CBSE Class 10 Exam Pattern 2027: Marking Scheme Explained

This guide explains the Class 10 exam pattern in simple steps. The Class 10 exam pattern for the 2026-27 session is different from earlier years mainly because of the two-exam system. More than 20 lakh students usually appear for the CBSE Class 10 board exam each year. The official date sheet for 2027 had not been published when this page was updated, so check cbse.gov.in for the final dates.

CBSE Class 10 Exam Pattern 2026-27 at a Glance

How Are Theory and Internal Assessment Marks Divided in the Class 10 Exam Pattern?

The 20 internal assessment marks are given by your school and sent to CBSE. The split differs by subject. In Science, it is periodic assessment 5, multiple assessment 5, portfolio 5 and subject enrichment (practical work) 5. In Maths, it is a pen-paper test and multiple assessment 10, portfolio 5 and lab practical 5. Internal assessment marks are not repeated in Phase 2, so they stay with you from the start of the year. For the full subject-wise details, see eSaral’s CBSE Class 10 syllabus 2026-27 page.

What Types of Questions Are Asked in the Class 10 Exam Pattern?

CBSE’s design for Classes 9 and 10 continues in 2026-27:

• About 50% competency-based questions: case-based, source-based and application questions, in MCQ and written formats.
• About 20% objective (select response) questions: MCQs, assertion-reason questions and similar.
• About 30% constructed response questions: short answers and long answers.

Half of the paper therefore tests how well you can apply a concept, not only recall it. Many questions have an internal choice, but the objective questions in Section A usually have none.

Is There Negative Marking in the CBSE Class 10 Exam?

No. There is no negative marking in the Class 10 board exam, so you should attempt every question you can.

How Do the Two Board Exams Work in the Class 10 Exam Pattern?

The details of Phase 2 are as reported from CBSE’s notifications, so read the latest CBSE circular and your school notice before you plan. Prepare for Phase 1 as if it were your only exam. If you need to improve a subject, Phase 2 gives you another chance.

Subject-Wise Paper Design in the Class 10 Exam Pattern (from CBSE Sample Papers 2026-27)

The tables below follow the structure of CBSE’s 2026-27 sample papers and their marking schemes. Use these tables to see how the Class 10 exam pattern works in each subject. The sections of the actual 2027 papers should be similar, but check the official sample papers on cbseacademic.nic.in.

Mathematics (Standard 041 and Basic 241)

Both Maths papers have the same five sections:

Maths answers are marked step by step, so each correct step gets credit even if the final answer is wrong.

Social Science (087)

The paper has four sections, one for each subject, and every section carries 20 marks.

Map-based questions are part of History (Section A) and Geography (Section B), so practise map work for both.

English

Hindi (Course A and Course B)

Science (086)

The Science theory paper (80 marks) is based on five units, as given in the 2026-27 syllabus.

Check the official syllabus PDF for the exact scope of each unit.

Passing Marks in the CBSE Class 10 Exam Pattern

To pass, you need 33% marks in each subject, with theory and internal assessment marks combined. CBSE has reportedly clarified that for Class 10 you do not need to score 33% separately in theory and in internal assessment, and this is different from the Class 12 rule. Students who do not pass one or two subjects in Phase 1 can reappear in those subjects in Phase 2.

How to Prepare for the New Class 10 Exam Pattern

1. Start with the NCERT textbooks, and solve the in-text and exercise questions.
2. Practise competency-based and case-based questions, since they make up about half of the paper.
3. Solve the CBSE sample papers and previous year question papers within the time limit.
4. Take your internal assessment seriously from the first term, because it carries 20 marks and is not repeated in Phase 2.
5. Prepare for Phase 1 as your main exam, and use Phase 2 only if you need to improve.

Building Your JEE/NEET Foundation Alongside Class 10 Boards

Class 10 is also the year many serious JEE and NEET aspirants start layering competitive-exam thinking on top of board preparation — and the two don't have to compete for the same hours.

Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics concepts from Class 10 NCERT form the direct base for Class 11 topics that show up in both boards and entrance exams two years later. A student who builds genuine conceptual clarity now, rather than memorising for a 33% pass mark, walks into Class 11 with real momentum instead of starting from zero.

If you're mapping this transition, eSaral's Foundation courses are built around exactly this bridge — combining CBSE syllabus coverage with the conceptual depth JEE and NEET eventually demand, taught by the same IIT Bombay faculty who run eSaral's senior JEE and NEET batches.