The CBSE Class 10 English marking scheme 2026, prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education, defines how marks are awarded across different sections of the English board examination. The scheme applies uniformly to English (Language & Literature) and English (Communicative) papers and is designed to assess reading comprehension, writing skills, grammar accuracy and literary understanding in a balanced manner. The theory paper carries 80 marks, while 20 marks are allotted for internal assessment, making the total subject weightage 100 marks.
The Reading section in the English paper carries objective and comprehension-based marks
The Reading section evaluates a student’s ability to understand, interpret and analyse unseen passages. This section carries 20 marks and includes factual, inferential and vocabulary-based questions.Students are required to read passages carefully and answer questions in their own words wherever required. Direct copying of sentences from the passage is discouraged, as marks are awarded for comprehension rather than reproduction. Accuracy, relevance and clarity play a crucial role in scoring well in this section.
The Writing and Grammar section tests expression, format and language accuracy
The Writing and Grammar section carries a total of 20 marks and focuses on practical language usage. This section typically includes formal writing tasks such as letters, analytical paragraphs or short compositions, along with grammar-based questions. Marks are awarded for content relevance, logical organisation, adherence to prescribed format and grammatical correctness. Grammar questions test areas such as tenses, subject-verb agreement, reported speech, determiners and editing. Exceeding word limits or ignoring format guidelines can result in unnecessary loss of marks.
The Literature section carries the highest weightage in the English marking scheme
The Literature section accounts for 40 marks and is based on prescribed textbooks. Questions in this section assess textual understanding, interpretation of themes, character analysis and the ability to present coherent answers. Both short and long answer questions are included, and marks are awarded for accuracy, clarity of explanation and textual relevance. Students are expected to support answers with appropriate references to the text while maintaining originality in expression. Lengthy but irrelevant answers do not fetch extra marks.
Internal assessment marks play a crucial role in the final English score
Apart from the theory examination, 20 marks are allocated for internal assessment, which is conducted by schools under CBSE guidelines. These marks are awarded based on periodic tests, multiple assessment activities, portfolio work and subject enrichment tasks. Internal assessment focuses on consistent performance throughout the academic year rather than one-time examination performance. Students are advised to take school-based assessments seriously, as these marks are added directly to the board exam score.
