CBSE Class 10 English Board Exam 2026 Analysis: Balanced Paper Boosts Student Confidence

CBSE 10th Board Exam for English was conducted on 21st February 2026 from 10:30 am to 1:30 am. Experts assessed it as moderately difficult. Find section-analysis of the exam paper in this article.

The Central Board of Secondary Education successfully conducted the CBSE Class 10 English Board Exam on February 21, 2026, for the 2025-26 academic session. The 10th board English exam was conducted from 10:30 am to 1:30 am. Education experts and subject teachers have described the CBSE 10th Board English exam as moderate, well-structured, and largely aligned with the prescribed NCERT syllabus. A majority of students were reportedly able to attempt all questions comfortably within the three-hour duration for the 80-mark paper. Find a detailed section-wise analysis of the exam ahead.

CBSE 10th Board Exam 2026: Key Highlights from English Paper

Post-examination reviews from experienced educators indicate that the CBSE 10th Board English question paper followed the expected pattern without any surprises. The focus remained on reading comprehension, grammar application, writing skills, and literature understanding, with questions designed to assess practical language use and analytical ability rather than memorised facts.

Section-Wise Expert Analysis of CBSE Class 10 English Exam

Reading Comprehension (20 marks): Both unseen passages were considered student-friendly. The factual passage included an Assertion-Reason type item, while the discursive passage featured mostly direct questions. Teachers noted that careful reading and basic inference skills were sufficient for scoring well in this section of the CBSE 10th Board English paper.

Grammar and Writing Skills (20 marks): Grammar exercises were uniform across different sets and tested standard topics. A small punctuation inconsistency in one reported speech question was pointed out by some analysts, though it did not significantly impact overall difficulty. The writing component comprised a formal Letter to the Editor and a descriptive/analytical paragraph based on given cues. Clear instructions on word limits and format helped students structure their responses effectively in the CBSE Class 10 English Board Exam.

Literature (40 marks): Questions were drawn exclusively from the NCERT First Flight and Footprints Without Feet textbooks. Short-answer questions showed minor variations between sets, but extract-based and long-answer questions remained consistent. Emphasis was placed on themes, character sketches, poetic devices, and message interpretation, making this section rewarding for students who had engaged deeply with classroom discussions and textbook exercises during CBSE 10th Board preparations.

Educator Perspectives on CBSE 10th English Board Exam Difficulty

Subject experts praised the CBSE 10th Board English exam for its balanced distribution of easy, moderate, and application-based questions. Mahima Dudeja, PGT English at JAIN International Residential School, Bengaluru, called it a fair and syllabus-conforming paper that prioritised comprehension and expression. Dr Alka Kapur, Principal of Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, observed that both English Language and Literature as well as Communicative variants were approachable. Ms Shilpa Soota from Satya School, Gurugram, highlighted the consistent difficulty level across all sets and the absence of out-of-syllabus content in the CBSE Class 10 English Board Exam 2026.

• The CBSE 10th Board English paper adhered strictly to the latest sample paper pattern released by the board.
• All sets maintained parity in structure, length, and cognitive demand.
• No questions appeared beyond the prescribed CBSE syllabus for Class 10 English.
• Most candidates reported adequate time to revise and present neat answers.

The CBSE has not yet released the official answer key or marking scheme for the CBSE 10th Board English exam conducted on February 21, 2026, as the exams are already underway.

Upcoming CBSE 10th Board Exams

Click here for the official class X revised date sheet PDF

With the CBSE Class 10 English exam completed, students now turn their attention to the remaining subjects in the ongoing CBSE 10th Board examinations for the 2025-26 session. The Central Board of Secondary Education has scheduled the main Phase-1 theory exams from February 17 to March 11, 2026, with all papers held from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. The following table lists key upcoming major and other subjects after February 21, 2026, based on the official revised timetable.

Written by Aayush Kukreja

Aayush is a writer and content strategist who turns personal stories into brand narratives. With an experience spanning diverse industries, rely on his writing for simplifying complex subjects & get in-depth insights - always with sharp wit.

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