ICSE Class 10 Physical Education Syllabus 2026-27
ICSE Class 10 Syllabus |
ICSE Class 10 Physical Education is one of the more practical, application-heavy subjects on the board, combining classroom concepts such as growth and development, physical fitness and sports training with a hands on component built around team games, fitness testing and specialisation activities like athletics, swimming, gymnastics, dancing or yoga. This guide lays out the full syllabus for the current session across both the theory paper and the internal assessment, along with the marking breakdown, preparation tips and answers to the questions students ask most often.
The page is reviewed regularly against the official CISCE curriculum, so it can be used as a dependable single reference while building a study or practice plan.
Quick Overview: Exam Structure
The ICSE Class 10 Physical Education examination carries a total of 200 marks, split evenly between theory and practical work.
Component | Marks |
Theory (written paper, 2 hours) | 100 |
Internal Assessment (practical) | 100 |
Total | 200 |
Part 1: Theory Syllabus (100 Marks)
The theory paper is split into Section A, which covers core concepts common to every student, and Section B, which is game specific. Candidates must answer questions on any two team games of their choice in Section B, so it pays to lock in those two games early and prepare them in depth rather than spreading effort thin across all six.
Section A: Core Concepts (8 Units)
● Unit 1, Human Growth and Development: the meaning of growth versus development, and the four life stages, infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood, along with the hereditary, environmental, gender, nationality and nutrition factors that influence them.
● Unit 2, Physical Education: the meaning of physical education and its four objectives, physical, psychological, social and emotional development.
● Unit 3, Body Types: the three somatotypes, Endomorph (rounded, soft build), Mesomorph (muscular build) and Ectomorph (lean, linear build).
● Unit 4, Physical Fitness: the meaning and importance of fitness, its ten components including endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy, and the factors that affect it.
● Unit 5, Sports Training: the meaning and objectives of training, and its thirteen guiding principles, including individuality, specificity, progression, overload, adaptation and recovery.
● Unit 6, Safety in Sports: common sports injuries such as muscle strain, torn ACL, shin splints and concussion, their first aid, and the everyday practices that prevent them, warming up, correct equipment and proper supervision.
● Unit 7, Health Education: the meaning of nutrition and a balanced diet, the seven core constituents, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water and fibre, and dietary modification for sportspersons.
● Unit 8, Careers in Physical Education: an overview of career paths such as coaching, teaching, professional sport, sports management, commentary and officiating.
Section B: Team Games (Choose Any Two)
Candidates prepare game specific knowledge across rules, fundamental skills, terminology, and governing bodies for any two of the following six games.
● Cricket: field and equipment specifications, playing eleven and match types, batting, bowling, fielding and wicket-keeping skills, official terminology, and bodies such as the BCCI and ICC.
● Football: laws of the game covering the field, ball, officials and offside rule, core skills like passing, trapping, shooting and dribbling, and governing bodies including FIFA and AIFF.
● Hockey: field layout, team composition, start and restart procedures, penalty cards, fundamental skills such as the push, drive and dribble, and bodies like the FIH.
● Basketball: court dimensions, ball status and possession rules, fouls and violations, shooting and defensive techniques, and governing bodies such as FIBA and the BFI.
● Volleyball: playing area and rotation rules, service and attack regulations, libero rules, core skills including the serve, set and spike, and the FIVB.
● Badminton: court and equipment specifications, scoring and service rules, grip and footwork fundamentals, and bodies such as the BWF and BAI.
For whichever two games are chosen, the syllabus expects depth across four areas: knowledge of the rules, fundamental skills and technique, terminology, and national and international governing bodies and tournaments.
Part 2: Internal Assessment (100 Marks)
The practical component is split into assessment by the school teacher (50 marks) and assessment by an external examiner (50 marks).
Teacher Assessment (50 Marks)
Candidates are assessed in two activities of their choice, selected from a list that includes athletics, team games, swimming, dancing, gymnastics, yoga and combat sports.
Component | Marks |
Achievement of skills and performance | 30 |
Attendance | 05 |
Participation in voluntary and intramural activities | 10 |
Representation of the school (inter-school, district, state) | 05 |
The 30 marks for achievement of skills follow a different rubric depending on the activity chosen, whether that is fundamental and game skills for team sports, a five-point grading scale for athletics, or specific criteria for swimming, dancing, gymnastics, yoga or combat sports.
External Examiner Assessment (50 Marks)
This half of the internal assessment has two parts.
● Physical Efficiency Tests (30 marks): six fitness tests conducted over two days, the 50 metre run, standing long jump, distance run (1000m for boys, 600m for girls), push-ups, shuttle run and 30-second sit-ups.
● Specialisation Tests (20 marks): the candidate is tested in one activity of their choice, athletics, gymnastics, swimming, dancing or yoga, assessed against detailed performance tables or examiner marking criteria specific to that activity.
How to Prepare for ICSE Class 10 Physical Education
● Lock in your two games for Section B early and prepare rules, skills, terminology and governing bodies for each in equal depth, rather than trying to lightly cover all six.
● For Section A, build comparison tables for body types and physical fitness components so definitions are not confused under exam pressure.
● Memorise the thirteen principles of sports training as a numbered list, since questions often ask for a specific count or a brief explanation of each.
● For sports injuries, prepare a two column list matching each injury to its first aid, since this pairing is commonly tested.
● For the Physical Efficiency Tests, practise all six tests well ahead of the assessment window and track your timings or counts against the official performance tables to know exactly where you stand.
● For your chosen specialisation, whether athletics, swimming, gymnastics, dancing or yoga, rehearse the exact skills or asanas the examiner is likely to nominate, since marking is precise and rewards clean form.
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 Physical Education, 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
How long is the ICSE Class 10 Physical Education theory paper?
The theory paper is a written exam of 2 hours for 100 marks.
How many games must be prepared for Section B?
Any two from the six listed: cricket, football, hockey, basketball, volleyball and badminton.
How is the 100 mark Internal Assessment split?
Teacher Assessment: 50 marks. External Examiner Assessment: 50 marks, made up of 30 marks for Physical Efficiency Tests and 20 marks for Specialisation Tests.
How many Physical Efficiency Tests are there and over how many days are they conducted?
Six tests in total, the 50 metre run, standing long jump, distance run, push-ups, shuttle run and 30-second sit-ups, conducted over two days.
What is the distance run for boys compared to girls?
Boys run 1000 metres, while girls run 600 metres.
How many activities can be chosen for the Specialisation Test?
One activity, chosen from athletics, gymnastics, swimming, dancing or yoga.
For the yoga specialisation, how many asanas are tested?
Any four asanas nominated by the external examiner, out of a prescribed list of thirteen, carrying a maximum of 5 marks each.
What are the three body types on the syllabus?
Endomorph (rounded, soft build with a tendency to store fat), Mesomorph (muscular, well-built frame) and Ectomorph (lean build with low fat and muscle).
How many components of physical fitness are listed?
Ten: cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy.
What is the difference between overload and progression in sports training?
Overload means training at a level above what the body currently handles, to trigger adaptation. Progression means gradually increasing that overload over time so improvement continues safely.