It is very important for students to understand the CBSE marking scheme for Class 10 before starting their Class 10 board exam preparation. Generally, students ignore it till the last few months of the exam. The difference between smart working and hard-working students preparing for the 2027 board exams is that smart working students, before the board exam, analyse the structure of the paper, the marks distribution and what types of questions carry how much weightage.
Every major subject in the board exam follows this structure: 80 marks for the theory exam and 20 marks for internal assessment, which in total makes it 100 marks. The theory paper is a 3-hour-long board exam conducted externally, whereas the internal assessment is marked in schools. In order to pass, both students need an aggregate of 33% in total.
In this blog, we cover:
- General marking scheme overview (theory + internal assessment)
- Subject-wise marks distribution: Science, Mathematics, Social Science, English, and Hindi (Course A & B)
- How to use this marking scheme to improve your score
- FAQs students commonly ask about the CBSE Class 10 marking scheme 2025–26
Read More:
- CBSE 10th New Exam Pattern 2026-27: CBSE Marking Scheme, Subject-Wise Exam Pattern
- CBSE Class 10th Syllabus 2026-27: Complete CBSE Syllabus Class 10th (Updated Curriculum)
CBSE Class 10 Marking Scheme 2026-27: General Overview
Before getting into subjects, understand the big picture. This is how the marking scheme class 10 works at the overall level:
| Component | Marks | Details |
| Theory Examination | 80 Marks | 3-hour external board exam (pen-and-paper) |
| Internal Assessment | 20 Marks | Periodic tests, portfolios, practicals, projects |
| Total per Subject | 100 Marks | Minimum 33% aggregate marks required to pass |
| Exam Duration | 3 Hours | No negative marking for wrong answers |
| Competency-Based Qs | 50% of the theory | Case studies, source-based, real-life application questions |
Important thing to notice: Now, the 50% of the paper is competency-based. According to this, now half of the paper evaluates what you understood rather than what you memorised. This 50% includes Case studies, source-based questions, and questions based on real-life scenarios. Now, rote learning is not sufficient for clearing board exams.
Internal Assessment Breakdown (20 Marks)
The 20 marks acquired in the internal assessment do not come from one exam; these are based on evaluations made over the year. Generally, students ignore it, which is a mistake as they are the easiest marks that you can collect for yourself in boards.
| IA Component | Marks | Assessment Tool |
| Periodic Assessment | 5 Marks | Best of periodic/pre-board written tests |
| Multiple Assessments | 5 Marks | Quizzes, oral tests, concept maps, and exit cards |
| Portfolio | 5 Marks | Classwork, neatness, peer assessment, achievements |
| Subject Enrichment | 5 Marks | Lab work (Science), map work (SST), ASL (Languages) |
Standard Question Paper Structure: Sections A to E
Most subjects follow this standard five-section structure for the 80-mark theory paper. There is no negative marking for wrong answers.
| Section | Question Type | Marks/Q | No. of Qs | Total Marks |
| A | Objective / MCQs | 1 Mark | 20 | 20 Marks |
| B | Very Short Answer (VSA) | 2 Marks | 5 | 10 Marks |
| C | Short Answer (SA) | 3 Marks | 6 | 18 Marks |
| D | Long Answer (LA) | 5 Marks | 4 | 20 Marks |
| E | Case-Based / Source-Based | 4 Marks | 3 | 12 Marks |
| Total | – | – | 38 Qs | 80 Marks |
Check Out: CBSE Grading System for Class 10th 2026: Grades, Passing Marks Criteria & CGPA Explained
CBSE Class 10 Science Marking Scheme 2026–27
The science paper is divided into three streams – Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Its paper code is 086 and comprises 39 questions that cover 80 marks in total. Given below is the marking scheme CBSE Class 10 for science:
Section-Wise Marks Distribution
| Sec | Question Type | No. of Qs | Marks/Q | Total | Focus |
| A | MCQs & Assertion-Reasoning | 20 | 1 Mark | 20 Marks | Concept clarity & fact recall |
| B | Very Short Answer (VSA) | 6 | 2 Marks | 12 Marks | Definitions, equations (30–50 words) |
| C | Short Answer (SA) | 7 | 3 Marks | 21 Marks | Numerical, mechanisms (50–80 words) |
| D | Long Answer (LA) | 3 | 5 Marks | 15 Marks | Diagrams, derivations, full numerical |
| E | Case-Based / Source-Based | 3 | 4 Marks | 12 Marks | Real-world graphs, experiment logs |
| Total | – | 39 Qs | – | 80 Marks | 3-hour exam |
Stream-Wise Weightage
| Stream | Marks | Units Covered |
| Biology | 30 Marks | Unit II (World of Living) + Unit V (Natural Resources) |
| Chemistry | 25 Marks | Unit I (Chemical Substances – Nature and Behaviour) |
| Physics | 25 Marks | Unit III (Natural Phenomena) + Unit IV (Effects of Current) |
Biology carries maximum weightage, which is 30 marks. If you don’t have much time (race against time phrase meaning) left on the boards, you can go with chapters like Life Processes, Control and Coordination, and Heredity, as they will help you score nice marks in the exam.
Check Out: CBSE Class 10th Total Marks 500 or 600? Passing Marks, Best of 5 Rule & Percentage Calculation
CBSE Class 10 Mathematics Marking Scheme 2026–27
Maths (Standard: Code 041, Basic: Code 241) has 38 compulsory questions for 80 marks. What makes the CBSE marking scheme class 10 for Maths different is the step-by-step marking policy you partial credit even if your final answer has an arithmetic mistake, as long as your method and steps are correct.
Section-Wise Marks Distribution (Theory)
| Sec | Question Type | No. of Qs | Marks/Q | Total | Focus |
| A | Objective / MCQs | 20 | 1 Mark | 20 Marks | 18 MCQs + 2 Assertion-Reasoning |
| B | Very Short Answer (VSA) | 5 | 2 Marks | 10 Marks | Direct formula application |
| C | Short Answer (SA) | 6 | 3 Marks | 18 Marks | Algebra, geometry proofs, trigonometry |
| D | Long Answer (LA) | 4 | 5 Marks | 20 Marks | Multi-step theorems, statistics tables |
| E | Case-Based / Integrated | 3 | 4 Marks | 12 Marks | Practical graphs, sub-parts (1+1+2) |
| Total | – | 38 Qs | – | 80 Marks | 3-hour exam |
CBSE Class 10 Social Science Marking Scheme 2025–26
Social Science (subject code 087) comprises 37 questions that in total weigh 80 marks. These marks are divided across History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics, and each one of them carries 20 marks each. While attempting the paper, students need to keep in mind that they have to write their answers under the right subject section, or they will get zero marks.
Question Paper Structure: Section-Wise Distribution (A to F)
The paper outlines six structural question types:
| Section | Typology of Questions | Number of Questions | Marks per Question | Total Weightage | Structural Formatting & Word Rules |
| A | Objective / MCQs | 20 | 1 Mark | 20 Marks | Multiple-choice, Table-matching, and chronological sequencing. |
| B | Very Short Answer (VSA) | 4 | 2 Marks | 8 Marks | Contextual analysis. 40 words. |
| C | Short Answer (SA) | 5 | 3 Marks | 15 Marks | Point-wise explanatory answers. 60 words. |
| D | Long Answer (LA) | 4 | 5 Marks | 20 Marks | Detailed, analytical, structured answers. 120 words. |
| E | Case-Based / Integrated | 3 | 4 Marks | 12 Marks | Competency evaluation using historical letters, case data, or reports. |
| F | Map Skill-Based Questions | 1 | 5 Marks | 5 Marks | Direct geographical location identification and physical map plotting. |
| Total | – | 37 | – | 80 Marks | 3 hours duration. |
Core Academic Sub-Discipline Weightage (20 Marks Each)
| Subject | Total Marks | Theory | Map Marks | Key Chapters |
| History | 20 Marks | 18 Marks | 2 Marks | Nationalism in India, Rise of Nationalism in Europe |
| Geography | 20 Marks | 17 Marks | 3 Marks | Resources & Development, Water Resources, Agriculture |
| Political Science | 20 Marks | 20 Marks | 0 Marks | Power Sharing, Federalism, Gender, Religion & Caste |
| Economics | 20 Marks | 20 Marks | 0 Marks | Development, Sectors of Economy, Money & Credit |
Questions based on the map carry 5 marks in total (2 for history and 3 for geography). Students should practice maps on a regular basis, because most students lose their marks due to a lack of practice.
CBSE Class 10 English Marking Scheme 2025–26
English Language and Literature (Code 184) is made up of 3 sections, with a total of 11 questions and 80 marks. The marking scheme for the class 10 English paper is different because the Literature section is given 40 marks, which is 50% of the total paper. CBSE evaluates descriptive answers on two equal parameters: Content accuracy (50%) and Expression/Fluency (50%).
| Sec | Domain | Marks | Breakdown |
| A | Reading Skills | 20 Marks | Q1: Discursive passage (10 Marks); Q2: Case-based factual passage with data/chart (10 Marks) |
| B | Writing Skills & Grammar | 20 Marks | Grammar (10 Marks); Formal Letter – 100-120 words (5 Marks); Analytical Paragraph – map/graph (5 Marks) |
| C | Language through Literature | 40 Marks | First Flight + Footprints Without Feet – extracts, short answers, long answers (50% of total paper) |
| Total | – | 80 Marks | 11 questions; 3-hour exam |
The most marks are awarded in Section C (Literature). Study chapter themes, character traits and value-based questions in the books First Flight and Footprints Without Feet. Nearly all long-answer questions have internal options so you don’t have to cover all chapters to the same standard.
CBSE Class 10 Hindi Marking Scheme 2025-26 (Course A & Course B)
CBSE has two Hindi courses, one being the Literature Course (Hindi Course A/Code 002) and the other being the Application of Hindi and Language Skills Course (Hindi Course B/Code 085). Both have 80 marks theory + 20 marks internal assessment.
Hindi Course A: Section-Wise Marks
| Section | Domain | Marks | Composition |
| खंड ‘अ’ | Unseen Passages (अपठित बोध) | 14 Marks | (गद्यांश) Prose: 7 Marks (MCQ); Unseen Poetry (काव्यांश): 7 Marks (MCQ) |
| खंड ‘अ’ | Grammar (व्यावहारिक व्याकरण) | 16 Marks | 16 MCQs out of 20 choices (4 Marks each sub-topic): रचना के आधार पर वाक्य रूपांतरण वाच्य भेद (Active/Passive) पद परिचय (Morphological parsing) अलंकार (Figures of speech) |
| खंड ‘अ’+’ब’ | Textbook: Kshitij & Kritika | 34 Marks | Kshitij MCQs (10) + Kshitij Subjective (12) + Kritika Subjective (12) |
| खंड ‘ब’ | Creative Writing (रचनात्मक लेखन) | 16 Marks | points: अनुच्छेद लेखन (Paragraph creation): 5 Marks पत्र लेखन (Formal/Informal Letter): 4 Marks स्ववृत्त लेखन / ईमेल (Resume or Email): 4 Marks विज्ञापन / संदेश लेखन (Ad design or Short Message): 3 Marks |
| Total | – | 80 Marks | 3-hour exam |
Hindi Course B: Section-Wise Marks
| Section | Domain | Marks | Composition |
| खंड ‘क’ | Unseen Passages (अपठित बोध) | 14 Marks | Prose Passage 1 (7 Marks MCQ) + Unseen Prose Passage 2 (7 Marks MCQ) |
| खंड ‘ख’ | Grammar (व्यावहारिक व्याकरण) | 16 Marks | पदबंध (Phrases): 4 Marks रचना के आधार पर वाक्य रूपांतरण: 4 Marks समास (Compound Words): 4 Marks मुहावरे (Idioms context matching): 4 Marks |
| खंड ‘ग’ | Textbook: Sparsh & Sanchayan | 28 Marks | Sparsh MCQs (10)
Sparsh Subjective (12) Sanchayan Subjective (6) |
| खंड ‘घ’ | Creative Writing (रचनात्मक लेखन) | 22 Marks | अनुच्छेद लेखन (Paragraph on factual outline): 5 Marks पत्र लेखन (Formal structure processing): 5 Marks सूचना लेखन (Official Notice formatting): 4 Marks विज्ञापन लेखन (Product/Service Advertisement): 4 Marks लघु कथा / ईमेल (Short Story or Email drafting): 4 Marks |
| Total | – | 80 Marks | 3-hour exam |
The textbook section (Kshitij and Kritika) has the most marks in Course A (34 marks). In Course B, Creative Writing goes to 22 marks – this leaves plenty of room for those who have a stronger command of the language.
How to Use the CBSE Marking Scheme to Score Better in the 2026-27 Board Exams
It’s one thing to understand the CBSE marking scheme class 10, but it’s another to know how to use this knowledge to your advantage. This is what does work:
- Use high weightage units first. In Maths, rewrite the Algebra prior to the Number Systems. In Science you get the most marks per hour in Biology chapters.
- Don’t fool yourself into thinking that internal assessment isn’t important. It’s a fact that 20 marks in school tests, notebooks and practicals are the easiest marks in your board year. Do not ignore them.
- Practice Section E (Case-Based questions) regularly. With 50% of the paper being competency-based, solving CBSE sample papers from 2025–26 is non-negotiable.
- While solving maths, always write your steps. Because there is a step-by-step marking policy while evaluating, that means even if your answer is wrong, still you will get marks for steps.
- Refer to the official CBSE sample papers on cbseacademic.nic.in. They are accompanied by a detailed answer sheet that will tell you exactly how your answers will be judged.
FAQs on CBSE Class 10 Marking Scheme 2025–26
Q1. What is the marking scheme of CBSE Class 10?
Every major subject is evaluated out of 100 marks: 80 marks for the theory paper (3-hour external exam) and 20 marks for internal assessment done by the school. Students need a minimum of 33% overall to pass.
Q2. How are the 20 internal assessment marks divided?
The 20 marks for internal assessment are split into 4 parts of 5 marks each – Periodic Assessment, Multiple Assessments (quizzes, oral tests), Portfolio (classwork and notebooks), and Subject Enrichment (lab work, map work or language work).
Q3. What percentage of the CBSE Class 10 paper is competency-based?
As per the CBSE marking scheme class 10 for 2025-26, 50% of the theory paper is competency-based. These include case studies, source-based questions, and application-oriented scenarios that test understanding, not just (just in case definition) memory.
Q4. Is there negative marking in CBSE Class 10 board exams?
No. There is no negative marking in CBSE Class 10 board exams. You should attempt all questions especially MCQs in Section A, even if you are not fully sure of the answer.
Q5. Where can I download the official CBSE Class 10 marking scheme 2025-26?
You can download the official subject-wise marking scheme CBSE Class 10 from the CBSE Academic website (idioms website) at cbseacademic.nic.in. Navigate to the Curriculum section and select Syllabus 2025-26 to find the subject-wise PDFs.
Q6. Is the CBSE marking scheme the same for Maths Standard and Maths Basic?
The overall structure (80 marks theory + 20 marks IA, five sections A to E) is the same for both Maths Standard (Code 041) and Maths Basic (Code 241). The difference is not about how marks are allocated, but rather it is about the difficulty of the questions.
Written By: Saumya Sarin (Content Writer at Motion Education)
Source: Based on the Official CBSE Academic Portal (cbseacademic.nic.in) for Session 2025-26
Last Updated: June 2026
