How to Download CBSE Previous Year Question Papers Class 10th, 12th?
Students willing to know how to download CBSE previous year question papers for class 10th and 12th can check the instructions to download CBSE PYQ, along with where to get CBSE sample paper PDF for previous year questions that will help them to know the exam pattern, important topics, and boost time management for better scores.
CBSE Board Exam 2026 Previous Year Question Papers: The Central Board of Secondary Education released the CBSE class 10 and 12 sample papers for students every year. Students who want to improve their overall exam preparation are recommended to download and solve the CBSE sample papers for class 10 and 12. Moreover, students should also download CBSE previous year question papers for class 10th and 12th and practice them to know the type of questions & frequently asked questions and boost their confidence. The class 10 and 12 CBSE previous year question papers will further help students to understand the exam pattern & the type of questions asked in the board examination.
The Central Board of Secondary Education announced the CBSE Date Sheet 2026 on its website. The CBSE Board class 10th exams 2026 were held from February 17 and March 11, 2026 and CBSE Class 12th exams 2026 took place between February 17 and April 10, 2026, in pen and paper format.
On this page, we have provided the direct links to download the CBSE Class 10, 12 previous years question papers, the benefits of practising them and more.
- How to download Previous Year CBSE Question Papers online?
- Is Practising Previous Year CBSE Question Papers Beneficial?
- CBSE Exam 2026 Preparation Tips for 10th and 12th
How to download Previous Year CBSE Question Papers online?
Students may check and download the previous year CBSE question papers following the instructions below:
- Go to the official website of the board, i.e., cbse.gov.in.
- On the homepage, navigate and click on the ‘board examination’ link
- Go to the ‘Previous years question papers’.
- The CBSE 10th question paper link/ CBSE 12th question paper link will be displayed
- Select the desired question papers from the links provided
- Select the subject of choice
- Download and practice the previous year's CBSE question papers
Commonly asked questions
CBSE has introduced major changes in the CBSE Class 10 exam pattern. From this year, the exam will be conducted in two phases. This reduces the exam stress and provides improvement opportunities within the same academic cycle. The Social Science and Science question papers will be divided into sections.
- Science: Physics, Chemistry, Biology
- Social Science: History, Geography, Political Science, Economics Students will answer section-wise, and evaluation will be done by subject- specific teachers.
CBSE 10th Sample Question papers are released officially and can be downloaded from the official website- cbseacademic.ac.in. The CBSE Class 10 SQPs for previous years are available on this page too. Students can download the same from the links below.
These sample question papers will help students know the difficulty level of the exam. These will also help them manage time while answering paper.
Yes, CBSE released the subject-wise sample papers for CBSE 10th 2026 board exams on the official website. Students can check and download the same here.
It is advised that students practice the CBSE Class 10 question papers 2026 for better preperation of the examinations. They make one familiar with the exam pattern, marking scheme, different types of questions asked in the exam and more.
CBSE 10th question paper format has been revised. The exam carries 80 marks theory paper which is divided in 5 sections-A to E. The paper includes around 30-38 questions carrying a mix of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5-mark answers.
| Component | Weightage | Details |
|---|---|---|
Competency-Based Questions | 50% | These include case-based questions, source-based integrated questions, application-driven MCQs. This test understanding of real-life contexts rather than memory recall. |
Objective-Type Questions | 20% | Standard objective questions that is designed to assess conceptual clarity quickly and precisely |
Short & Long Answer Questions | 30% | Traditional short and long answer questions is now reduced in weightage |
Is Practising Previous Year CBSE Question Papers Beneficial?
The CBSE Board Exams 2026 Class 10, 12 will be conducted in February/ March. While completing the CBSE 10th Syllabus 2026/ CBSE 12th Syllabus 2026 is important, one of the vital parts of the CBSE Board Exam 2026 preparation journey is also to solve previous year CBSE question papers. Solving CBSE previous year question papers class 10 will help them to score good marks and also boost their confidence for the examination.
Practising CBSE previous year question papers plays a vital role in one's performance in CBSE Board Exams 2026. Solving question papers helps students understand topics with maximum weightage, marking scheme, types of questions, and year-on-year difficulty level of the CBSE question papers. The Board provides previous year question papers of all subjects online through its official website, i.e. cbse.gov.in. Download previous year CBSE question papers online through the official website.
CBSE Exam 2026 Preparation Tips for 10th and 12th
Students should create a proper timetable for the CBSE Class 10 and 12 exams 2026 and follow it regularly. Before starting their preparation, it is important to understand the complete CBSE syllabus 2026 and focus on the topics that need to be covered. For the CBSE 12th exam, more than 90% of the questions are from NCERT books, so students must study NCERT thoroughly and clear all their doubts for better preparation. Further, students must solve CBSE previous year question papers to ensure they secure good marks in the board exam.

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