ISSB Paper Pattern 2026
Inter Services Selection Board is a paper of 100 MCQs to be attempted in 120 minutes, set by Inter Services Selection Board, with no negative marking. It covers 5 subjects: Verbal Intelligence, Non-Verbal Intelligence, Mathematics, English and General Knowledge.
100
MCQs
on the paper
120
Minutes
total time
72
Seconds per MCQ
if paced evenly
No
Negative marking
guessing is free
ISSB subject weightage 2026
How many MCQs each subject contributes to the ISSB paper. This is the order to revise in. Verbal Intelligence is worth 25 MCQs against Non-Verbal Intelligence's 15, so an hour spent fixing a weak chapter in Verbal Intelligence is worth more marks than the same hour anywhere else on the paper.
- ISSB Verbal Intelligence25 MCQs · 25%
- ISSB Non-Verbal Intelligence15 MCQs · 15%
- ISSB Mathematics25 MCQs · 25%
- ISSB English20 MCQs · 20%
- ISSB General Knowledge15 MCQs · 15%
| Subject | MCQs | Share | Free MCQs here |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISSB Verbal Intelligence MCQs | 25 | 25% | 2,989 |
| ISSB Non-Verbal Intelligence MCQs | 15 | 15% | 340 |
| ISSB Mathematics MCQs | 25 | 25% | 1,551 |
| ISSB English MCQs | 20 | 20% | 10,394 |
| ISSB General Knowledge MCQs | 15 | 15% | 7,202 |
| Total | 100 | 100% | 22,476 |
ISSB marking scheme 2026
Every ISSB MCQ carries one mark, for a total of 100 marks, one per question. Nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so an unanswered question and a wrong answer score exactly the same: zero. That makes leaving anything blank a pure loss. Attempt all 100 MCQs, and in the last few minutes fill in every remaining bubble even if you are guessing outright.
ISSB time per subject
120 minutes across 100 MCQs is about 72 seconds a question. Split by weightage, that is the time each subject is worth. Going over on one subject is borrowed from another, not from spare time, because there is none.
| Subject | MCQs | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Intelligence | 25 | 30 |
| Non-Verbal Intelligence | 15 | 18 |
| Mathematics | 25 | 30 |
| English | 20 | 24 |
| General Knowledge | 15 | 18 |
How to prepare for the ISSB 2026 pattern
The pattern tells you where the marks are, not where you are losing them. Start with Verbal Intelligence, because it carries 25 percent of the paper and a weak chapter there is the most expensive weak chapter you can have. Inside each subject, work chapter by chapter and stay on a chapter until you are consistently above 80 percent before moving on.
Then practise at the real pace. Untimed revision hides the problem that actually costs marks in the hall, which is spending three minutes on a question worth 72 seconds and running out of paper before you run out of time. Sit full papers under the clock, and mark them honestly.
ISSB paper pattern: common questions
What is the ISSB paper pattern 2026?
Inter Services Selection Board is a 100 MCQ paper of 120 minutes set by Inter Services Selection Board, with no negative marking. It is split across 5 subjects: Verbal Intelligence 25, Non-Verbal Intelligence 15, Mathematics 25, English 20, General Knowledge 15.
How many MCQs are there in ISSB?
100 MCQs in total, to be attempted in 120 minutes. The heaviest subject is Verbal Intelligence at 25 MCQs, which is 25 percent of the paper.
Is there negative marking in ISSB?
No. ISSB has no negative marking, so a wrong answer costs you nothing more than an unanswered one. Never leave a question blank: attempt every one of the 100 MCQs, even the ones you are guessing on.
How much time do you get per MCQ in ISSB?
120 minutes for 100 MCQs works out at about 72 seconds per question. That is the pace to practise at, and it is why timed practice matters more than untimed revision in the last month.
Which subject has the most weightage in ISSB?
Verbal Intelligence, at 25 of the 100 MCQs, which is 25 percent of the paper. A weak topic in the heaviest subject costs you more marks than a weak topic anywhere else, so the weightage order on this page is the order worth revising in.