The 2026-27 Class 10 board exam scheme: what CBSE has notified#
Before you plan, be clear about how the exam works this year. From 2026, CBSE holds two board examinations for Class 10. The table sums up what CBSE has officially notified in its circulars.
| Point | What CBSE has notified |
|---|---|
| First board exam | Held in February–March; compulsory for all students |
| Second board exam | Optional; held later (in May under the scheme), for improving performance; compartment candidates also appear in it |
| Subjects in the second exam | Up to three subjects out of Science, Mathematics, Social Science and Languages |
| Absent in three or more subjects in the first exam | Not allowed in the second exam; placed in the "Essential Repeat" category |
| Marks split (most subjects) | 80 marks board exam + 20 marks internal assessment by the school |
| Pass mark | At least 33% in each subject; CBSE says the 2026-27 passing criteria are the same as in 2025-26 |
As of 7 October 2026, CBSE has not published the 2027 date sheet. Check the examination circulars on cbse.gov.in and build your countdown from the official dates.
What this means for your plan: treat the first exam as the exam. The second exam is a safety net for up to three subjects, not a reason to leave chapters for later. A student who skips three or more papers in the first exam cannot use the second exam at all.
60-day schedule#
The schedule assumes school is still running for part of this period, so weekdays have about three to four focused hours and weekends have more. Adjust the hours, not the order.
Week-by-week plan
⇆ Swipe sideways to see the whole table
| Week | Days | Priority work | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1–7 | Finish pending Maths and Science chapters | NCERT exercises for those chapters |
| 2 | 8–15 | Finish pending Social Science and English literature; make summary sheets | One chapter test a day |
| 3 | 16–22 | Revision 1: Maths and Science | Chapter tests; start an error log |
| 4 | 23–30 | Revision 1: Social Science, English, second language | Map practice, writing tasks |
| 5 | 31–37 | Revision 2: high-mark chapters in every subject | First timed CBSE sample papers |
| 6 | 38–45 | Revision 2: remaining chapters; redo error-log questions | Sample paper every two to three days |
| 7 | 46–52 | Full papers in date-sheet order | Check with the official marking scheme |
| 8 | 53–55 | Fix the three weakest topics per subject | Short mixed quizzes |
| Final days | 56–60 | Formula sheets, maps, diagrams, definitions | No new chapters |
A sample study day
- Block 1 (morning, 90 minutes): the hardest subject of the day, usually Maths or Science numericals, when you are freshest.
- Block 2 (afternoon, 60–90 minutes): a theory subject such as Social Science; read, then close the book and write key points from memory.
- Block 3 (evening, 60 minutes): practice questions or a timed section of a sample paper, then update your error log.
- Before sleep (15 minutes): look over the day's summary sheet. Short reviews like this are one of the most useful study tips for exams.
Subject-wise strategy#
Mathematics (Standard or Basic)
- Finish every NCERT exercise and example first; most board questions are built on the same ideas.
- Keep a formula sheet for algebra, trigonometry, mensuration and statistics, and say each formula aloud once a day in the final fortnight.
- The 2026-27 Maths Standard sample paper has 38 questions, ending with three case study-based questions of 4 marks each, so practise reading a short situation and pulling out the numbers.
- Write every step. Marking schemes give marks for steps, so a correct method with a small slip still earns marks.
Science
- The 2026-27 Science sample paper has 39 questions in three sections: Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Revise in the same three blocks.
- Biology: practise labelled diagrams (digestive system, heart, nephron, neuron, flower) and flow-chart answers.
- Chemistry: balance equations without looking, and learn the uses and formulae of common salts.
- Physics: do numericals daily. Our notes of Electricity Class 10 CBSE include solved numericals with units.
- Use the Class 10 Science notes hub for chapter-wise key points, and Our Environment Class 10 notes for a short chapter that still carries board marks.
Social Science
- The 2026-27 sample paper has four sections of 20 marks each: History, Geography, Political Science and Economics.
- Map questions carry 5 marks (2 in History and 3 in Geography in the sample paper). Practise the prescribed map items on a blank outline map every few days.
- Answer within the word limits given in the paper (40, 60 and 120 words for 2-, 3- and 5-mark questions in the sample paper). Practise writing to those limits.
English
- The Language and Literature paper is split into Reading (20 marks), Writing and Grammar (20 marks) and Literature (40 marks).
- Read one unseen passage a day and answer in your own words.
- For literature, know each chapter and poem's theme, characters and message; quote briefly only when it supports your point.
Second language
- Learn the grammar portion thoroughly; it is scoring and needs little time once practised.
- Write one letter, notice or composition every week and compare it with the format in the CBSE sample paper for your language.
Using sample papers#
CBSE released the official 2026-27 sample question papers and marking schemes for Class 10 on cbseacademic.nic.in. Our CBSE sample paper guide explains where to find them, how the marking scheme works and a practice schedule. Three rules make sample papers useful:
- Time yourself. Sit for the full three hours with the clock running, at the same time of day as the real exam.
- Mark with the official marking scheme. See where you lost marks: a missing step, a missing unit, an unlabelled diagram or a word-limit problem.
- Fix, then repeat. Add every mistake to your error log and redo those questions a week later.
Many questions in the paper are competency-based: case-based, source-based or application questions. Our guide to competency based questions for Class 10 has solved examples in every main subject.
How to prepare for board exams if you are behind#
If you start this plan with several chapters still unread, do not panic and do not try to read everything at once.
- List what is left in each subject and mark each chapter as "know well", "partly" or "not started".
- Start with the NCERT textbook, not a thick guide. Read the chapter, then do the in-text questions and the exercise.
- Use the unit marks. In Science, for example, the 2026-27 curriculum gives 25 marks each to the chemistry unit and the biology unit, so a pending chapter from these units deserves early attention.
- Squeeze the first revision round, not the paper practice. If you need extra days to finish chapters, take them from the first revision round, but keep at least two full timed papers per subject before the exam.
- Ask for help early. One doubt cleared today saves an hour of confusion later, whether you ask a teacher, a classmate or an online tutor.
Exam preparation tips for health and focus#
- Sleep well. Staying up late before a paper usually costs more than it gains, because a tired mind makes careless errors.
- Take short breaks. A five- to ten-minute break after each study block helps you return focused.
- Keep the phone away during study blocks; check it only in breaks.
- Eat regular, simple meals and drink water through the day.
- Talk to someone if you feel anxious: a parent, teacher or friend. Feeling nervous before boards is normal, and saying it aloud often makes it smaller.
Last-week revision#
- No new chapters. Revise from your own summary sheets, error log and formula sheet.
- Do one last full paper for each subject, ideally in the order of the date sheet.
- For Science, redraw the key diagrams once from memory. For Social Science, do one final map round.
- Keep your sleep and meal times regular. A tired brain makes careless mistakes, and avoiding those mistakes is a big part of how to get good marks in exam.
Exam-day tips#
- Pack the night before: your admit card and the stationery allowed by the instructions on it, such as pens, pencil, eraser, scale and geometry box.
- Reach the centre early and follow the instructions on your admit card.
- Use the reading time to plan: mark the questions you are sure of and decide the order you will answer in.
- Write the question number clearly, underline key words and leave a line between answers.
- Keep the last 10 to 15 minutes to check units, signs, labels and unanswered parts.
- After each paper, do not discuss answers for long. Move on to the next subject.
More CBSE resources#
- Class 12 Physics derivations, if you have an elder sibling or are planning ahead.
- How to study effectively for techniques like active recall and spaced revision.
- Every CBSE post is listed on the CBSE category page.
If you want structured practice, a free Alfa Smart account gives you chapter-wise lessons and practice quizzes for CBSE Class 10, and you can join live classes for doubt-clearing.