The Central Board of Secondary Education has introduced major sectional changes in the CBSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026 for Science and Social Science papers. The revised format makes section-wise answer writing mandatory to improve evaluation quality and reduce marking errors. These changes will apply to the upcoming board examinations starting from 17 February 2026. Along with the new answer-writing rules, the board has also reinforced the competency-based assessment structure to ensure better conceptual testing of students.
CBSE Class 10 Science and Social Science New Sectional Pattern 2026
CBSE has clearly defined subject-wise sections for both Science and Social Science papers. Students will be required to divide their answer sheets strictly according to these sections before starting the examination. This sectional segregation is aimed at reducing subject-wise confusion during evaluation and maintaining consistency across answer scripts. Failure to follow this under the CBSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026 will lead to direct loss of marks.
Science Paper Sectional Division
- Section A: Biology
- Section B: Chemistry
- Section C: Physics
Social Science Paper Sectional Division
- Section A: History
- Section B: Geography
- Section C: Political Science
- Section D: Economics
Each subject response must be written only in the space marked for that subject section.
Mandatory Answer Writing Rules for CBSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026
To ensure disciplined answer presentation, CBSE has issued strict instructions that will be binding during the evaluation process. Students must carefully practice the new format using official sample papers to avoid costly mistakes. Before following these rules in the final examination, schools have also been instructed to use section-divided answer sheets during internal tests and pre-board exams to train students in the new pattern.
- Answers must be written only in the designated section
- Mixing of answers across sections is not allowed
- Misplaced answers will not be evaluated
- Such errors will not be corrected during verification or re-evaluation
Revised Competency-Based Question Structure from 2026
CBSE has retained the restructured question paper design for the CBSE New Exam Pattern 2026, focusing more on application-based learning rather than rote memorization. As per the official framework, the distribution of questions will be as follows:
- 50 percent competency-based questions including MCQs, case-based, and data interpretation
- 20 percent select-response MCQs
- 30 percent constructed-response questions including short and long answers
This structure is expected to assess analytical thinking, real-life application, and conceptual clarity more effectively.
CBSE Class 10 Board Exam 2026 Schedule and Key Dates
CBSE has confirmed that both Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations will commence on 17 February 2026. The CBSE Class 10 exams will conclude on 10 March 2026, while Class 12 examinations will continue till 09 April 2026. The first paper for Class 10 will be Mathematics Standard and Mathematics Basic. These scheduling changes are aligned with the broader reforms under the National Education Policy framework.
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