CBSE Class 12 Exam Pattern 2026-27: Subject-Wise Guide
The CBSE Class 12 exam pattern 2026-27 decides how your 100 marks in each subject are earned: how many questions you will face, how many marks each section carries and how theory marks combine with practical or internal marks. CBSE released the 2026-27 sample question papers and marking schemes on 21 September 2026, and every sample paper carries a note that the question paper design and assessment pattern have not changed.
This guide explains the pattern using those official papers. It covers the paper design, theory and practical marks, the section-wise structure of the main subjects, passing rules and a time plan you can use in the exam hall. Figures come from CBSE documents, and anything indicative is marked as such.
CBSE Class 12 Exam Pattern 2026-27
Particular | Details |
|---|---|
Conducting body | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) |
Session | 2026-27, with theory exams expected from February 2027 (tentative) |
Marks per subject | 100 (theory plus practical, project or internal assessment) |
Theory paper duration | 3 hours |
Mode | Written, pen and paper, at the exam centre |
Question paper design | 50% competency-focused, 20% select-response (MCQs), 30% constructed-response (short and long answers) |
Negative marking | None |
Calculators | Not allowed in the Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry sample papers |
Attempts | One main exam, with a supplementary exam normally held in July |
Pass mark | 33% in each subject, with theory and practical counted separately where a practical exists |
Latest Updates on the Pattern
These updates are current as of 30 September 2026.
No change in design: The 2026-27 sample papers for Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Core, Accountancy, Business Studies and Economics all state that the question paper design and assessment pattern are unchanged.
Sample papers and marking schemes are out: CBSE published them for every Class XII subject on 21 September 2026 on its Academic Unit website.
Date sheet awaited: CBSE has not yet published the Class 12 date sheet. Dates will appear on cbse.gov.in.
One main exam for Class 12: The second board exam that CBSE ran for Class 10 in 2026 does not apply to Class 12. You get one main exam and a supplementary exam.
CBSE raised competency-focused questions from 40% to 50% and cut constructed-response questions from 40% to 30% from the 2024-25 session. Older pages may still show the earlier split, so follow the official sample papers.
Question Paper Design
Every theory paper is built on the same three-part composition, although the exact split varies slightly by subject.
Question type | Share of paper | Includes |
|---|---|---|
Competency-focused | 50% | MCQs, case-based, source-based and integrated questions |
Select-response | 20% | Plain MCQs |
Constructed-response | 30% | Short-answer and long-answer questions |
Theory and Practical Marks by Subject
Each subject is worth 100 marks, but the theory and practical split depends on the subject group.
Subject group | Examples | Theory | Practical or internal |
|---|---|---|---|
Languages and humanities | English, Hindi, History, Political Science, Sociology, Legal Studies | 80 | 20 internal assessment |
Mathematics | Mathematics, Applied Mathematics | 80 | 20 internal assessment |
Commerce and Economics | Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics | 80 | 20 practical (project work) |
Sciences and similar subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Psychology, Computer Science, Informatics Practices, Physical Education | 70 | 30 practical |
Arts and performing arts | Painting, Graphics, Sculpture, Dance | 30 | 70 practical |
Skill electives | Most Group S subjects | 60 | 40 practical (some subjects are 50 and 50) |
Section-Wise Pattern of Key Subjects
The tables below are built from the official 2026-27 sample papers. Use them to know what each section rewards before you start practising.
Physics, Chemistry and Biology (70 marks, 33 questions)
All three Science papers share one structure. All questions are compulsory, and there is no overall choice.
Section | Questions | Marks each | Type | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A | 16 | 1 | 12 MCQs and 4 assertion-reason questions | 16 |
B | 5 | 2 | Very short answer | 10 |
C | 7 | 3 | Short answer | 21 |
D | 2 | 4 | Case-based | 8 |
E | 3 | 5 | Long answer | 15 |
Total | 33 | 70 |
Internal choice is limited. The Physics sample paper offers it in two Section B questions, one Section C question and all three Section E questions. Chemistry and Biology give choices in selected questions, so read the instructions on the paper.
Mathematics (80 marks, 38 questions)
Section | Questions | Marks each | Type | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A | 20 | 1 | 18 MCQs and 2 assertion-reason questions | 20 |
B | 5 | 2 | Very short answer | 10 |
C | 6 | 3 | Short answer | 18 |
D | 4 | 5 | Long answer | 20 |
E | 3 | 4 | Case-study based | 12 |
Total | 38 | 80 |
There is no overall choice. Internal choice appears in two questions of Section B, three of Section C and two of Section D, plus one sub-part in each of two case studies in Section E. The first two case studies split marks as 1, 1 and 2, while the third has two parts of 2 marks each.
English Core (80 marks, 13 questions)
Section | Content | Marks |
|---|---|---|
A: Reading Skills | Two passages worth 12 and 10 marks, with MCQs, short answers and inference questions | 22 |
B: Creative Writing Skills | Two 4-mark items such as a notice and an invitation or reply, and two 5-mark items such as a letter and an article or report | 18 |
C: Literature | Extract-based questions (16 marks), short answers (14 marks) and two long answers of about 120 to 150 words (10 marks), from Flamingo and Vistas | 40 |
Accountancy, Business Studies and Economics (80 marks, 34 questions each)
Subject | 1 mark | 3 marks | 4 marks | 6 marks | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accountancy | 20 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 34 |
Business Studies | 20 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 34 |
Economics | 20 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 34 |
Accountancy: Part A covers partnership firms and companies for 60 marks. In Part B you attempt one of two options, Analysis of Financial Statements or Computerised Accounting, for 20 marks.
Business Studies: The sample paper suggests 50 to 75 words for 3-mark answers, about 150 words for 4 marks and about 200 words for 6 marks.
Economics: The paper has two sections, Macroeconomics and Indian Economic Development. Suggested lengths are 60 to 80 words for 3 marks, 80 to 100 words for 4 marks and 100 to 150 words for 6 marks.
Sample papers for every other subject are listed on the same official page, so check yours before you plan your practice.
Marking Scheme, Internal Choice and Grades
No negative marking: CBSE sample papers and marking schemes carry no provision for deducting marks for wrong answers, so attempt every MCQ.
Marking scheme: CBSE publishes a marking scheme with each sample paper. It shows how marks are allotted to steps and key points, which tells you how much detail an answer needs.
Grades, not percentage: CBSE uses a nine-point scale from A1 to D2 based on rank among passed candidates, and E means essential repeat. It does not award an aggregate percentage.
Practical and Internal Assessment Marks
These marks are awarded by your school under CBSE guidelines, and they are usually the easiest to secure.
Subject | How the 30 practical marks are split |
|---|---|
Physics | Two experiments (7 + 7), practical record (5), one activity (3), investigatory project (3), viva (5) |
Chemistry | Volumetric analysis (8), salt analysis (8), content-based experiment (6), project work (4), record and viva (4) |
Biology | Major experiment (5), minor experiment (4), slide preparation (5), spotting (7), record and viva (4), project with viva (5) |
Computer Science | Lab test with Python program and SQL queries (12), report file (7), project (8), viva (3) |
In Mathematics, the 20 internal marks come from periodic tests (10) and activities (10). Commerce subjects carry a 20-mark project, and English Core splits its 20 internal marks into listening (5), speaking (5) and project work (10). Your CBSE Class 12 syllabus guide lists the units behind each paper.
Passing Criteria
CBSE's Scheme of Examinations and Pass Criteria requires 33% in each subject. In a subject with a practical, you need 33% in theory and 33% in practical separately, and 33% in aggregate. A strong practical score cannot cover a weak theory paper, or the other way round.
Format | Theory minimum (indicative) | Practical or internal minimum (indicative) |
|---|---|---|
80 theory + 20 internal | 26 out of 80 | 7 out of 20 |
70 theory + 30 practical | 23 out of 70 | 10 out of 30 |
These minimums apply 33% and round to the nearest mark. They are not an official table, so confirm the exact wording in the CBSE Examination Bye-laws. A student who fails one of the five main subjects can take the supplementary exam in that subject, and a student who passed the practical carries those marks forward and appears only in theory.
What the Pattern Means for You
Half the paper rewards application: Case-based, source-based and assertion-reason questions make up the competency-focused half. Practise them weekly instead of only rereading the NCERT text.
Full syllabus coverage is essential: There is no overall choice, and internal choice appears in only a few questions. Skipping a chapter costs guaranteed marks.
Middle sections decide the score: In the Science papers, Sections B and C together carry 31 of 70 marks. Clear, stepwise short answers earn more than long but loose ones.
Match answer length to marks: Follow the word guides in the sample papers, and use the marking scheme to see which points earn each mark.
Protect practical marks: Keep your record file current from the start of the session, because the practical has its own pass requirement.
A suggested time plan for a 70-mark Science paper
This plan is our suggestion, not a CBSE rule. It keeps 20 minutes for checking, which is where careless errors get caught.
Section | Marks | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|
A (MCQs and assertion-reason) | 16 | 30 minutes |
B (2-mark questions) | 10 | 20 minutes |
C (3-mark questions) | 21 | 45 minutes |
D (case-based) | 8 | 20 minutes |
E (long answer) | 15 | 45 minutes |
Review | - | 20 minutes |
For the 80-mark Mathematics paper, a similar split is about 30 minutes for Section A, 20 for B, 35 for C, 50 for D, 25 for E and 20 for review.
Official Sources
Download every subject's sample paper and marking scheme from the CBSE Class XII sample paper page, and the full curriculum from the official curriculum 2026-27 page. If CBSE or your school announces a change, the circular on the CBSE website is the final word.
Frequently Asked Questions
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