CBSE Class 10th Exam 2026: CBSE’s revised exam pattern for Class 10 will take effect from the exam cycle starting 15 February 2026. Students preparing for the 2025‑26 session have only a few months left, so knowing what has changed is crucial.
Overall Structure: Theory + Internal Assessment
Every subject’s board exam will now have two components:
Theory paper: 80 marks
Internal assessment: 20 marks
Subject‑Specific Changes
Mathematics: No change. The exam format remains exactly as before, both for basic and standard levels.
Science: The paper is now divided into three parts: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, with Biology + Physics given more weight. There will be 39 compulsory questions. Specifically:
- Section A (Biology): questions 1‑16 totaling 30 marks;
- Section B (Chemistry): questions 17‑29 with 25 marks;
- Section C (Physics): questions 30‑39 with 25 marks.
Social Science: Four distinct sections for each subject, History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics.
Total questions: 38, all compulsory. Each section carries equal marks.
English: The exam for English will be fully theory‑based (80 marks) under the new scheme.
Hindi (and presumably other language papers): While the article doesn’t elaborate in full, similar structural changes are implied for question pattern and marking schemes.
CBSE Class 10th Exam 2026:Why This Matters
These changes affect prep strategy in multiple ways:
Time management: With all questions being compulsory in many subjects, you can’t skip weak topics; you must attempt all.
Internal assessments (20 marks) will carry more importance than before. Focus on school‑level assignments/practical work.
Drawing fine lines between topics (especially in Social Science & Science) will help, as sections are now subject‑specific.
