CBSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025: Check latest CBSE Class 10 Pattern, Marking Scheme

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) released the CBSE 10th exam pattern 2025 on its official website - cbse.gov.in. Students must refer to the latest CBSE exam pattern 2024-25 class 10 & marking scheme while preparing for the board exams.

Twinkle GuptaUpdated on : Jan 17 2025 15:16 IST

CBSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025: The CBSE Board has released the class exam pattern for Class 10 on the official website. Students appearing for the annual board exams can download the marking scheme for class 10 cbse 2024-25 for all subjects at cbse.gov.in. In this article, students can check the latest Class 10th exam pattern for important subjects including Mathematics, Science, English, Social Science & Hindi.

As per the latest CBSE exam pattern 2024-25 class 10, 50% of the questions will be competency-based (MCQs, source-based questions, case study-based questions, etc.), 20% of the questions will be MCQs and 30% of the questions will be short/long answer type questions. Through the revised exam pattern, the board aims to ensure that students focus less on rote learning and more on understanding the concepts. Students are advised to go through the latest CBSE 10th syllabus 2025 to study for the board examinations.

Also Read:

CBSE Class 10 Exams 2025

CBSE class 10 Question Papers 2025

CBSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025

Students must develop a clear understanding of the current CBSE 10th pattern 2024-2025 and then prepare for the exams accordingly:

The CBSE exam for each subject will be 100 marks where the theory paper will carry 80 marks and the internal assessments will be of 20 marks.
Students must note that they need to score a minimum of 33% in every subject and overall to qualify for the CBSE board exams.
There are a total of 5 compulsory subjects that students have to appear for in the CBSE 10th board exams 2025, these include Mathematics, English, Science, Social Science, and Hindi.
Students are required to cover the entire syllabus of class 10 for their respective subjects for the CBSE board examination 2025
The CBSE board exams 2025 will be conducted in the offline mode and the duration of each exam will be 3 hours.

CBSE Exam Pattern 2024-25 Class 10

Particular

Academic session 2024-25

(No change from the previous academic session)

Composition of question paper for year-end board examination (Theory Subjects)

Competency-focused questions in the form of MCQs/ case-based questions, source-based integrated questions or any other type = 50%
Select response type questions (MCQ) = 20%
Constructed response questions (short answer/long answer type questions, as per existing pattern) = 30%

Aspect	Details
Exam Structure and Paper Format	- Combines objective (MCQs) and subjective (short and long-answer) questions.
	- Question papers are divided into sections for comprehensive assessment.
	- Evaluates both theoretical understanding and practical application.
Marking Scheme and Topic-wise Weightage	- Mathematics: Emphasis on Algebra, Trigonometry, and Geometry due to significant marks allocation.
	- Science: Key areas include Physics (Light, Electricity), Chemistry (Carbon and its Compounds), and Biology (Life Processes, Control, and Coordination).
	- Social Science: Varied weightage across History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics. Prioritisation based on topic-wise marks distribution is crucial.
Internal Assessments and Practical Examinations	- Internal assessments contribute 20 marks, comprising periodic tests, notebook submissions, and subject enrichment activities (e.g., lab work, project presentations).
Internal Assessments and Practical Examinations	- Main exam accounts for 80 marks.

CBSE 10th Exam Pattern 2025: Mathematics (Basic)

Sections in the question paper	Number of Questions	Marks per Question	Weightage (in terms of Marks)
Section A (MCQs)	20	1	20
Section B (Short Anwer Type-I)	5	2	10
Section C (Short Anwer Type-II)	6	3	18
Section D (Long Answer Type)	4	5	20
Section E (Source-based/case-based/passage-based)	3	4	12
TOTAL MARKS			80

Unit and Topic	Weightage (in terms of marks)
Unit 1: Number Systems	6
Unit 2: Algebra	20
Unit 3: Coordinate Geometry	6
Unit 4: Geometry	15
Unit 5: Trigonometry	12
Unit 6: Mensuration	10
Unit 7: Statistics and Probability	11
TOTAL MARKS (THEORY)	80
TOTAL MARKS (INTERNAL ASSESSMENT)	20
GRAND TOTAL	100

Sections in the question paper	Number of Questions	Marks per Question	Weightage (in terms of Marks)
Section A (Objective Type Questions)	20	1	20
Section B (Very Short Answer Type Questions)	6	2	12
Section C (Short Answer Type Questions)	7	3	21
Section D (Long Answer Type Questions)	3	5	15
Section E (Source-based/case-based questions)	3	4	12
TOTAL MARKS			80

Unit and Topic	Weightage (in terms of marks)
Unit 1: Chemical Substances: Nature and Behaviour	25
Unit 2: World of Living	25
Unit 3: Natural Phenomena	12
Unit 4: Effects of Current	13
Unit 5: Natural Resources	5
TOTAL MARKS (THEORY)	80
TOTAL MARKS (INTERNAL ASSESSMENT)	20
GRAND TOTAL	100

Sections in the question paper	Number of Questions	Marks per Question	Weightage (in terms of Marks)
Section A (MCQs)	20	1	20
Section B (Very Short Answer Type)	4	2	8
Section C (Short Answer Type)	5	3	15
Section D (Long Answer Type)	4	5	20
Section E (Case-based Questions)	3	4	12
Section F (Map)	1	5	5
TOTAL MARKS			80

Unit and Topic	Weightage (in terms of marks)
Unit 1: India and Contemporary World II	20
Unit 2: Contemporary India II	20
Unit 3: Democratic Politics II	20
Unit 4: Understanding Economic Development	20
TOTAL MARKS (THEORY)	80
TOTAL MARKS (INTERNAL ASSESSMENT)	20
GRAND TOTAL	100

Sections in the question paper	Weightage (in terms of Marks)
Section A: Reading	20
Section B: Writing and Grammar	20
Section C: Literature	40
TOTAL MARKS (THEORY)	80
TOTAL MARKS (INTERNAL ASSESSMENT)	20
GRAND TOTAL	100

Sections in the question paper	Weightage (in terms of marks)
Reading (Unseen Passages)	10
Writing and Grammar	16
Literature	14
Descriptive Answers	20
Writing	20
TOTAL MARKS (THEORY)	80
TOTAL MARKS (INTERNAL ASSESSMENT)	20
GRAND TOTAL	100

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the new CBSE 10th exam pattern 2025?

As per the latest CBSE 10th exam pattern, 50% of the questions will be competency-based (MCQs, source-based questions, case study-based questions, etc.), 20% of the questions will be MCQs and 30% of the questions will be short/long answer type questions.

What are the minimum marks required for passing the CBSE 10th exams 2025?

Students must secure a minimum of 33% marks in each subject and overall in order to pass the CBSE board examination 2025.

What are the CBSE 10th exam dates 2025?

The CBSE 10th board exams will start on February 15, 2025 as per the officials.

Has CBSE changed the marks weightage of the internal assessments?

No, the students must note that CBSE has not made any changes to the marks weightage of the internal assessments. The internal assessments carry 20 marks as before.