The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) begins its Class 10 Science board exam on February 25, 2026. The exam will be held from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. This year marks the first time the Science paper is divided into three distinct sections: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
New Exam Format Introduced
Students will receive an additional 15 minutes before the exam starts. This time is allocated for reviewing the question paper. The board has implemented a new pattern for the Class 10 Science exam. The theory paper is worth 80 marks. It includes 39 compulsory questions.
Section Breakdown and Question Types
The 39 questions are divided across the three subject sections. Each section features a mix of question types. These include Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), assertion-reasoning, short answer, long answer, and case-based questions. The difficulty and format vary within each section.
Exam Statistics
Over 25 lakh students have registered for the Class 10 board exams this year. Of this total, approximately 14 lakh are boys and 10.9 lakh are girls. Students can download their CBSE admit cards from the official CBSE website.
Passing Criteria Clarified
To pass the CBSE board exams, students need a minimum of 33% overall. This percentage applies to all subjects. It includes theory, practicals, and internal assessments. Students must achieve at least a Grade D in subjects with practical components. Both theory and practical components must be completed independently.
Science Exam Weightage
The marks distribution for the Class 10 Science exam is as follows:
| Unit | Topic | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| I | Chemical Substances – Nature & Behaviour | 25 |
| II | World of Living | 25 |
| III | Natural Phenomena | 12 |
| IV | Effects of Current | 13 |
| V | Natural Resources | 5 |
| Total | 80 |