The Council has been constituted to secure suitable representation of governments responsible for schools (which are affiliated to it) in their states/territories; the Inter-State Board for Anglo-Indian Education; the Association of Indian Universities; the Association of Head of Anglo-Indian Schools, the Indian Public School Conference; the Association of Schools for the ISC Examination and eminent educationists.

The objects of the Council is educational, and includes the promotion of science, literature, the fine arts and the diffusion of useful knowledge by conducting school examination through the medium of English. The Council exists solely for educational purposes and not for purposes of profit.

The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) is an examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, a private, non-governmental board of school education in India, for class 10, i.e., grade 10. It has been designed to provide an examination in a course of general education, in accordance with the recommendations of the New Education Policy 1986 (India), through the medium of English. The examination allows secure suitable representation of Governments responsible for schools (which are affiliated to it) in their States/Territories. Private candidates are not permitted to appear for this examination.

In all subjects other than Science and Computers, students must submit compulsory coursework assignments. In groups I and II they count for 20% of the student's performance in the subject; in group III the assignments count for 50%. In Science and Computers, students are tested on their laboratory work.

In subjects where there is more than one paper, the mark in the subject is calculated by taking the average of all papers in the subject. Candidates appearing for the examination have to study seven subjects, with anywhere from 1 to 3 papers in each subject. This makes for a total of 8-12 papers, depending on the subjects.