CBSE clarifies Class 10 passing criteria for 2026-27

October 5, 2026 /Posted byPrajwal EW / 0

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that there is no change in the passing criteria for the 2026-27 Class 10 examination. Students will need to secure a minimum of 33 per cent marks overall in a subject, combining internal assessment and external examination marks.

The clarification follows confusion over a recent CBSE circular, which stated that students must secure 33 per cent marks separately in external and internal assessments.

At a CBSE webinar, an official said that Class 10 students need to score 33 per cent when their internal assessment and external examination marks are combined. He said a proposal to introduce a separate 33 per cent passing requirement for the external examination had been withdrawn.

CBSE said the 80:20 assessment pattern for Class 10 will continue from the previous academic year. The board also reiterated that there is no change in the question paper design or assessment pattern for 2026-27, and that the passing criteria will remain the same as in 2025-26.

For Class 12, students must continue to secure at least 33 per cent marks separately in internal and external assessments to pass a subject.

CBSE will also issue Sample Question Papers and Marking Schemes for Classes 10 and 12 to provide a template for board examinations and ensure uniformity in assessment.

Inputs from Indian Express

Also Read: Union ministry of education plans nationwide CBT infrastructure for NEET

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“Most schools never consciously chose their basic unit. They inherited one from the past: the class. With the class as the focus, the things that happen between people get squeezed out: the apprentice learning alongside someone skilled, the child taught where they are rather than where the class is, and the daily practice of getting along with people they did not choose. The most promising new schools are organising themselves around the individual child rather than the class. A better approach is to group children by readiness in each subject and change those groups as they progress. Communication, collaboration and handling disagreement need daily practice. In a school built around individual progress, teachers get time back to observe, diagnose, mentor and step in where they are most needed. Most teachers entered the profession to make a difference to children. Many spend their careers managing classes instead. The best new schools offer them a system that finally lets them do the work they signed up for.”

- Rahul Raghavan, Economic Times, (27/10)

“Prevention begins with understanding young people, their struggles and the environments in which they grow up. A sense of belonging, nurturing relationships and meaningful social interactions can play a crucial role in protecting adolescents from substance abuse. When young people feel connected to their families, schools and communities, they are more likely to develop healthy coping mechanisms, make informed choices and seek help when needed. Parents, teachers and community leaders must work together to create supportive spaces where adolescents feel heard, valued and understood. Schools must go beyond academic achievement to foster inclusion, emotional wellbeing and genuine relationships. Ultimately, preventing substance abuse requires looking beyond individual behaviour and recognising the influence of the relationships and communities that shape young lives.”

- Navdeep Aggarwal, Economic Times, (22/10)

CBSE clarifies Class 10 passing criteria for 2026-27

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