Indian Script Code for Information Interchange

Template:IndicText Indian Standard Code for Information Interchange (ISCII) is a coding scheme for representing various writing systems of India. It encodes the main Indic scripts and a Roman transliteration. The supported scripts are: Assamese, Bengali, Devanagari, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Tamil, and Telugu. ISCII does not encode the writing systems of India based on Arabic, but its writing system switching codes nonetheless provide for Kashmiri, Sindhi, Urdu, Persian, Pashto and Arabic. The Arabic-based writing systems was subsequently encoded in the PASCII encoding.

The Brahmi-derived writing systems are mostly rather similar in structure, but have different letter shapes. So ISCII encodes letters with the same phonetic value at the same codepoint, overlaying the various scripts. For example, the ISCII codes 0xB3 0xDB represent [ki]. This will be rendered as कि in Devanagari, as ਕਿ in Gurmukhi, and as கி in Tamil. The writing system can be selected in rich text by markup or in plain text by means of the ATR code described below.

One motivation for the use of a single encoding is the idea that it will allow easy transliteration from one writing system to another. However, there are enough incompatibilities that this is not really a practical idea. See About ISCII.

ISCII is a stateful 8-bit encoding. The lower 128 codepoints are plain ASCII, the upper 128 codepoints are ISCII-specific. In addition to the codepoints representing characters, ISCII makes use of a codepoint with mnemonic ATR that indicates that the following byte contains one of two kinds of information. One set of values changes the writing system until the next writing system indicator or end-of-line. Another set of values select display modes, such as bold and italic. ISCII does not provide a means of indicating the default writing system.

ISCII has not been widely used outside of certain government institutions and has now been rendered largely obsolete by Unicode. Unicode uses a separate block for each Indic writing system, and largely preserves the ISCII layout within each block.

Codepage layout

The following table shows the character set for Devanagari. The code sets for Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Tamil, and Telugu are similar, with each Devanagari form replaced by the equivalent form in each writing system. See here for a complete listing for all alphabets. Each character is shown with its decimal code and its Unicode equivalent.

Windows-1251
	—0	—1	—2	—3	—4	—5	—6	—7	—8	—9	—A	—B	—C	—D	—E	—F
0_	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|NUL 0000 0	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SOH 0001 1	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|STX 0002 2	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ETX 0003 3	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|EOT 0004 4	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ENQ 0005 5	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ACK 0006 6	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|BEL 0007 7	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|BS 0008 8	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|HT 0009 9	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|LF 000A 10	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|VT 000B 11	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|FF 000C 12	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|CR 000D 13	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SO 000E 14	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SI 000F 15
1_	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DLE 0010 16	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DC1 0011 17	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DC2 0012 18	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DC3 0013 19	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|DC4 0014 20	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|NAK 0015 21	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SYN 0016 22	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ETB 0017 23	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|CAN 0018 24	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|EM 0019 25	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|SUB 001A 26	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|ESC 001B 27	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|FS 001C 28	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|GS 001D 29	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|RS 001E 30	Template:Chset-color-ctrl|US 001F 31
2_	Template:Chset-color-punct|SP 0020 32	Template:Chset-color-punct|! 0021 33	Template:Chset-color-punct|" 0022 34	Template:Chset-color-punct|# 0023 35	Template:Chset-color-punct|$ 0024 36	Template:Chset-color-punct|% 0025 37	Template:Chset-color-punct|& 0026 38	Template:Chset-color-punct|' 0027 39	Template:Chset-color-punct|( 0028 40	Template:Chset-color-punct|) 0029 41	Template:Chset-color-punct|* 002A 42	Template:Chset-color-punct|+ 002B 43	Template:Chset-color-punct|, 002C 44	Template:Chset-color-punct|- 002D 45	Template:Chset-color-punct|. 002E 46	Template:Chset-color-punct|/ 002F 47
3_	Template:Chset-color-digit|0 0030 48	Template:Chset-color-digit|1 0031 49	Template:Chset-color-digit|2 0032 50	Template:Chset-color-digit|3 0033 51	Template:Chset-color-digit|4 0034 52	Template:Chset-color-digit|5 0035 53	Template:Chset-color-digit|6 0036 54	Template:Chset-color-digit|7 0037 55	Template:Chset-color-digit|8 0038 56	Template:Chset-color-digit|9 0039 57	Template:Chset-color-punct|: 003A 58	Template:Chset-color-punct|; 003B 59	Template:Chset-color-punct|< 003C 60	Template:Chset-color-punct|= 003D 61	Template:Chset-color-punct|> 003E 62	Template:Chset-color-punct|? 003F 63
4_	Template:Chset-color-punct|@ 0040 64	Template:Chset-color-alpha|A 0041 65	Template:Chset-color-alpha|B 0042 66	Template:Chset-color-alpha|C 0043 67	Template:Chset-color-alpha|D 0044 68	Template:Chset-color-alpha|E 0045 69	Template:Chset-color-alpha|F 0046 70	Template:Chset-color-alpha|G 0047 71	Template:Chset-color-alpha|H 0048 72	Template:Chset-color-alpha|I 0049 73	Template:Chset-color-alpha|J 004A 74	Template:Chset-color-alpha|K 004B 75	Template:Chset-color-alpha|L 004C 76	Template:Chset-color-alpha|M 004D 77	Template:Chset-color-alpha|N 004E 78	Template:Chset-color-alpha|O 004F 79
5_	Template:Chset-color-alpha|P 0050 80	Template:Chset-color-alpha|Q 0051 81	Template:Chset-color-alpha|R 0052 82	Template:Chset-color-alpha|S 0053 83	Template:Chset-color-alpha|T 0054 84	Template:Chset-color-alpha|U 0055 85	Template:Chset-color-alpha|V 0056 86	Template:Chset-color-alpha|W 0057 87	Template:Chset-color-alpha|X 0058 88	Template:Chset-color-alpha|Y 0059 89	Template:Chset-color-alpha|Z 005A 90	Template:Chset-color-punct|[ 005B 91	Template:Chset-color-punct|\ 005C 92	Template:Chset-color-punct|] 005D 93	Template:Chset-color-punct|^ 005E 94	Template:Chset-color-punct|_ 005F 95
6_	Template:Chset-color-punct|` 0060 96	Template:Chset-color-alpha|a 0061 97	Template:Chset-color-alpha|b 0062 98	Template:Chset-color-alpha|c 0063 99	Template:Chset-color-alpha|d 0064 100	Template:Chset-color-alpha|e 0065 101	Template:Chset-color-alpha|f 0066 102	Template:Chset-color-alpha|g 0067 103	Template:Chset-color-alpha|h 0068 104	Template:Chset-color-alpha|i 0069 105	Template:Chset-color-alpha|j 006A 106	Template:Chset-color-alpha|k 006B 107	Template:Chset-color-alpha|l 006C 108	Template:Chset-color-alpha|m 006D 109	Template:Chset-color-alpha|n 006E 110	Template:Chset-color-alpha|o 006F 111
7_	Template:Chset-color-alpha|p 0070 112	Template:Chset-color-alpha|q 0071 113	Template:Chset-color-alpha|r 0072 114	Template:Chset-color-alpha|s 0073 115	Template:Chset-color-alpha|t 0074 116	Template:Chset-color-alpha|u 0075 117	Template:Chset-color-alpha|v 0076 118	Template:Chset-color-alpha|w 0077 119	Template:Chset-color-alpha|x 0078 120	Template:Chset-color-alpha|y 0079 121	Template:Chset-color-alpha|z 007A 122	Template:Chset-color-punct|{ 007B 123	Template:Chset-color-punct|| 007C 124	Template:Chset-color-punct|} 007D 125	Template:Chset-color-punct|~ 007E 126	Template:Chset-color-ctrl |DEL 007F 127
8_	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|
9_	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|
A_	Template:Chset-color-intl |ॐ 0950 160	Template:Chset-color-intl |ँ 0901 161	Template:Chset-color-intl |ं 0902 162	Template:Chset-color-intl |ः 0903 163	Template:Chset-color-intl |अ 0905 164	Template:Chset-color-intl |आ 0906 165	Template:Chset-color-intl |इ 0907 166	Template:Chset-color-intl |ई 0908 167	Template:Chset-color-intl |उ 0909 168	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऊ 090A 169	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऋ 090B 170	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऎ 090E 171	Template:Chset-color-intl |ए 090F 172	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऐ 0910 173	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऍ 090D 174	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऒ 0912 175
B_	Template:Chset-color-intl |ओ 0913 176	Template:Chset-color-intl |औ 0914 177	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऑ 0911 178	Template:Chset-color-intl |क 0915 179	Template:Chset-color-intl |ख 0916 180	Template:Chset-color-intl |ग 0917 181	Template:Chset-color-intl |घ 0918 182	Template:Chset-color-intl |ङ 0919 183	Template:Chset-color-intl |च 091A 184	Template:Chset-color-intl |छ 091B 185	Template:Chset-color-intl |ज 091C 186	Template:Chset-color-intl |झ 091D 187	Template:Chset-color-intl |ञ 091E 188	Template:Chset-color-intl |ट 091F 189	Template:Chset-color-intl |ठ 0920 190	Template:Chset-color-intl |ड 0921 191
C_	Template:Chset-color-intl |ढ 0922 192	Template:Chset-color-intl |ण 0923 193	Template:Chset-color-intl |त 0924 194	Template:Chset-color-intl |थ 0925 195	Template:Chset-color-intl |द 0926 196	Template:Chset-color-intl |ध 0927 197	Template:Chset-color-intl |न 0928 198	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऩ 0929 199	Template:Chset-color-intl |प 092A 200	Template:Chset-color-intl |फ 092B 201	Template:Chset-color-intl |ब 092C 202	Template:Chset-color-intl |भ 092D 203	Template:Chset-color-intl |म 092E 204	Template:Chset-color-intl |र 0930 205	Template:Chset-color-intl |य़ 095F 206	Template:Chset-color-intl |य 092F 207
D_	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऱ 0931 208	Template:Chset-color-intl |ल 0932 209	Template:Chset-color-intl |ळ 0933 210	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऴ 0934 211	Template:Chset-color-intl |व 0935 212	Template:Chset-color-intl |श 0936 213	Template:Chset-color-intl |ष 0937 214	Template:Chset-color-intl |स 0938 215	Template:Chset-color-intl |ह 0939 216	Template:Chset-color-ctrl |INV   217	Template:Chset-color-intl |ा 093E 218	Template:Chset-color-intl |ि 093F 219	Template:Chset-color-intl |ी 0940 220	Template:Chset-color-intl |ु 0941 221	Template:Chset-color-intl |ू 0942 222	Template:Chset-color-intl |ृ 0943 223
E_	Template:Chset-color-intl |ॆ 0946 224	Template:Chset-color-intl |े 0947 225	Template:Chset-color-intl |ै 0948 226	Template:Chset-color-intl |ॅ 0945 227	Template:Chset-color-intl |ॊ 094A 228	Template:Chset-color-intl |ो 094B 229	Template:Chset-color-intl |ौ 094C 230	Template:Chset-color-intl |ॉ 0949 231	Template:Chset-color-intl |् 094D 232	Template:Chset-color-intl |़ 093C 233	Template:Chset-color-intl |ऽ 093D 234	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-ctrl |ATR   239
F_	Template:Chset-color-ctrl |EXT   240	Template:Chset-color-intl |० 0966 241	Template:Chset-color-intl |१ 0967 242	Template:Chset-color-intl |२ 0968 243	Template:Chset-color-intl |३ 0969 244	Template:Chset-color-intl |४ 096A 245	Template:Chset-color-intl |५ 096B 246	Template:Chset-color-intl |६ 096C 247	Template:Chset-color-intl |७ 096D 248	Template:Chset-color-intl |८ 096E 249	Template:Chset-color-intl |९ 096F 250	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|	Template:Chset-color-undef|

The nukta is used to create a number of characters which have precomposed forms in Unicode, as well as a number of rarer characters which don't exist in the main ISCII set, such as the Sanskrit character ॠ.

ISCII code point	Original character	Character with nukta	Unicode code point
A6 (166)	इ	ऌ	090C
A7 (167)	ई	ॡ	0961
AA (176)	ऋ	ॠ	0960
B3 (179)	क	क़	0958
B4 (180)	ख	ख़	0959
B5 (181)	ग	ग़	095A
BA (186)	ज	ज़	095B
BF (191)	ड	ड़	095C
C0 (192)	ढ	ढ़	095D
C9 (201)	फ	फ़	095E
DB (219)	ि	ॢ	0962
DC (220)	ी	ॣ	0963
DF (223)	ृ	ॄ	0944
EA (224)	ऽ	।	0964

External links

• ISCII <==> Unicode Devanagari Converter
• Converters from/to ISCII to/from various fonts
• The ISCII 1991 standard (PDF)
• Padma - Mozilla extension for transforming ISCII to Unicode
• Padma - Transformer from ISCII to Unicode for Telugu^{[dead link]}
• PHP script for ISCII to and from Unicode