KOLKATA: The Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) has decided to lower the pass marks for the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations from this academic session, a top official said today.

Pass marks have been reduced from 35 per cent to 33 per cent for ICSE students and from 40 per cent to 35 per cent for ISC students with effect from 2018, CISCE secretary and chief executive Gerry Arathoon said.

"Kindly note that the change in the pass marks for the ICSE and ISC examinations will be effective from the examination year 2018 onwards and not 2019," a circular issued by Arathoon said.

The general secretary of the Association of Heads of ICSE Schools (West Bengal) Nabarun Dey said the notice has been sent to all affiliated schools in the state.

The ISC examinations have been slated between February 7 and April 2, while the ICSE examinations have been scheduled from February 26 to March 28,

The exam dates are subject to changes depending on the Assembly poll schedule in some states, a notice in the CISCE official website said.