CBSE Class 10 and 12 sample papers 2027 released: what changes for board exam aspirants

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) today, September 22, 2026, released subject-wise sample papers and marking schemes for the Class 10 and 12 Board Examinations 2027. These resources are available on the official CBSE academic website, cbseacademic.nic.in, to guide students and educators for the upcoming academic session 2026-27.

The release aims to provide a broad template for ensuring uniformity, proper coverage of curricula, and a clear understanding of the question paper design. This initiative is intended to promote the application of concepts in real-life through classroom teaching and learning activities, according to an official CBSE notice.

Board Exam Pattern and Passing Criteria

For the academic session 2026-27, there has been no change in the question paper design and assessment pattern for both Class 10 and 12 board examinations. The passing criteria will also remain consistent with those applicable during the academic session 2025-26, requiring candidates to secure a minimum of 33 percent marks to pass the exams.

The official notice states that Sample Question Papers (SQPs) and Marking Schemes (MS) are issued for classes X and XII to provide a broad understanding of the question paper design. These documents include details on time, maximum marks, and general instructions for the examinations.

Accessing Sample Papers

Students can download the Class 10 and 12 sample papers and marking schemes from the CBSE’s official website, cbseacademic.nic.in. For Class 10, direct access is available via https://cbseacademic.nic.in/SQP_CLASSX_2026-27.html. Class 12 sample papers are also accessible on cbseacademic.nic.in under the link ‘Sample Question Papers for Classes X & XII for the current Academic Session 2026- 27 – reg.’, where the link displays three tabs: subject, sample question paper, and marking scheme.

For Class 10, CBSE has provided sample papers and marking schemes for subjects including Science, Social Science, Mathematics Basic, Mathematics Standard, English, and Hindi, among others. For Class 12, papers are available for subjects such as Accountancy, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, and English, along with several additional subjects. Queries or feedback regarding the sample papers can be sent to cbsesqp@cbseshiksha.in.

Class 10 and 12 Board Exam Structure for 2027

Starting from the academic session 2025-26, Class 10 board exams will feature two attempts within one academic year. Board Exam 1 is compulsory for every Class 10 student and is expected to be held from mid-February to early March 2027. Board Exam 2 is optional, allowing students to appear for improvement or compartment exams, typically scheduled for May-June 2027. The final marksheet for Class 10 will reflect the best of the two attempt scores. The internal assessment of 20 marks for Class 10 continues from the first exam and is unlikely to be retaken for the second attempt.

Class 12 continues with a single board exam per subject. Improvement exams for Class 12 are usually offered around May-June 2027, following the declaration of the main results. Subjects without practicals generally carry 80 marks for theory and 20 marks for internal assessment, while practical-based papers have 70 marks for theory plus practical components.

Half Yearly Exams and Preparation Resources

CBSE Half Yearly Question Papers 2026-27 serve as practice exam papers for students in classes 9 to 12 for mid-term or first-term exams. These exams are typically held in all CBSE schools across India between September and October. While half yearly sample papers are not available on the official CBSE website, they can be downloaded from other sources.

For Class 10, half yearly sample papers for subjects like Maths, Science, English, Hindi, and Social Science cover the first term syllabus, each with an 80-mark paper. Class 12 half yearly sample papers for science, commerce, and arts streams also follow the first term syllabus. For instance, Class 12 Physics half yearly sample papers cover electrostatics and current electricity, with a 70-mark paper, and Class 12 Chemistry papers cover topics like chemical kinetics and electrochemistry, also with a 70-mark paper. Class 12 English papers include reading comprehension, writing tasks, grammar, and literature, with an 80-mark paper.

Several external resources, such as Physics Wallah (PW), offer CBSE Class 10 sample papers. These include 15 board-style level-wise papers, past 5 years’ trend analysis, cheat sheets, most probable questions, and answering templates. PW’s offerings also include solved papers for 2024 and 2025, with separate sample papers for Science, Maths, Social Science, English, Hindi, and Computer, designed with easy, medium, and hard difficulty levels. These resources also provide over 100 marking stickers and a marks breakdown table to aid student preparation.

Further reading

• CBSE Class 12 Accountancy sample paper 2026-27 out: download for board exam preparation
• CBSE Class 10 Maths sample paper 2027-27 expected by end of September
• CBSE Class 12 Economics sample paper 2026-27 out: download free PDFs
• CBSE Class 12 Biology sample paper 2026-27 released for download
• CBSE Class 10 and 12 Board Exams 2027 LOC process begins: check fees and dates

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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