Live

CBSE Board Exam 2026 LIVE: Class 10th, 12th exams ends; paper analysis, exam pattern, marking scheme, updates

Sakshi Gupta | February 21, 2026 | 11:30 PM IST | 10 mins read

CBSE Board Exams 2026: Class 10 and 12 exams will be held from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Updates on sample question papers, pattern, guidelines, marking scheme, datesheet, syllabus, and other details.

CBSE Class 10th Syllabus 2025-26

Students can access the subject-wise CBSE Class 10 syllabus for the 2025–26 academic session.

Check Now
CBSE Board Exam 2026: Class 10 English paper today (Image: Careers360 File Photo)

CBSE Board Exam 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has concluded CBSE Class 10 English and Class 12 fashion studies and automotive exams. The CBSE board conducted the 10th and 12th exams from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm in 8,000 exam centres across India and 26 foreign countries. Once the CBSE Class 10 English exam ends, students will have access to the unofficial answer keys and question papers with solutions for probable score evaluation.

CBSE Class 10th English QP's: Set 1 Set 2 | Set 3

CBSE Class 10th QP's: Maths | Basic-Maths

CBSE Class 10th Answer Key: Maths | Basic-MathsEnglish

CBSE Class 10th: Admit Card | Exam Calendar | Syllabus | Science Imp. Questions

CBSE Class 10 PYQ's: Hindi | English | Science | Math-BasicMath- Standard

To pass the CBSE board exam 2026, students have to score at least 33% marks in each subject, including theory, practical, and internal assessments. They need a minimum Grade D and must pass both theory and practicals separately in subjects that have practical exams.

Also read SC notice to National Medical Commission on plea seeking parity in stipend to Kerala doctors

CBSE Board Exams 2026: Guidelines

Exam-day instructions for the CBSE Board exams in 2026 for both Class 10th and 12th.

  • Students must arrive at the location at least 30 to 45 minutes before the reporting time.
  • After the designated reporting time, students won't be permitted to enter the test room.
  • Applicants must present their CBSE-issued admit cards.
  • Students will not be permitted to take the test if they do not have a valid hall ticket.
  • 15 minutes prior to the start of the paper, question sheets and answer booklets will be distributed.
  • Students should read the question paper carefully and complete the necessary information during this time.

CBSE Board Exams 2026: Grace marks policy

The board may award grace marks to students who fall short of passing marks by just one mark. According to CBSE regulations, the student would not be entitled for grace marks if the deficit is greater than one mark.

MakeCAREERS360
My Trusted Source
Add as a preferred source on google

Follow us for the latest education news on colleges and universities, admission, courses, exams, research, education policies, study abroad and more..

To get in touch, write to us at news@careers360.com.

LIVE UPDATES
CBSE Board Exams 2026 LIVE: Class 10th English question papers with solutions. Updates on guidelines, on-screen marking, time table, subjects, syllabus, sample question papers, grace marks policy, and other details.

February 21, 2026 | 11:30 PM IST

Candidates ask "What is CBSE 2026 on-screen marking scheme?"

The CBSE has implemented on-screen marking for evaluating Class 12 board exam answer sheets, and it has been clarified that Class 10 answer scripts will continue to be assessed in the traditional physical mode.

February 21, 2026 | 09:30 PM IST

CBSE Date Sheet 2026 Class 10: Phase 2

Students can check the CBSE Date Sheet 2026 Class 10 Phase 2 below:

Date

Subject Name

May 15

Mathematics Standard & Mathematics Basic

May 16

Compartment Subjects

May 18

Compartment Subjects

May 19

Science

May 20

Compartment Subjects

May 21

Compartment Subjects

May 22

Social Science

May 23

Compartment Subjects

May 25

Compartment Subjects

May 26

Language

May 28

Compartment Subjects

February 21, 2026 | 08:30 PM IST

CBSE Class 10th exams phase 1

Students can check the CBSE Board 10th time table for both phase 1 exams shown below.

Date

Subject Name

February 21

English (Communicative) & English (Language and Literature)

February 23

Urdu Course-A, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, Manipuri, Telugu, Telangana

February 24

Elements of Business, Urdu Course-B

February 25

Science

February 26

Retail, Security, Automotive, Introduction to Fin. Markets, Introduction to Tourism, Agriculture, Food Production, Front Office Operations, Banking & Insurance, Health Care, Apparel, Multi-Media, Data Science, Electronics & Hardware, Foundation Skill for Sciences, Design Thinking & Innovation

February 27

Computer Applications, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence

February 28

Arabic, Sanskrit (Communicative), Sanskrit, Rai, Gurung, Tamang, Sherpa,

March 2

Hindi Course-A & Hindi Course-B

March 5

Sindhi, Malayalam, Odia, Assamese, Kannada, Kokborok

March 6

Painting

March 7

Social Science

March 9

Telugu, Arabic, Russian, Persian, Nepali, Limbu, Lepcha, Carnatic Music (Vocal), Carnatic Music Mel Ins., Carnatic Music Per. Ins., Hindustani Music Vocal, Hindustani Music (Mel Ins), Hindustani Music (Per Ins), Thai

March 10

French

March 3

Tibetan, German, National Cadet Corps, Bhoti, Bodo, Tangkhul, Japanese, Bhutia, Spanish, Kashmiri, Mizo, Bahasa Melayu, Elements of Business, Elements of Book Keeping & Accountancy

February 21, 2026 | 07:19 PM IST

CBSE Board Exam 2026: Feb 21 ended

The Central Board of Secondary Education has concluded CBSE Class 10 English and Class 12 fashion studies and automotive exams. The board conducted the 10th and 12th exams from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.

February 21, 2026 | 06:21 PM IST

CBSE Class 12 Board Exam: Total marks

Students can check the distribution of marks from the table given below.

Type of Questions
No. of Questions
Total Marks
1 Mark Questions
16 16
2 Mark Questions
5 10
3 Mark Questions
7 21
4 Marks Questions
2 8
5 Mark Questions
3 15
Total
33
70

February 21, 2026 | 05:44 PM IST

Which CBSE Class 10 exam tomorrow?

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will not conduct any exam for CBSE Class 10 tomorrow. The board will now conduct an exam for regional languages and vocational subjects, including Urdu Course-A, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, Manipuri, and Telugu-Telangana on February 23, 2026.

February 21, 2026 | 05:00 PM IST

CBSE Board Exam 2026 in two phases?

The board has made an important change in the Class 12 board exams for the academic year 2026-27. The CBSE will administer the class 12th exams till April 10, and the 10th exams will be conducted twice a year, first phase till March 10, and the second phase will start on May 15 to June 1.

February 21, 2026 | 04:35 PM IST

CBSE Class 10th 2026: Reading comprehension was easy and direct

One of the students mentioned that the first reading comprehension passage of the CBSE Class 10 English board exam 2026 was moderately critical and required careful understanding and analysis and the second passage in the English paper was easy and direct with case-based questions.

February 21, 2026 | 03:54 PM IST

CBSE Class 10 English Paper Analysis

Based on the students' reactions, the CBSE Class 10th English exam was easy for students having a broader view and knowledge of the topics and subtopics. The English paper featured application-based questions and maintained a balanced mix of knowledge and analysis

February 21, 2026 | 03:18 PM IST

CBSE Board exams 2026 Feb 21 exam over

The CBSE Board conducted the Class 10 English and Class 12 fashion studies and automotive exams today, i.e., February 21, 2026.

February 21, 2026 | 02:41 PM IST

CBSE Board Exams 2026 passing marks for 10th and 12th

Students need to secure at least 33% of the total marks to pass in the CBSE 2026 examinations for classes 12th and 10th.

February 21, 2026 | 02:00 PM IST

CBSE sample paper 2025-26

The board has released the CBSE sample paper 2026 for class 10th and 12th on the official website. Students can check the website to download and practice the sample papers for examinations.

February 21, 2026 | 01:30 PM IST

CBSE Board Exam 2026: Class 10 English paper ends

The CBSE Board English Exams 2026 for Class 10 students have been concluded. The students will be able to check the unofficial answer keys and question papers with solutions once the exam is over.

February 21, 2026 | 12:54 PM IST

CBSE Board 2026: Class 10 passing marks

Students need to score at least 33 percent in all subjects and a minimum aggregate of 33 percent to pass the CBSE 10th board exams.

February 21, 2026 | 12:27 PM IST

CBSE 12th Board Exam 2026: Passing marks out of 70

Students can check the passing marks out of 70 given below:

Type of Questions
No. of Questions
Total Marks
1 Mark Questions
16 16
2 Mark Questions
5 10
3 Mark Questions
7 21
4 Marks Questions
2 8
5 Mark Questions
3 15
Total
33
70

February 21, 2026 | 11:40 AM IST

Delhi Metro to prioritise students during CBSE Board 2026

As per the latest update from DMRC, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), in partnership with CISF, has made arrangements at metro stations to accommodate the increased footfall on CBSE Board 2026 examination days. Students with their admit card will be given priority during security checks and purchasing tickets at Ticket Office Machines (TOM) and Customer Care (CC) centers.

February 21, 2026 | 11:19 AM IST

CBSE Board Exam 2026: No permission without school uniform

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has stated that students who do not wear their school dress will not be allowed to enter the exam hall.

February 21, 2026 | 10:45 AM IST

Date sheet of CBSE board exams 2026 Class 12

CBSE Board Exam dates 2026 for the upcoming papers are shown in the table below.

Exam Dates

Subjects

February 23

Mass Media Studies, Design Thinking & Innovation

February 24

Accountancy

February 25

Beauty & Wellness, Typography & Computer Application

February 26

Geography

February 27

Painting, Graphics, Sculpture, Applied Art (Commercial Art)

February 28

Chemistry

March 2

Urdu Elective, Sanskrit Elective, Carnatic Music Vocal, Carnatic Music Mel Ins, Carnatic Music Per Ins Mridangam, Kathak Dance, Urdu Core, Front Office Operations, Insurance, Geospatial Technology, Electrical Technology

March 5

Psychology

March 6

Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Sindhi, Marathi, Gujarati, Manipuri, Malayalam, Odia, Assamese, Kannada, Arabic, Tibetan, German, Russian, Persian, Nepali, Limbo, Lepcha, Telugu Telangana, Bodo, Tangkhul, Japanese, Bhutia, Spanish, Kashmiri, Mizo

March 7

Yoga, Electronics & Hardware

March 9

Mathematics, Applied Mathematics

March 10

Food production, Office Procedures and Practices, Library & Information Science, Early Childhood Care & Education

March 11

Hindustani Music MEL & PER INS, Healthcare, Design

March 12

English Elective, English Core

March 13

Tourism, Air-conditioning & refrigeration

March 14

Home Science

March 16

Hindi elective and Hindi core

March 17

Hindustani Music Vocal

March 18

Economics

March 19

Physical Activity Trainer

March 20

Marketing

March 23

Political Science

March 24

Retail, Artificial Intelligence

March 25

Informatics Practices, Computer Science, Information Technology

March 27

Biology

March 28

Business Studies & Business Administration

February 21, 2026 | 10:30 AM IST

CBSE Board Exam 2026: Class 10 English paper starts

CBSE Board English Exams 2026 for Class 10 students have begun. Once the exam is over, students will have access to unofficial answer keys and question papers with solutions so that they can calculate their probable scores.

February 21, 2026 | 10:15 AM IST

CBSE board exams 2026 passing criteria

As per the CBSE board examination criteria, Class 10 and Class 12 students must secure at least 33% marks in every subject to pass. This includes theory, practical exams, and internal assessments. Students are also required to obtain a minimum of Grade D and must pass theory and practical components separately in subjects that include practical examinations

February 21, 2026 | 09:50 AM IST

CBSE Board Exams 2026: Practical exams for private students

The CBSE Board has announced that the Class 12 practical examinations for private candidates in 2026 will be held from February 23 to March 17. Schools affiliated with the board have been instructed to ensure the availability of internal examiners. In cases where subject teachers are unavailable at the examination centre, schools must arrange for qualified teachers from nearby CBSE-affiliated institutions to conduct the exams.

February 21, 2026 | 09:35 AM IST

CBSE On-Screen Marking: Explained

CBSE has announced that Class 12 board exam answer sheets will be assessed using an on-screen marking system. Meanwhile, Class 10 answer scripts will continue to be evaluated manually in physical format. Before the commencement of the evaluation process, the first day will be dedicated to reviewing the marking scheme, conducting mock evaluations to maintain consistency, and training examiners on how to use the digital assessment platform.

CBSE explains how two Class 10 board exams 2026, on-screen marking for Class 12 will work

February 21, 2026 | 09:03 AM IST

CBSE Board Exams 2026 Today

CBSE will conduct Class 10 English and Class 12 fashion studies, automotive exam today. Students must carry their hall tickets and reach the exam centres atleast 30 minutes before the exam begins.

February 21, 2026 | 07:24 AM IST

CBSE 10th English exam today

The types of questions asked in the CBSE 10th English exam today are shown 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

February 21, 2026 | 06:30 AM IST

CBSE academics: Compulsory computing, AI in Classes 9 & 10

CBSE will introduce compulsory Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for students of Classes 9 and 10.

  • The board will design competency-based assessments for skill subjects.
  • These assessments will be aligned with PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) standards.
  • A new Semiconductor Technology skill subject will be introduced for students of Classes 8 to 12.
  • The AI curriculum will begin from Class 3 onwards.
  • These changes are set to be implemented from the 2026–27 academic session.

February 21, 2026 | 05:30 AM IST

CBSE Board Exam 2026: Day guidelines

These guidelines apply to both Class 10 and Class 12 students.

  • Students must reach the exam centre 30–45 minutes before the reporting time mentioned on the admit card.
  • Entry will not be allowed after the specified reporting time.
  • Carrying the CBSE-issued admit card is mandatory.
  • Without a valid admit card, students will not be allowed to appear for the exam.
  • Question papers and answer booklets will be distributed 15 minutes before the exam begins.
  • Students should use this time to fill in required details and read the question paper carefully.

February 21, 2026 | 04:30 AM IST

CBSE Class 10 Exams 2026: 11 students miss Maths paper

  • Eleven students could not appear for the CBSE Class 10 Mathematics exam.
  • The students were from Eucressi International School, Sector 9B.
  • They were reportedly denied admit cards due to an affiliation dispute.
  • Students alleged they were misled by the school.
  • The school’s CBSE affiliation was valid only up to Class 8.

February 21, 2026 | 03:30 AM IST

CBSE Board Exams 2026: Rules on cheating

CBSE has made its rules stricter regarding the use of unfair means.

  • Students caught cheating in a subject will have only that subject cancelled.
  • Earlier, cancelled marks could be compensated using additional subjects (6th or 7th subject).
  • Now, extra subjects cannot be used to replace cancelled scores to meet passing criteria.
  • The revised policy is already in effect.

February 21, 2026 | 02:30 AM IST

CBSE OSM for Class 12 board exams

CBSE has introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) for Class 12 board exams starting 2026.

  • Class 12 answer sheets will be evaluated digitally.
  • Class 10 answer sheets will continue to be checked in physical mode.

The digital evaluation system aims to:

  • Improve efficiency
  • Increase transparency
  • Ensure greater accuracy in marking

February 21, 2026 | 01:30 AM IST

CBSE Board Exams 2026: Important instruction

Exam-day instructions for the CBSE Board exams in 2026 for both Class 10th and 12th.

  • Students must arrive at the location at least 30 to 45 minutes prior to the reporting time.
  • After the designated reporting time, students won't be permitted to enter the test room.
  • Applicants must present their CBSE-issued admit cards.
  • Students will not be permitted to take the test if they do not have a valid hall ticket.
  • 15 minutes prior to the start of the paper, question sheets and answer booklets will be distributed.
  • Students should read the question paper carefully and complete the necessary information during this time.


February 21, 2026 | 12:30 AM IST

CBSE Board Exams 2026: Grace marks policy

The board may award grace marks to students who fall short of passing marks by just one mark. According to CBSE regulations, the student would not be entitled for grace marks if the deficit is greater than one mark.

February 20, 2026 | 11:30 PM IST

CBSE Class 10 baord exam 2026: How many subjects?

The CBSE will hold Class 10 board exams in 2026 for 83 topics.

February 20, 2026 | 10:00 PM IST

CBSE Class 12 and 10 board exam 2026: Paper timings

The CBSE Board will hold Class 12 exams from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. The Class 10 paper will be conducted from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

February 20, 2026 | 09:45 PM IST

CBSE Class 10 board exam 2026: Important documents

Applicants 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.

February 20, 2026 | 09:30 PM IST

CBSE Class 10 board exam 2026: New changes

The board will administer the CBSE 10th exam in two stages from this year. The second stage will start on May 15 and go until June 1, 2026. There will be distinct parts for the science and social science question papers. In order for their response sheets to be examined, candidates must respond in accordance with the sections that are provided.

February 20, 2026 | 08:52 PM IST

CBSE Class 10 board exam 2026: Number of students appeared

As of 2026, 25,08,319 students are scheduled to take the CBSE Class 10 board exams. There are 10,99,771 female students and 14,08,546 male children.

February 20, 2026 | 08:40 PM IST

CBSE Class 10 Board exam 2026: Marking scheme

The marking scheme for English (Communicative) and English language & Literature is 80 marks for theory paper and 20 for internal assessment.