CBSE — Central Board of Secondary Education
A complete guide to the CBSE board for 2026–27 — what it is, the NCERT curriculum, the Class 10 exam pattern and marking scheme, the grading system, and free study material for Class 8–10.
CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) is India's largest national school board, run by the Union Government. It follows the NCERT curriculum, conducts the Class 10 (AISSE) and Class 12 (AISSCE) board exams, and affiliates 28,000+ schools in India plus 240+ abroad. Because its syllabus is the base for JEE and NEET, CBSE is the default choice for entrance-exam aspirants.
What is the CBSE board?
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is a national-level board of education controlled and managed by the Government of India. It prescribes the NCERT syllabus, affiliates thousands of public and private schools — including every Kendriya Vidyalaya and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya — and conducts standardised board examinations at Class 10 and Class 12. Its goal is a single, consistent standard of school education across the whole country.
Key highlights of the CBSE board
- Follows the NCERT curriculum — the same syllabus most JEE and NEET questions are built on.
- Run by the Union Government (Ministry of Education) with a single, uniform national syllabus.
- 28,000+ affiliated schools in India and 240+ abroad, including all Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas.
- Board examinations offered in both English and Hindi mediums.
- Structured around the NEP 2020 5+3+3+4 model — Foundational, Preparatory, Middle and Secondary stages.
- Competency- and application-based question papers aligned with the latest 2026–27 pattern.
- Continuous internal assessment alongside a single year-end board exam.
- A strong digital ecosystem with free NCERT textbooks and resources.
CBSE Class 10 board exam (AISSE)
The CBSE Class 10 exam — officially the All India Secondary School Examination (AISSE) — is held once a year in a pen-and-paper format. To appear, a student must have passed Class 9 and completed a year of Class 10 study at an affiliated school. For most students it is their first board exam, so building strong conceptual understanding and steady practice through the year matters far more than last-minute cramming.
CBSE exam pattern & marking scheme
For most main subjects, CBSE Class 10 carries 80 marks for the written board (theory) exam and 20 marks for internal assessment, for a total of 100. A student needs at least 33% to pass each subject. Here is how the 100 marks break down (the exact split can vary for practical-heavy subjects):
| Component | Marks | How it is assessed |
|---|---|---|
| Theory (board exam) | 80 | Written year-end paper set by CBSE |
| Internal assessment | 20 | Assessed by the school across the year |
| — Periodic test | 10 | Average of the best two of three tests |
| — Notebook submission | 5 | Regularity, neatness and completion |
| — Subject enrichment | 5 | Practicals, speaking/listening or projects |
CBSE grading system
CBSE reports each subject on a 9-point grade scale using relative (positional) grading. Rather than fixed percentage bands, the passed candidates in a subject are divided into eight equal groups, and grades are assigned from the top down. This is how the grades map to performance:
| Grade | Based on |
|---|---|
| A1 | Top 1/8th of passed candidates in the subject |
| A2 | Next 1/8th of passed candidates |
| B1 | Next 1/8th of passed candidates |
| B2 | Next 1/8th of passed candidates |
| C1 | Next 1/8th of passed candidates |
| C2 | Next 1/8th of passed candidates |
| D1 | Next 1/8th of passed candidates |
| D2 | Next 1/8th of passed candidates |
| E | Below the qualifying standard (essential repeat) |
Free CBSE study material
Chapter-wise, exam-ready material for CBSE Class 8–10 Maths & Science — all free.
How Classmate AI helps you prepare
Classmate AI is a free-to-start AI tutor for CBSE Class 8–10 Maths and Science, aligned to the NCERT 2026–27 syllabus. Instead of just handing over answers, it teaches the way a great teacher does — asking the right questions, step by step.
- Chapter-wise important questions, notes, MCQs and previous-year questions.
- Socratic, one-to-one explanations that build real understanding.
- Smart practice that targets the topics you are weakest on.
- Instant, exam-style feedback on your written attempts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the CBSE board?
CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) is India's largest national school board, run by the Union Government. It follows the NCERT curriculum and conducts the Class 10 (AISSE) and Class 12 (AISSCE) board examinations for over 28,000 affiliated schools in India and 240+ abroad.What is the full form of CBSE?
The full form of CBSE is the Central Board of Secondary Education. It is a national-level board of education for public and private schools, controlled and managed by the Government of India.Which curriculum does CBSE follow?
CBSE follows the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) curriculum. NCERT textbooks form the core syllabus for every CBSE class, which is why CBSE preparation overlaps so closely with national entrance exams.Is CBSE good for JEE and NEET?
Yes. JEE and NEET are both based on the NCERT syllabus that CBSE follows, so CBSE students study almost exactly the concepts these exams test. This close alignment is the main reason CBSE is popular with students targeting engineering and medical entrances.What is the CBSE Class 10 exam pattern?
For most main subjects, CBSE Class 10 carries 80 marks for the written board (theory) exam and 20 marks for internal assessment, totalling 100. The internal 20 is split into a periodic test (10), notebook submission (5) and subject enrichment activity (5). A student needs at least 33% to pass each subject.How is CBSE Class 10 graded?
CBSE grades each subject on a 9-point scale — A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, D2 and E — using relative (positional) grading. Passed candidates in a subject are divided into eighths, so A1 is the top one-eighth, A2 the next, and so on down to E.Can CBSE students choose their own subjects?
Yes, within the options a school offers. CBSE provides a wide range of subjects and, from Class 11, distinct Science, Commerce and Humanities streams, giving students flexibility to match subjects to their goals.Does Classmate AI cover the CBSE board?
Yes. Classmate AI is a free-to-start AI tutor for CBSE Class 8–10 Maths and Science, aligned to the NCERT 2026–27 syllabus. It teaches step by step and gives chapter-wise important questions, notes, MCQs and previous-year practice.
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