Nowadays, the marks distribution and exam pattern for Class 10 students are crucial updates for students preparing for board examinations. As per the latest guidelines released by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Class 10 board exams for the 2025-26 academic session continue to highlight a structured evaluation system.
In this blog, we explain the CBSE 2026 marks distribution for Class 10, key changes introduced by CBSE, subject-wise exam patterns, and the topics students should focus on while preparing for exams.
CBSE 2026 Marks Distribution Class 10
The CBSE Class 10 marks distribution 2026 follows a uniform, aligned system across most subjects. Most subjects carry a total of 100 marks, divided into:
- 80 marks – Theory (Board Examination)
- 20 marks – Internal Assessment
According to the official board exam curriculum released by CBSE, internal assessment plays a vital role in reducing exam pressure and encouraging students to explore and learn more.
CBSE Class 10 Exam Pattern 2025-26
Before diving deeper into preparation, here is a quick overview of the CBSE Class 10 marks distribution 2026:
| Elements | Particulars |
| Two Board Examinations | Conducted in one academic year |
| Grading System | The relative grading (9-point scale) system |
Note: CBSE Class 10 board examinations consist of competency-based, objective, and descriptive questions.
Subject-Wise Marks Distribution and Exam Pattern for CBSE Class 10 2025-26
Students should keep the following points in mind:
- Examination format
- Syllabus
- Topic weightage
- Analysis of concepts to attain high scores
Below is a detailed subject-wise exam pattern for class 10 to help learners achieve their goals.
CBSE Class 10 English – Language and Literature Marks Distribution and Exam Pattern 2025-26
The English examination for CBSE Class 10 in the 2025–26 board exams will consist of an 80-mark theory component covering Reading, Writing & Grammar, and Literature.
| Section | Question Types | Marks |
| Reading – 20 Marks | Factual passage and discursive passage | 10 each |
| Writing Skills and Grammar – 20 Marks | Grammar-related questions | 10 |
| Analytical paragraph writing and formal letter writing | 5 each | |
| Literature – 40 Marks | Reference to the context | 10 |
| Concise Answer Questions | 18 | |
| Long Type Answer Questions | 12 | |
| Total | 80 |
CBSE Class 10 English – Communicative Marks Distribution and Exam Pattern 2025-26
The English communicative examination for CBSE Class 10 2025-26 will follow the same protocols as those observed in 2024-25. The question paper is broken down into four primary sections: Reading, Writing & Grammar, and Literature.
| Section | Particulars | Marks |
| 1. Reading Skills | Two passages with comprehension Qs | 22 |
| 2. Writing Skills | Application writing, Factual description, Formal letter writing and Article writing | 22 |
| 3. Grammar | Fill-ups, Omission or editing and Sentence reordering | 10 |
| 4. Literature | Extract-based, Concise Answer Qs and Long Type Answer Qs | 26 |
| Total | 80 |
CBSE Class 10 Hindi (Course-A): Marks Distribution and Exam Pattern 2025-26
The Hindi A question paper for CBSE Class 10 (2025-26) will be worth 80 marks and organised into four sections: A, B, C, and D. The examination will last 3 hours.
| Section | Particulars | Marks |
| A. अपठित गद्यांश | गद्यांश और काव्यांश – MCQs and Short Type Answers Qs | 14 |
| B. अनुप्रयुक्त व्याकरण | वाक्य भेद, वाच्य परिवर्तन, पद परिचय और अलंकार | 16 |
| C. पाठ्यपुस्तक एवं पूरक पाठ्यपुस्तक | गद्यांश से संबंधित- MCQs, गद्य पाठमाला – Short Answer Qs, काव्यांश से संबंधित- MCQs, काव्य पाठमाला – Short Answer Qs और पूरक पुस्तक – Long Type Answer Qs | 30 |
| D. सृजनात्मक लेखन | अनुच्छेद लेखन, अनौपचारिक पत्र / औपचारिक पत्र, आवेदन /स्ववृत्त / ई-मेल और संदेश लेखन / विज्ञापन | 20 |
| कुल | 80 |
CBSE Class 10 Hindi (Course-B): Marks Distribution and Exam Pattern 2025-26
The Hindi B question paper for CBSE Class 10, 2025-26, will be worth 80 marks. It will be organised into four sections: A, B, C, and D. The examination will last 3 hours.
| Section | Particulars | Marks |
| A. अपठित गद्यांश | गद्यांश – MCQs and Short Type Answers Qs | 14 |
| B. अनुप्रयुक्त व्याकरण | पदबंध, वाक्य रूपांतरण, समास और मुहावरे | 16 |
| C. पाठ्यपुस्तक एवं पूरकपाठ्य पुस्तक | गद्यांश से संबंधित- MCQs, गद्य पाठमाला – Short Answer Qs, काव्यांश से संबंधित – MCQs, काव्य पाठमाला – Short Answer Qs और पूरक पुस्तक – Long Type Answer Qs | 28 |
| D. सृजनात्मक लेखन | अनुच्छेद लेखन, पत्र लेखन, सूचना लेखन, विज्ञापन लेखन और लघु कथा / ई-मेल लेखन | 22 |
| कुल | 80 |
CBSE Class 10 Mathematics Marks Distribution and Exam Pattern 2025-26
The Mathematics examination for CBSE Class 10 2025-26 will follow the same principles as those observed in previous years. The structure remains unchanged, and the examination format is largely consistent across the Basic and Standard Mathematics papers.
Last-minute guru mantra is necessary if the subject is Maths, so here’s the latest CBSE 2026 marks distribution of Maths question paper (chapter-wise):
| Unit Name | Marks |
| Number Systems | 06 |
| Algebra | 20 |
| Geometry | 15 |
| Coordinate – Geometry | 06 |
| Mensuration | 10 |
| Trigonometry | 12 |
| Statistics & Probability | 11 |
| Total | 80 |
CBSE Class 10 Science Marks Distribution and Exam Pattern 2025-26
For the 2026 examination, the CBSE Class 10 Science exam pattern follows the updated curriculum guidelines released by the board. The question paper is organised into three sections: Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
Biology is considered the favourite subject in CBSE. This can be stated as accurate as per the CBSE 2026 marks distribution of the Science question paper given below:
| Unit Name | Marks |
| Chemical Substances (Nature and Behaviour) | 25 |
| Natural Phenomena | 12 |
| World of Living | 25 |
| Natural Resources | 05 |
| Effects of Current | 13 |
| Total | 80 |
CBSE Class 10 Social Science Marks Distribution and Exam Pattern 2025-26
For the 2026 examination, the CBSE Class 10 Social Science exam pattern has been revised. The question paper is organised into four sections: History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics. This structure of sections makes the paper more topic-focused.
Let’s see how efficiently CBSE 2026 marks distribution of the Social Science question paper is stabilised:
| Unit | Particulars | Marks |
| I | History | 18 + 2 (Map) |
| II | Geography | 17 + 3 (Map) |
| III | Political Science | 20 |
| IV | Economics | 20 |
| Total | 80 |
For CBSE Class 10 Students: Key Takeaways
The CBSE 2026 marks distribution highlights the importance of consistent academic performance throughout the year. Students should focus on theoretical topics and practical assessments to maximise their grades.
At Mata Nand Kaur Public School, we closely follow every CBSE guideline with exam-oriented planning. Our educators focus on enhancing curiosity, analytical reasoning, and adaptability (skills that these CBSE initiatives are designed to improve). If you want the proper guidance for preparation, contact us today and prepare more effectively for the 2026 board exams.
FAQs
The major update for Class 10 CBSE 2026 is the introduction of a competency-based system. The board redesigned question papers to test students’ conceptual understanding rather than memorisation.
The CBSE 2026 exam pattern for class 10 consists of 80 marks for theory and 20 marks for internal assessment in most subjects. The 80-mark theory paper will be divided into sections like competency-based questions, MCQs (objective), short-answer questions, and long-answer questions.
In the revised pattern, MCQ-type questions/objectives carry a defined portion of around 20% of the 80 marks theory paper.
Yes, CBSE has released sample question papers and a marking scheme for the Class 10 2026 board exams on the official CBSE academic website. These sample papers reflect the updated pattern, which will help students to analyse the layout of the upcoming examination.
