
MSBSHSE released the Maharashtra HSC exam pattern 2026 for all the subjects. The exam is conducted offline in pen and paper mode. It carries very objective, short, and long-answer questions. Maharashtra exam pattern highlights the overall structure of the exam. Maharashtra HSC exam is divided into 80-mark theory paper and 20 are allotted to internal assessments. Total marks allotted to the test are 600. The pass marks in each subject are 35 per cent. Questions in the exam are based on Maharashtra HSC syllabus. Students must practice Maharashtra HSC previous years question papers to understand the nature of questions. Read below for more details on Maharashtra HSC exam pattern.
- Maharashtra HSC Exam Pattern 2026
- Subject-wise Maharashtra Board 12th Class Exam Pattern 2026
- Maharashtra Paper Pattern of HSC 2026 - Marking Scheme
- Maharashtra HSC Exam Sections and Important Topics
- FAQs on Maharashtra HSC Exam Pattern 2026
Maharashtra HSC Exam Pattern 2026
The overview of Maharashtra HSC exam pattern is given below.
| Parameters |
Details |
|---|---|
| Total Subjects |
5 compulsory + One Optional |
| Total marks |
500 or 600 |
| Passing Marks |
35% per subject and aggregate |
| Objective Questions |
25% of total paper |
| Theory marks |
70 to 80 marks |
| Practical Marks |
20-30 marks |
| Exam duration |
3 hours |
Subject-wise Maharashtra Board 12th Class Exam Pattern 2026
| Subject | Total marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| (A) Compulsory Subjects 1. English 2. Environment Education 3. Health and Physical Education Modern Indian Languages 1. Marathi 2. Hindi 3. Gujarati 4. Urdu 5. Kannada 6. Tamil 7. Telugu 8. Malayalam 9. Sindhi 10. Bengali 11. Punjabi Modern Foreign Languages 12. German 13. French 14. Russian 15. Japanese Classical Languages 16. Sanskrit 17. Pali 18. Ardhamagadhi 19. Persian 20. Arabic 21. Avesta-Pahlavi (B)Elective Subjects 1. A Modern Indian Language 2. A Modern Foreign Language 3. A Classical Language 4. Marathi Literature 5. Hindi (Applied) 6. English Literature 7. History 8. Geography 9. Mathematics and Statistics (For Arts and Science) 10. Mathematics and Statistics (For Commerce) 11. Geology 12. Political Science 13. Home Management (For Std. XI only) 14. Food Science (For Std. XI only) 15. Child Development (For Std. XII only) 16. Textiles 17. Sociology 18. Logic 19. Philosophy 20. Psychology 21. Economics 22. Book-keeping and Accountancy 23. Organization of Commerce and Management 24. Secretarial Practice 25. Cooperation 26. Physics 27. Chemistry 28. Biology 29. Drawing 30. Design and Colour 31. Pictorial Composition 32. History of Art and Appreciation 33. History and Development of Indian Music 34. Vocal Light Music 35. Vocal Classical Music 36. Instrumental Music 37. Percussion Instruments 38. Agriculture Science & Technology 39. Animal Science & Technology 40. Defense Studies 41. Education 42. Occupational Orientation i) Library and Information Science ii) Stenography: English, Marathi 43. Information Technology (Science) 44. Information Technology (Arts) 45. Information Technology (Commerce) 46. General Knowledge (for Military schools) |
100 | 3 hours |
| Health and Physical Education | 50 | 1.5 hours |
| Percussion Information Technology |
100 | 2.5 hours |
Maharashtra Paper Pattern of HSC 2026 - Marking Scheme
Students can check below Maharashtra HSC marking scheme.
| Subjects | Number |
|---|---|
| Mathematics and Statistics | 100 (80+20) |
| English | 100 (80+20) |
| Chemistry | 100 (70+30) |
| Biology | 100 (70+30) |
| Physics | 100 (70+30) |
Passing Marks are given below.
| Subject | Total Marks | Theory Marks | Practical / Internal | Passing Marks (Theory) | Passing Marks (Practical) | Overall Passing Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English |
100 |
80 |
20 |
28 |
7 |
35 |
| Physics |
100 |
70 |
30 |
25 |
11 |
35 |
| Chemistry |
100 |
70 |
30 |
25 |
11 |
35 |
| Mathematics |
100 |
80 |
20 |
28 |
7 |
35 |
| Language II (Hindi/Other) |
100 |
80 |
20 |
28 |
7 |
35 |
| Biology |
100 |
70 |
30 |
25 |
11 |
35 |
Maharashtra HSC Exam Sections and Important Topics
Students can check below Maharashtra HSC exam sections and topics below.
Science
| Subject | Topics |
|---|---|
| Physics |
Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetism, Optics, Modern Physics |
| Chemistry |
Physical Chemistry, Organic Reactions, Inorganic Chemistry, Biomolecules, Polymers |
| Biology |
Reproduction, Genetics, Evolution, Human Health, Biotechnology, Ecology |
| Mathematics & Statistics |
Calculus, Vectors, Probability, Linear Programming, Statistics |
| English |
Reading Skills, Writing Skills, Grammar, Literature (Prose & Poetry) |
| Information Technology |
Programming Basics, DBMS, Web Technology, Networking Concepts |
Commerce
| Subject | Syllabus |
|---|---|
| Book-Keeping & Accountancy |
Final Accounts, Partnership, Company Accounts, Financial Statements |
| Economics |
Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Indian Economy, Money & Banking |
| Organisation of Commerce & Management |
Business Environment, Management Principles, Marketing, HRM |
| Secretarial Practice |
Company Law, Business Correspondence, Corporate Governance |
| Mathematics (Commerce) |
Matrices, Linear Programming, Probability, Statistics |
| Information Technology (Optional) |
Office Automation, E-Commerce, Database Concepts, Cyber Safety |
| English |
Reading, Writing, Grammar, Literature |
Arts
| Subject | Syllabus |
|---|---|
| History |
Modern India, World History, National Movement, Post-Independence Developments |
| Political Science |
Constitution, Political Theory, Indian Politics, International Relations |
| Sociology |
Social Institutions, Indian Society, Social Change & Development |
| Psychology |
Intelligence, Learning, Personality, Mental Health, Social Psychology |
| Geography |
Physical Geography, Indian Geography, Human Geography, Map Skills |
| English |
Reading, Writing Skills, Grammar, Literature |
FAQs on Maharashtra HSC Exam Pattern 2026
Students can check the fAQs on Maharashtra HSC exam pattern 2026 below:
Chances are less for out of syllabus questions in Maharashtra 12th board exam question papers. Maharashtra HSC board exams will be based on Maharashtra HSC syllabus entirely. If any questions are out of syllabus, students will be awarded the marks for it.
You are advised to go through the Maharashtra HSC 12th syllabus and study all the topics mentioned there.
You can share your solved Maharashtra 12th sample paper with your teacher who shall help you know if the answers to the questions are correct and will fetch you full marks. You can thereby start practising writing such questions and take care of not missing any step so as to not lose any mark.
No, CBSE syllabus and Maharashtra Board are not the same. There are certain key differences between these two boards which parents and students should consider before choosing which board they want to study in. Here are some of the main differences between Maharashtra and CBSE boards:
- CBSE is a central board that falls under the purview of the central government, while Maharashtra board falls under state government purview, which means that it is managed by the government of Maharashtra.
- The syllabus, curriculum, subjects and course material of both boards differ quite a bit. CBSE curriculum is formed by the NCERT while Maharashtra curriculum is formed by the State government department of education.
- Since CBSE is a national board, it gives priority to English as the medium of education and communication. However, since Maha board is a state managed board, it gives priority to regional languages like Marathi, Hindi, Kannada, etc. with English being taught as the first or second language, depending on the schools.
- Most CBSE schools are private and thus the overall cost of education in CBSE board is usually higher than state board. Since Maharashtra board schools are state-managed, it is widely available in most public schools, as well as private ones, and so it has lower fees.
- The CBSE board is uniform throughout the country, which means that children can transfer from one school to another in a different state, while still learning the same syllabi. On the other hand, since the Maharashtra board syllabi is state-specific, changing schools inter-state is not very feasible.
- Another point of difference between the two boards is the range of subjects offered. Again, since CBSE is a centralised board, it offers a limited variety of subjects, especially in languages, arts and humanities. On the other hand, Maha board offers quite a range of subjects in all disciplines, including numerous languages.
- Since CBSE is also the board that controls a lot of national competitive exams, the board focuses a lot on preparing children for such exams. However, Maharashtra board focuses more on holistic academic knowledge, without focusing on any particular competitive exams.
If you need any idea about the type of questions that can come in the exam, you must go through the Maharashtra 12th sample papers and Maharashtra HSC previous year question papers. In addition, you can also understand the most important questions and those that get repeated. Hence, students are advised to practice the previous years' Maharashtra 12th question papers and sample papers for better preparation.
Following are some tips to improve the writing and presentation skills for the Maharashtra 12th board exams.
- Students must write the answers neatly. The hand writing should be legible.
- Write the answers with proper heading and subheading.
- Highlight your important points.
- Cross out the errors neatly with single line.
- Divide the time for each question to avoid rushing.
- Practice writing the previous year question papers.
Each student is required to attain 35% marks in each subject and in aggregate to clear their HSC examination.
You will be allowed to wear a simple analogue watch, which shows time. Any other electronic device, head phones, smart watch or digital watch will not be allowed inside the examination hall. A student is well informed before his/ her exam that he/she should only carry their stationary items in a clear pouch with their roll number sheet provided by Maharashtra Board.
Students must not carry the follow items to exam hall.
- Mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, headphones, pagers, fitness bands, cameras, etc.
- Wallets, goggles, handbags, and purses.
- They must carry all the stationary items that are required to appear for the Maharashtra HSC board exams since sharing of stationary is not allowed.
- Do not forget to carry your Maharashtra HSC admit card on all exam days.
Once you finish learning with the Maharashtra HSc syllabus, you can start solving the Maharashtra Class 12 sample papers and previous year question papers. You can solve the question papers and understand your weaknesses. Thus you can concentrate more on the topics on which you are weak.
Maharashtra 12th syllabus 2026 for all subjects can be downloaded by clicking here. The Board released the detailed syllabus for Maharashtra board 12th exams 2026 on the official website. The syllabus mentions the units, chapters and topics that are to be studied to score well in the exam.
Students are advised to finish the entire syllabus 2026 at least a month before the commencement of the exams. They must also know the exam pattern well to know the types of questions asked, the difficulty level of exam and more.
It is actually different for everyone since everyone has their own speed. It also depends on the paper- if its lengthy or not. There is a Cool-off time of 15 minutes in addition to the writing time. Use the 'Cool-off time' to get familiar with questions and to plan your answers. Read questions carefully before answering. Read the instructions carefully and you can analyze your entire question paper no matter which subject is it, and mentally set time for each sections. Since there are mcqs too, you can solve them in the 15 mins cool off time and thus save you a lot of time.
If you need any idea about the type of questions that can come in the exam, you must go through the Maharashtra 12th sample papers and Maharashtra Class 12 previous year question papers. In addition, you can also understand the most important questions and those that get repeated. Hence, students are advised to practice the previous years' Maharashtra 12th question papers and sample papers for better preparation.
Sample papers is the question paper released by the Board at the beginning of the academic session. It shares the questions in a pattern similar to what you should expect in the main exam. They are provided to you to download and practice for better preparation. However, Maharashtra 12th question paper is the question paper you receive on the day of the exam. You need to go through the questions and answer them in the answer sheet provided by the board. You cannot know or practice the questions on the Maharashtra Class 12 question paper prior to the exam.
Yes, downloading the Maharashtra HSC question papers of previous years' is free of cost. However, you might be asked to sign up using the required credentials. Students can click the link given here to download them. It can be downloaded in PDF format for free. Students can use the previous years' Maharashtra 12th question papers and sample papers for revision.
Explore top Science, Commerce, Arts exams
19 Jun '26 - 28 Jun '26 | TS EAMCET 2026 MPC Counselling... |
30 May '26 - 12 Jun '26 | COMEDK 2026 Counselling Regist... |
11 Jun '26 - 17 Jun '26 | IPU CET 2026 Counselling Choic... |
17 Jun '26 - 18 Jun '26 | MET 2026 Counselling Registrat... |
10 Jun '26 - 15 Jun '26 | SRMJEEE 2026 Exam (Phase 2) |
Popular Courses After 12th
Exams accepted
CA FoundationExams accepted
ICSI ExamExams accepted
BHU UET | GLAET | GD Goenka TestBachelor of Business Administration & Bachelor of Law
Exams accepted
CLAT | LSAT India | AIBEExams accepted
IPMAT | NMIMS - NPAT | SET
Exams accepted
BHU UET | KUK Entrance Exam | JMI Entrance ExamBachelor of Design in Animation (BDes)
Exams accepted
UCEED | NIFT Entrance Exam | NID Entrance ExamBA LLB (Bachelor of Arts + Bachelor of Laws)
Exams accepted
CLAT | AILET | LSAT IndiaBachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication (BJMC)
Exams accepted
LUACMAT | SRMHCAT | GD Goenka Test