Maharashtra HSC Biology students have a key exam date to note: February 25, 2026 . The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education will conduct the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Biology exam on this day.
Students preparing for the exam can access practice question papers. These papers offer a review of important topics. They highlight areas likely to appear on the test. The official Biology practice question papers for the Maharashtra HSC 2026 exam are available for download.
Practice Paper Access
Past Maharashtra HSC Biology practice papers are available. These include papers from March 2024, July 2024, and July 2025. Students can download these materials to familiarize themselves with the exam format and question types. Links to these papers can be found on educational websites, with specific download options provided for each year.
Exam Structure and Weightage
The Maharashtra HSC Biology exam totals 100 marks. The theory paper accounts for 70 marks. The practical component is worth 30 marks. Students have a total of 3 hours to complete the theory examination.
The exam is divided into five sections. Section A consists of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) or objective-type questions. Each question is worth 1 mark, with 8 to 10 questions expected. Section B includes Very Short Answer (VSA) questions, worth 2 marks each. There will be 4 to 6 VSA questions, totaling 8 to 12 marks.
Section C comprises Short Answer (SA) questions. Each SA question is worth 3 marks. Students can expect 6 to 8 SA questions, contributing 18 to 24 marks to the total. Section D features Long Answer (LA) questions, each carrying 4 marks. The exam will include 4 to 5 LA questions, making up 16 to 20 marks.
Section E is dedicated to case study or application-based questions. These questions are worth 4 to 5 marks each. There will be 1 to 2 such questions, totaling 8 to 10 marks.
Key Biology Topics for 2026
Students should focus on specific topics that carry significant weightage. These areas have a higher probability of appearing in the final exam.
- Reproduction in Lower and Higher Plants/Animals
- Inheritance and Variation
- Molecular Basis of Inheritance
- Origin and Evolution of Life
- Plant Water Relation
- Plant Growth and Mineral Nutrition
- Respiration and Circulation
- Control and Coordination
Revising these key topics and studying relevant diagrams is recommended for students to achieve higher scores in the Maharashtra HSC Biology examination.