CBSE conducted the CBSE Class 10 English exam on February 21 from 10.30 AM to 1.30 PM. The English paper was moderate in terms of difficulty. Scroll down to read CBSE 10th Class English paper analysis 2026.
CBSE Class 10 English Exam Analysis 2026; Check Difficulty Level
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducted the CBSE Class 10 English exam on February 21 from 10.30 AM to 1.30 PM. The English paper was moderate in terms of difficulty. Mostly questions were based on CBSE 10 th syllabus of NCERT level. The reading and writing sections were manageable. The literature section included direct questions from prescribed chapters. CBSE Class 10 English overall exam 2026 was a balanced paper.
CBSE Class 10 English exam evaluates students across reading, writing, grammar, and literature sections. CBSE Class 10 English question paper 2026 was designed to assess comprehension, expression, and understanding of prescribed texts. Students were required to answer both objective and descriptive questions within three hours. Read below for more details on CBSE Class 10 English exam analysis 2026.
- CBSE 10th Class English Exam Analysis 2026 by Experts
- CBSE Class 10 English Exam Pattern 2026
- CBSE Class 10 English Question Paper Format 2026
- How is CBSE Class 10 Exam Analysis 2026 Useful?
CBSE 10th Class English Exam Analysis 2026 by Experts
We have provided below CBSE Class 10 English paper analysis 2026 by experts.
Vinnita Maheshwari, subject matter expert, Lancers Army Schools said, "The English paper was moderate to easy .Most of the questions were directly based on the prescribed syllabus. The comprehension was scoring. A few question required analytical thinking ,however nothing was out of syllabus."
Gitanjali, Subject matter expert, Seth M. R. Jaipuria schools said, "The Class 10 English Language and Literature paper was a balanced. The overall difficulty was moderate."
Ravisha Bhargava Educator Senior Years Shiv Nadar School Noida said, "The short-answer questions were slightly challenging. The reading comprehension section was straightforward and easy to attempt. The grammar section ranged from easy to moderate in difficulty. The writing section included an analytical paragraph and letter writing. The literature section comprised a balanced mix of direct and extrapolatory questions"
Ms Gurpreet Kaur, TGT English, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Lucknow, "The overall question paper was easy to moderate in difficulty level, maintaining a balanced approach between competency-based and concept-driven questions."
Rachana Takshak, HOD English, DPS Sector 45 Gurugram said, "The English paper was overall clear, balanced, and student-friendly. Most students found the paper direct and manageable. However, a few variations were observed. The pattern of the Reading section differed slightly from the model issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education. In Writing Skills, a Factual Description of a Place was included, though the syllabus specifies Person/Object. In Grammar, the jumbled sentence question contained two separate sentences without punctuation, making the structure unclear."
Also Read: CBSE 10th Syllabus 2026
Commonly asked questions
Students appearing for CBSE 10th Board Exam must understand the strategy to utilize thedate sheet for preparation.
- Prepare a subject-wise list for CBSE Class 10, 12
- Know your subject-wise strengths and weakness
- Make Notes for Revision
- Don't forget to test yourself!
Yes, the board gives sufficient preparation leaves to students for the exams. Students are advised to finish the CBSE 10th syllabus, and know the exam pattern before the exams begin. They must also solve, analyse and practice the previous years question papers and CBSE 10th sample papers to be better prepared for the exams. Make notes of all important points while studying and get all the doubts cleared with your friends, teachers etc. This will ensure that you're prepared ahead of time and will help reduce the exam anxiety.
CBSE board is strictly against the practise of using any unfair means during the examinations. The board is actively working to prevent and discourage any malpractice during board examinations every year.
So, you are advised to go through the CBSE 10th syllabus and solve as many previous years question papers and sample papers to avoid cheating during the CBSE 10th board exams.
You can go through the article below to check the penalties for cheating during board exams:
CBSE Class 10 English Exam Pattern 2026
According to CBSE exam pattern, the paper carried 80 marks. The remaining 20 marks are allotted for internal assessment conducted by schools. The paper is divided into three sections. CBSE 10th exam pattern details are shared below.
- Section A (Reading Skills): 20 Marks across 2 questions
- Section B (Grammar and Creative Writing Skills): 20 Marks across 3 questions
- Section C (Literature): 40 Marks across 6 questions
CBSE Class 10 English Question Paper Format 2026
The section-wise distribution of questions in CBSE Class 10 English question paper is given below.
| Section | Question Numbers | Details | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Reading Skills |
Q1–2 |
Two passages (discursive & factual/case-based) with comprehension Qs |
22 |
| B. Writing Skills |
Q3–6 |
- Q3: Application (3 marks) |
22 |
| C. Grammar |
Q7–9 |
- Q7: Fill in the blanks (3 marks) |
10 |
| D. Literature |
Q10–12 |
- Q10: Extract-based (2 out of 3 extracts, 8 marks) |
26 |
| Total |
Q1–12 |
|
80 |
Commonly asked questions
CBSE does not officially release a merit list for CBSE 10th exam. The board issues merit certificates to the top 0.1% of candidates who pass each subject with the highest marks.
Marking done by CBSE is fair and lenient. After the evaluators are done with the checking, the answer sheet goes for another round of random checking by the supervisor, to ensure it's fairness.
Thus, students must not worry about the strict/lenient checking by the evaluators and focus on completing their syllabus and ensuring that their preparataion strategy is on point so that they do not have to worry about the checking.
For Class 10th, it is considered to be strict. However, it is said that the checking done by evaluators is lenient in comparison to the checking done by them in Class 9, 11 in their schools.
So, if u have covered the entire CBSE 10th syllabus and your preparation is on point, then you must not worry about the strict checking. Also, you can click on the link below to check the CBSE 10th important preparation points.
Top tips to score high in CBSE board exams 2026
Top mistakes students make while preparing for CBSE board exams
CBSE 10th aspirants in All India like these B.Tech colleges
Students like you from All India who showed interest in CBSE 10th also showed interest in these B.Tech colleges
Want better recommendations?
There is a 90% more chance of getting best college recommendations by sharing preferences.
- Chat with our counselor
- Get your personalised list of colleges & exams matching your preferences
How is CBSE Class 10 Exam Analysis 2026 Useful?
Understanding the difficulty level and topics can help in prioritising revision.
- It helps in reviewing section wise difficulty levels
- Identify frequently asked chapters
- Students can learn time management tricks for the next exams
- They can know how much to secure in the exam
News & Updates
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 4 days ago
A spelling error on your Class 10 or 12 marksheets will not cancel your JEE 2027 application, as the NTA form relies on what you type during registration. However, matching names and details across your ID and certificates is critical to avoid verification issues during JoSAA counselling.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
The Assam HSLC routine PDF will be available on the official website, sebaonline.org. Students should download it only from the official site. They should check every date and timing carefully.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
There are four Physics chapters. These are Light: Reflection and Refraction, The Human Eye and the Colourful World, Electricity, and Magnetic Effects of Electric Current.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
No. CBSE does not release a separate Physics PDF for 10th Class. Physics is part of the Science syllabus PDF (code 086). The Physics topics are in Unit III and Unit IV.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Students should follow the four NCERT books. These are India and the Contemporary World-II, Contemporary India-II, Democratic Politics-II and Understanding Economic Development.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Map work carries 5 marks. History has 2 marks and Geography has 3 marks. Students must locate and label places on an outline map of India.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Students get 3 hours to finish the paper. It has 38 questions. Students must answer all of them, but some have an or option. Each section of the paper carries 20 marks.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
The practical exams are expected in January 2027, before the theory papers. In 2026, BSEB held the matric practicals from January 20 to January 22.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
BSEB has not announced a release date yet. The Bihar Board 10th Time Table 2027 is expected soon. Students can download it from biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in once it is out.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
Boys and girls who have passed 10th Class can apply under Mukhyamantri Balak/Balika Protsahan Yojana. They register on the Medhasoft portal with details exactly as printed on their board marksheet.
S
Contributor-Level 10