CBSE Class 10 English Paper 2026 LIVE: 10th exam tomorrow; timing, question paper analysis
Ruchika Kumari | May 16, 2026 | 04:55 AM IST | 3 mins read
CBSE session 2 class 10 English exam on May 16 in a single shift between 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. Check general instructions, tips and tricks, PYQs.
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The Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE, commenced the Session 2 Class 10 board exams on May 15. Students will appear for the English exam on May 16. Both English Communicative (Code 101) and English Language and Literature (Code 184) will be conducted in a single shift from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. The admit cards have been released, and students must carry a printout of the same along with a valid ID proof to the exam hall.
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The entry gates will close at 10 am, and students must report to the exam centre well before that to avoid last-minute glitches. CBSE introduced two board exams from this year to provide students with an opportunity to improve their scores. It was compulsory to appear for the Session 1 exam, while students had the option to choose whether they wanted to appear for Session 2, even for just one subject. The best of the two scores will be considered while preparing the final marksheets.
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Marking Scheme
English Language and Literature: The paper is divided into four sections, including Reading for 20 marks, Grammar for 10 marks, Writing Skills for 10 marks, and Literature Textbook questions carrying 40 marks.
English Communicative: The paper includes Reading Skills for 22 marks, Writing Skills for 22 marks, and Section C (Grammar) carrying 10 marks.
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General Instructions
The Marking scheme carries only suggested value points for the answers / sample answers. The value points are in the nature of Guidelines only and do not constitute the complete answer. The students can have their own expression and if the expression is correct, then due marks should be awarded accordingly.
If a student has attempted an extra question, answer of the question deserving more marks should be retained and the other answer scored out with a note “Extra Question”.
If more than one option is mentioned in the answer of multiple choice questions, then no marks to be awarded.
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CBSE Class 10 students must carry admit cards, follow instructions carefully, and revise PYQs.
May 16, 2026 | 04:55 AM IST
CBSE Board 10th English Exam 2026: No permission without school uniform
The Central Board of Secondary Education has clearly mentioned that students who do not wear their school dress will not be allowed to enter the exam hall.
May 16, 2026 | 03:55 AM IST
What is the CBSE Board 10th Exam 2026 dress code?
Students are required to come in their proper school uniform. As per the guidelines, private candidates must wear plain, light-coloured formal attire while reporting to the examination centre.
May 16, 2026 | 02:55 AM IST
CBSE Board Class 10 Session 2 exam datesheet 2026
The time table for CBSE Board Class 10 Session 2 2026 is below:
| Date | Time | Subjects |
| May 15, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Mathematics Standard, Mathematics Basic |
| May 16, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | English (Communicative), English (Language and Literature) |
| May 18, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Science |
| May 19, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Hindi Course-A, Urdu Course-A, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Manipuri, Malayalam, Odia, Assamese, Kannada, Arabic, Tibetan, French, German, Nepali, Limboo, Lepcha, Home Science, Hindi Course-B, Bhoti, Telugu-Telangana, Kokborok, Bodo, Japanese, Bhutia, Spanish, Mizo, Sanskrit (Communicative), Rai, Urdu Course-B |
| May 19, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Hindustani Music Vocal, Hindustani Music (Mel Ins), Retail, Introduction to Tourism |
| May 20, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Sanskrit |
| May 20, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Painting, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence |
| May 21, 2026 | 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM | Social Science |
May 16, 2026 | 01:55 AM IST
CBSE board exams 2026 passing criteria
As per the CBSE board examination criteria, Class 10 students are required to score at least 33% marks in every subject to pass. This includes theory, practical exams, and internal assessments.
May 16, 2026 | 12:55 AM IST
CBSE Board Exams 2026 Today
The CBSE will conduct Class 10 English today. Students must carry their hall tickets and reach the exam centres at least 30 minutes before the exam begins.
May 15, 2026 | 11:55 PM IST
Questions asked in the CBSE 10th English Phase 1 exam
The types of questions asked in the CBSE 10th English exam Phase 1 in the table below.
Section | Competencies Assessed | Marks |
Reading Comprehension | Conceptual understanding, interpreting, decoding, analysing, inferring, and vocabulary skills | 20 |
Writing Skills and Grammar | Creative expression of opinion, reasoning, justifying, illustrating, fluency, applying conventions, appropriate style and tone, correct format, and using integrated structures accurately | 20 |
Language through Literature | Recalling, extracting relevant information, identifying central themes and sub-themes, reasoning, appreciating, applying literary conventions, understanding the writer’s message, and writing fluently | 40 |
Total | 80 |
May 15, 2026 | 10:55 PM IST
CBSE 10th Board Exams 2026: Grace marks policy
The CBSE may provide grace marks to students who fall short of passing marks by just one mark. As per the CBSE regulations, the student would not be entitled to grace marks if the deficit is greater than one mark.
May 15, 2026 | 09:55 PM IST
CBSE Class 10 board exam 2026: Paper timings
The CBSE Board will administer the Class 10 English paper from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM.
May 15, 2026 | 09:15 PM IST
CBSE Class 10 exam 2026: Marking scheme
The marking scheme for CBSE 10th English (Communicative) and English Language & Literature is 80 marks for the theory paper and 20 marks for the internal assessment.
May 15, 2026 | 08:35 PM IST
CBSE Class 10 English Exam 2026: Important documents
Students who are appearing for the English examination will be required to carry their original admit card. Regular students must bring their school ID, whereas private students require a government-issued photo ID.
May 15, 2026 | 08:05 PM IST
CBSE Class 10 exam 2026: Number of students appeared
Around 6,68,854 students are set to appear for the CBSE Class 10th examination 2026 for session 2.
May 15, 2026 | 07:34 PM IST
CBSE Class 10 exams 2026: Passing marks
Students are required to secure a minimum of 33% marks in each of the five subjects to pass the CBSE 10th examination 2026 phase 2.
May 15, 2026 | 06:48 PM IST
CBSE Class 10 English language and literature exam tomorrow
The paper is divided into four sections to assess students’ reading, writing, grammar, and analytical skills comprehensively. The Reading section carries 20 marks, while Grammar and Writing Skills sections are allotted 10 marks each. The Literature Textbook section, which includes questions based on prescribed prose and poetry chapters, carries 40 marks.
May 15, 2026 | 06:44 PM IST
CBSE Class 10 English exam 2026
CBSE will be conducting class 10 session 2 English exam tomorrow, on May 16. Students who got themselves registered to appear in session 2 exam can check exam and revision tips here.
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