
Marked on Regularity and Punctuality, Make-Up, Acting, Dialogue and Emotional Appeal, each scored out of 8 marks. Drama is also the only subject among the five where final marks are routed to CISCE through the Principal rather than the Head of School.
How to Prepare Across All Performing Arts Subjects
● Build a single reference sheet for your subject's core numbers, the 10 ragas or talas, the 12 composers, the 15 dance steps, or the 9 stage zones, since these recur across both theory and practical assessment.
● Practise naming and explaining, not just memorising, since almost every subject rewards the ability to identify a raga, gesture, lighting purpose or dramatic device on sight.
● For music subjects, work with a metronome or tabla loop to keep Dugun and Chaugun variations accurate.
● For Indian Dance, rehearse all 15 minimum Nritya steps across all three speeds well before the assessment window.
● For Drama, read Caucasian Chalk Circle and Antigone in full at least twice, once for plot and once specifically for character and conflict, since both are tested in depth.
● For Western Music, draft your 500 word composer essay and personal experience essay early and revise them, rather than writing from scratch under exam pressure.
Why Trust This Syllabus Guide
This page is compiled and maintained by the Future Topper editorial team and reviewed by Nimish Chhabra, co-founder of Future Topper, an ICSE and ISC study material platform built specifically around board-aligned, syllabus-mapped content for Indian students. The structure and topics listed here are mapped against the official CISCE curriculum for Performing Arts, and the page is checked periodically to reflect any changes the council issues.
For the legally binding version of the syllabus, always cross check the latest circular published directly by CISCE at cisce.org. This page is intended as a study companion, not a replacement for the official document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a student appear for more than one Performing Arts subject?
A candidate studies whichever one Performing Arts subject their school offers and is enrolled in. The choice of dance style within Indian Dance, or stream within Hindustani Music, is similarly limited to one.
Is the Internal Assessment structure the same for all five subjects?
Mostly. Hindustani Music, Carnatic Music, Indian Dance and Drama all split 100 marks into 50 teacher marks and 50 external examiner marks. Western Music is the exception, since its internal assessment score comes from an external practical grade examination.
What grade of external exam is needed for Western Music's internal assessment?
Grade 4 or higher from the Associated Board of Royal School of Music, Trinity College London, or the London College of Music, or an equivalent examination approved by CISCE.
How many dance styles can a candidate choose from in Indian Dance?
Six: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Manipuri and Kathakali. Only one is studied for the practical, though the theory paper expects a comparative overview of all six.
How many Nava Rasas are tested in Indian Dance?
Nine: Shringar (love), Hasya (mirth), Karuna (compassion), Roudra (anger), Veera (strength), Bhayanaka (fear), Bhibatsa (disgust), Adbuta (wonder) and Shantam (peace).
Can a Drama candidate attempt both Acting and Stagecraft?
No. The syllabus allows candidates to choose only one of the two practical tracks for assessment.
Which two texts are compulsory for Drama theory?
Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht and Antigone by Sophocles. Julius Caesar may appear for applied analysis but is not a full prescribed text like the other two.
How many composers must be studied in Carnatic Music theory?
Twelve composers and theorists, including the trinity of Thyagaraja, Syama Sastry and Muthuswami Dikshitar.