There is a particular kind of parent who chooses ICSE. They have usually done their research, compared curricula, spoken to other parents, and made a deliberate, considered decision. They know what they are signing up for – a board that demands more from students, rewards depth of understanding over surface recall, and places English at the centre of every year’s learning.
What often surprises even these prepared parents is how the book-buying process works for ICSE – or rather, how different it is from what they may have experienced under CBSE. There is no single government publisher. No NCERT equivalent waiting to hand you a standardised set at a fixed price. Instead, ICSE operates through a network of CISCE-approved private publishers, each with their own textbooks per subject, each recommended by different schools based on their preference and teaching style.
This guide makes that system clear – class by class, subject by subject – and covers everything from what makes the ICSE curriculum distinct to which publishers dominate which subjects, and how families can buy or sell used ICSE books without paying over the odds.
TL;DR
ICSE vs CBSE – The Book-Buying Difference That Matters Most
If you are a parent transitioning from CBSE to ICSE – or comparing both before making a school choice – the structural difference in how books are managed is the first thing to understand.
Under CBSE, the textbook question is simple: NCERT is the answer, every time, for every class. The government publishes it, regulates its price, and every affiliated school uses the same titles. Supplementary books exist but the core is fixed.
Since CISCE publishes no ICSE books of its own, knowledge of the prescribed textbooks for ICSE becomes even more important. Instead of one publisher, ICSE operates with a marketplace of approved publishers. CISCE sets the syllabus – the topics, skills, and learning outcomes expected – and publishers create textbooks that meet those specifications. Schools then choose which publisher’s books their students will use for each subject.
This creates a system with genuine advantages: publishers compete on quality, explanations, and exercise depth. ICSE books emphasise English-medium instruction, application-oriented learning, and practical knowledge, with separate subjects for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology from Class 7 onwards. The trade-off is that a parent cannot simply search “ICSE Class 9 Science book” and arrive at one answer – they need to know which publisher their school uses.
Read More: A Complete Guide to Buying Second Hand Books Online
What Makes ICSE Books Distinct – The Curriculum Logic
Before diving into publishers and class-wise lists, it helps to understand what the ICSE curriculum asks of its books – and therefore what to expect when you open them.
ICSE is known for its comprehensive syllabus and primary focus on the English language and variety of subjects – language, arts, commerce, and science.
When compared to CBSE, the syllabus of ICSE is considered to be more comprehensive and intricate for all classes. The practical implication for books is that ICSE textbooks are typically denser – more text per chapter, more application-based exercises, and less multiple-choice orientation than CBSE equivalents.
A few defining features of how ICSE structures its curriculum across books:
English is non-negotiable
The ICSE is taught in English only. Every textbook across every subject is in English. There are no Hindi medium ICSE books. This shapes not just the language books but also how Science, History, and Geography texts are written – they assume and develop strong reading comprehension as part of the learning process.
Sciences split early
From Class 7 onwards, Science is taught as three separate subjects – Physics, Chemistry, and Biology – each with its own dedicated textbook. In CBSE, this split does not happen until Class 11. An ICSE student in Class 8 is already managing three distinct science books.
Internal assessment is built into the curriculum
The Class 10 board exam carries 80 marks per subject for Group I and II subjects, with 20 marks from internal assessments. This means project work, practicals, and assessments through the year are not extras – they are part of the grade. Lab manuals and practical books are therefore not optional reading.
Literature is taken seriously
ICSE English has two components: Language and Literature. The Literature component includes a prescribed novel or play, poetry, and short stories – changing annually based on CISCE’s selection. Parents need to purchase the specific literary texts their school has been assigned, not just a general English textbook.
Recommended Read: CBSE School Books – Classes 1 to 12, All Subjects
Major ICSE Publishers – Who They Are and What They Cover
Understanding who these publishers are saves considerable time when decoding a school book list.
Selina Publishers
Selina Publishers has been serving students since 1976 and is one of the quality ICSE school textbook publication houses. Mathematics and Science books for Classes 6 to 10 form the core of their business, apart from certain English and Hindi literature as well as a few primary books.
The Selina Concise series is the closest thing ICSE has to a universal standard for Maths and Science. Most ICSE students use a combination of publishers – Selina Concise for core subjects, Oswaal for question banks and previous year papers, and Together With for additional practice.
Selina books are updated annually and include a digital authentication code on the back cover to verify genuine editions.
M.L. Aggarwal (APC Publications)
The Understanding ICSE Mathematics series by M.L. Aggarwal is the principal alternative to Selina for Mathematics. Understanding ICSE Mathematics Series by M.L. Aggarwal is widely prescribed in schools that want more worked examples and a higher density of practice problems. Many teachers prescribe both Selina and M.L. Aggarwal – one as the primary text, the other as supplementary practice.
Frank Brothers and Company
One of the older and more established ICSE publishers. Frank Brothers publish across subjects including Economics, History-Civics, and Geography for secondary classes. Their Frank Certificate series for Economics Applications (Classes 9 and 10) is nearly universally prescribed in ICSE schools that offer the subject.
Evergreen Publications
Evergreen is primarily known for its guides and question-bank style books – structured around chapter summaries, important questions, and solved examples. Their Biology titles (notably Candid Biology under the Evergreen group) are commonly found on Class 9 and 10 book lists alongside Selina Science titles.
Together With Series (Rachna Sagar)
‘Together With’ books are supplementary practice and assessment texts – they function as extended question banks with solved papers, unit tests, and board paper simulations. Many ICSE school lists include Together With books for English, Science, or Social Studies alongside the primary publisher’s textbook.
Goyal Brothers Prakashan
Known primarily for Geography – A Textbook of ICSE Geography by Veena Bhargava published by Goyal Brothers is among the most widely prescribed Geography books for ICSE Classes 9 and 10.
Morning Star Publications
Primarily covers English – Total English is their flagship ICSE series for Classes 9 and 10, frequently prescribed for the Language component. Morning Star also covers ISC-level English titles.
Dr Viraf J. Dalal
Particularly well-regarded for Chemistry at Classes 9 and 10. Dalal’s Chemistry books are known for their conceptual clarity and are prescribed by many ICSE schools as the primary Chemistry text for secondary classes.
ICSE Books by Class – What to Buy and Where
Classes 1 to 5 – Primary Stage
At the primary level, ICSE schools have considerable autonomy in choosing publishers. There is no equivalent of the NCERT primary set – schools select from approved publishers based on their own pedagogical preferences.
Common publishers at this stage include Madhubun, Ratna Sagar, Macmillan, Oxford University Press, New Saraswati House, and Longman. Many schools also include environmental studies, general knowledge, computer basics, and a second language at this stage.
Core subjects: English, Mathematics, EVS/Science, Hindi or a second language, Computer basics (in most schools)
Since publisher choice varies significantly school to school at the primary level, the only reliable approach is to follow your school’s prescribed list. Buying books without the list at this stage almost invariably results in at least one wrong purchase.
Classes 6 to 8 – Middle School
This is where the ICSE curriculum starts to show its distinctive architecture. Science separates into Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. History, Geography, and Civics become distinct, though often combined into Social Studies or covered in a single integrated text depending on the school’s approach. Mathematics deepens with algebra, geometry, and statistics.
Core subjects and commonly prescribed books
| Subject | Class 6 | Class 7 | Class 8 |
| English (Language) | Oxford/Morning Star | Oxford/Morning Star | Oxford/Morning Star |
| English (Literature) | School-prescribed reader | School-prescribed reader | School-prescribed reader |
| Mathematics | Selina Concise / M.L. Aggarwal | Selina Concise / M.L. Aggarwal | Selina Concise / M.L. Aggarwal |
| Physics | Selina Concise / Lakhmir Singh | Selina Concise / Lakhmir Singh | Selina Concise / Lakhmir Singh |
| Chemistry | Selina Concise / Amarnath Mishra | Selina Concise / Dr Viraf J. Dalal | Selina Concise / Dr Viraf J. Dalal |
| Biology | Selina Concise / Anita Prasad | Selina Concise / Anita Prasad | Selina Concise / KK Gupta |
| History & Civics | Avichal / Oxford | Avichal / Oxford | Avichal / Oxford |
| Geography | Goyal Brothers / Oxford | Goyal Brothers / Oxford | Goyal Brothers / Oxford |
| Hindi (second language) | School-prescribed | School-prescribed | School-prescribed |
| Computer Science | Sumita Arora (Dhanpat Rai) | Sumita Arora | Sumita Arora |
Lab manuals for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology are typically prescribed separately – Blueprint Education is a commonly used lab manual publisher for ICSE middle school.
An important note on second and third languages: ICSE offers a wide range of language options – Hindi, Sanskrit, regional languages, French, and others. The specific textbook depends entirely on the language your child’s school offers and which publisher they have selected. Always confirm this directly with the school.
Classes 9 and 10 – Secondary Stage (ICSE Board Exams)
This is the most consequential book-buying decision in the ICSE journey. Class 10 ends in the ICSE board examination, and the books used in Classes 9 and 10 determine board performance.
With approximately 2.6 lakh students appearing for Class 10 in 2025-26, the right resource selection is more important than ever. Class 10 is a high-stakes year for ICSE students – the external board exams carry 80 marks per subject, with 20 marks from internal assessments.
ICSE Class 10 has a defined subject structure:
Group I (Compulsory): English Language, English Literature, Second Language, History and Civics, Geography
Group II (Any two): Mathematics, Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology – typically all three), Environmental Science, Computer Applications, Economic Applications, Commercial Studies, Technical Drawing, a performing art, or a third language
Group III (Optional): An elective from art, drama, home science, physical education, yoga, or a vocational subject
Books for core subjects, Classes 9 and 10:
English
| Component | Commonly Prescribed Titles |
| Language | Total English (Morning Star) |
| Literature – Prose/Drama | School-assigned (changes annually per CISCE; for 2025-26: The Merchant of Venice for drama was commonly prescribed) |
| Literature – Poetry | Treasure Trove (Evergreen) – widely used anthology |
| Supplementary | Together With English (Rachna Sagar) |
Mathematics
| Title | Publisher | Notes |
| Concise Mathematics | Selina | Most widely prescribed |
| Understanding ICSE Mathematics | M.L. Aggarwal (APC) | Popular alternative and supplement |
| ICSE Mathematics | R.D. Sharma | Used as a reference in some schools |
| Foundation Mathematics | R.S. Aggarwal | Supplementary in some schools |
Start with Selina for Science subjects – Selina Concise textbooks are the de facto standard in ICSE schools for Physics, Chemistry, and Biology due to their detailed explanations and board-aligned exercises.
Physics, Chemistry, Biology (Science)
| Subject | Primary Textbook | Common Alternative/Supplement |
| Physics | Concise Physics (Selina) | Frank ICSE Physics, Goyal Brothers Physics |
| Chemistry | Concise Chemistry (Selina) | Dr Viraf J. Dalal (very widely used at Class 9), Rachna Sagar |
| Biology | Concise Biology (Selina) | Candid Biology (Evergreen), Anita Prasad Biology |
Lab Manuals for all three sciences are typically from Blueprint Education or New Saraswati House.
History and Civics
| Subject | Commonly Prescribed Titles |
| History – Class 9 | Indian History, World Developments and Civics – Avichal Publishing |
| History – Class 10 | Modern Indian History, Contemporary World and Civics – Avichal Publishing |
Geography
| Class | Commonly Prescribed Title |
| Class 9 and 10 | A Textbook of ICSE Geography – Goyal Brothers (Veena Bhargava) |
Economic Applications (if opted)
| Title | Publisher |
| Frank Certificate Economic Application | Frank Brothers and Co. |
Computer Applications (if opted)
| Title | Publisher |
| Computer Science with Java | Sumita Arora, Dhanpat Rai and Co. |
Practice and Question Bank Books for Class 10
Beyond primary textbooks, most Class 10 ICSE students use supplementary books for board exam preparation:
| Purpose | Recommended Titles |
| Previous year papers | Oswaal ICSE Question Bank (subject-wise), Arihant ICSE Papers |
| All subjects combined practice | Together With (Rachna Sagar) – subject-wise |
| Solved specimen papers | CISCE specimen papers (free from cisce.org) |
Do not buy too many books – one strong primary textbook per subject, completed thoroughly with solved examples and exercises, beats three half-finished books every time.
Read More: New School Session 2025-26 Complete Book Checklist
How Much Do ICSE Books Cost?
The cost of ICSE books is meaningfully higher than CBSE, for two reasons: the absence of government-regulated pricing across the core texts, and the higher volume of books per class given the separate subject structure from Class 7 onwards.
Realistic estimates for a complete set including primary textbooks, lab manuals, and commonly prescribed supplementary books:
| Class Group | Approximate Total Cost |
| Classes 1 to 5 | ₹3,000 – ₹6,000 |
| Classes 6 to 8 | ₹5,000 – ₹9,000 |
| Classes 9 to 10 | ₹6,000 – ₹12,000 |
The spread is wide because schools vary considerably in how many supplementary and practice books they prescribe alongside the primary text. A school that prescribes only Selina for Science will cost less than one that adds Together With, Oswaal, and a separate lab manual for each of the three sciences.
An important note for Class 10 specifically: specimen papers and previous year question papers from CISCE are available free on the official cisce.org website. There is no need to buy printed compilations of these if you have a printer or a device your child studies from.
ICSE Books and Competitive Exam Preparation
A question parents often ask when choosing between CBSE and ICSE: how do ICSE books prepare students for JEE and NEET?
The honest answer is nuanced. ISC students preparing for JEE or NEET should supplement ISC textbooks with NCERT books from Class 11 onwards. NCERT is the primary reference for JEE/NEET, while ISC books provide additional depth and application-based problems.
For ICSE students in Classes 9 and 10, the board’s emphasis on deep understanding and descriptive problem-solving builds strong conceptual foundations. Where an adjustment is needed – typically at Class 11 when students take ISC or move to CBSE – is in adapting to objective-type question patterns that dominate JEE and NEET. The conceptual base is excellent; the exam format requires deliberate practice.
For English proficiency, writing ability, and humanities-oriented competitive exams (CLAT, journalism, management entrance), the ICSE foundation is directly advantageous.
Buying and Selling ICSE Books on BookMandee
ICSE books present a particularly strong case for the second-hand market, for a few reasons.
- First, the books are expensive – significantly more than CBSE equivalents – making the savings from sourcing used copies more substantial.
- Second, Selina, M.L. Aggarwal, Frank, and Goyal Brothers books do not change year to year for most subjects. A well-kept Selina Concise Mathematics from the previous year is functionally the same as this year’s edition for most chapters.
- Third, ICSE students tend to take good care of their books – the curriculum demands reading and annotation, not just quick scanning – which means used copies are often in usable condition.
The natural exchange happens every year: a student finishes Class 9 and no longer needs those books; another student is just entering Class 9 and needs them. A student finishing Class 10 has a complete set of board-year books that a current Class 9 student will need next year.
BookMandee is where this exchange can happen directly. A seller lists their books – specifying class, subject, publisher, edition, and condition – at a price they choose. A buyer finds the listing, connects with the seller, and both parties decide how to exchange the books. There is no middleman, no platform-set price, and no compulsion on how the physical handover happens. It could be a local meetup, a handoff through a building watchman, or any other arrangement the two parties agree on.
For buyers:
When sourcing ICSE books on BookMandee, always confirm three things with the seller – the publisher’s name, the edition year, and the condition of the book (specifically whether the exercise pages have been written in).
For sellers:
The best time to list ICSE books is immediately after your child’s academic year ends – April through June for Class 10 students finishing boards, or after annual exams for other classes. Demand is highest at the start of the new session.
——————————->Browse ICSE books on BookMandee
Frequently Asked Questions
Does CISCE publish any textbooks of its own?
No. Since CISCE publishes no ICSE book of its own, all textbooks used in ICSE schools come from private publishers approved by the council. CISCE publishes the syllabus, specimen papers, and examination guidelines – not the textbooks themselves.
My child is moving from CBSE to an ICSE school. Do we need to buy entirely new books?
Yes, almost entirely. ICSE does not use NCERT. The publishers, titles, and in many cases the subject structure are different – especially from Class 7 onwards where Sciences are split into three subjects. Expect a fresh purchase for most subjects.
Can I use the same ICSE books across two academic years?
In many cases yes, particularly for Mathematics (Selina/M.L. Aggarwal) and the Sciences (Selina Concise series). These publishers update their books but the content revision between consecutive editions is often minimal for non-board classes. For Class 10, it is advisable to use the current year’s edition to ensure board question patterns are reflected accurately.
My school has prescribed both Selina and M.L. Aggarwal for Mathematics. Do I need both?
Not necessarily from day one. Most schools that prescribe both use Selina as the primary classroom text and M.L. Aggarwal as a reference for additional practice. Start with Selina. If your child’s teacher actively assigns M.L. Aggarwal exercises in class, buy it. If not, it remains a useful but optional supplement.
Is ICSE accepted by Indian universities for undergraduate admissions?
Samacheer Kalvi is recognised by most universities in India – and the same applies to ICSE. ICSE qualifications are accepted across Indian universities for undergraduate admissions. For institutions that use subject-wise marks (like DU’s cut-off system), the marks structure of ICSE – where five best subjects count including compulsory English – applies as the basis for eligibility calculations.
Are there Hindi medium ICSE books?
No. The medium of instruction in ICSE schools is strictly English. There are no Hindi medium editions of ICSE textbooks because ICSE does not offer instruction in Hindi. Families seeking Hindi medium schooling should consider CBSE or state board options.
Where can I find the official ICSE syllabus to verify what my school’s books cover?
The official CISCE syllabus for all classes and subjects is available on cisce.org. Specimen question papers – which are the clearest indication of what the board exam will test – are also published there free of charge.
My child’s ICSE school wants us to buy books from their authorised vendor. Are we required to?
CISCE-affiliated schools cannot compel parents to purchase from a specific source. You are entitled to source the same prescribed titles from any available channel – including BookMandee.
What happens if my child fails a subject in the ICSE Class 10 board exam?
Candidates who were not awarded pass certificates may appear for the Improvement Examination in subjects (maximum two subjects) in which they have not secured the passing marks of 33%. The improvement exam uses the same syllabus and books – no new titles are required.
Disclaimer
The information on this page is compiled from publicly available sources including CISCE’s official website, publisher information, and educational resources, and is intended for general informational purposes only. Book prescriptions vary by school and are subject to change at the discretion of individual CISCE-affiliated schools and the council itself. Edition updates, subject-specific changes, and publisher recommendations should be verified directly with your school or through the official CISCE portal at cisce.org before making any purchase decisions. BookMandee does not take responsibility for discrepancies arising from changes made after the time of publication.