The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced significant changes in the Class 10 Exam Pattern 2025-26 for the upcoming Board Exams 2026, scheduled to start on February 15, 2026. The revised structure places greater emphasis on competency-based learning and flexible assessment methods.
CBSE Class 10 Exam Pattern 2025-26: Key Highlights
CBSE Class 10 Subject-Wise Marking Scheme 2025-26
Science
- Theory Exam: 80 marks
- Internal Assessment: 20 marks
- Focus: Practical application, experiments, and competency-based case studies
Mathematics
- Theory Exam: 80 marks
- Internal Assessment: 20 marks
- Focus: Problem-solving, application-based numerical, and real-life case questions
Social Science
- Theory Exam: 80 marks
- Internal Assessment: 20 marks
- Focus: Source-based, map-based, and competency-driven questions
English
- Theory Exam: 80 marks
- Internal Assessment: 20 marks
- Focus: Reading comprehension, grammar, writing tasks, and literature analysis
Hindi
- Theory Exam: 80 marks
- Internal Assessment: 20 marks
- Focus: Reading passages, creative writing, and literature-based descriptive answers
CBSE Class 10 Exam Structure 2025-26
The revised pattern balances objective, competency-based, and descriptive formats to encourage critical thinking and analytical ability.
- 40% competency-based: MCQs, case-based, and source-driven questions
- 20% objective: Short and factual-based responses
- 40% descriptive: Short and long answers testing analysis and interpretation
Grading System Introduced
CBSE will follow a 9-point grading system instead of only marks, ensuring a fair and flexible evaluation process for students across different learning levels.
Why These Changes Matter?
The revised exam structure aims to:
- Reduce rote learning
- Promote problem-solving and reasoning skills
- Encourage conceptual understanding
- Align assessments with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 vision
