CBSE 12th Passing Marks 2026: Check Stream, Merit Certificate & Grading System
CBSE 12th 2027 ( CBSE 12th )
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24 Sep '26 - 17 Oct '26
CBSE 12th compartment result 2026 will be announced in July. CBSE 12th passing mark is 33 per cent in each subject. To know more, scroll down to read this article below.
CBSE Class 12th Passing Marks
CBSE 12th passing marks are prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education. It is done to ensure uniform academic standards across schools in India. The pass marks in each subject are 33%. For subjects involving practical work in CBSE Class 12, candidates must obtain 33% separately in both practical and theory papers. Students are required to appear in five papers. CBSE follows a 9-point grading system. They need to secure a grade above E. Qualifying marks for 70 marks paper are 35%. In this article, we have explained CBSE Class 12 pass marks, merit certificates, grading system, etc. Read below for more details.
- What are the CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026?
- Overview of CBSE 12th Passing Marks
- CBSE 12th Passing Marks 2026 Stream-Wise
- CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026 for Arts Stream
- CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026 for Commerce Stream
- What is Qualifying Marks in Class 12th out of 100?
- CBSE Class 12 Grading System
- CBSE Class 12 Merit Certificates 2026
- What are CBSE 12th Grace Marks?
What are the CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026?
In CBSE Class 12, this is the minimum mark a student needs to secure to be declared as qualified in a subject as well as overall. The board follows a criteria-based evaluation system, not relative grading. Students need to pass individually in each subject. They are also required to pass both theory and practical exams separately.
Commonly asked questions
The pass marks in each subject are 33%. For subjects involving practical work, candidates must obtain 33% separately in both practical and theory papers. Students are required to appear in five papers. CBSE follows 9-point grading system.
CBSE Class 12 merit certificate in each subject is awarded to the top 0.1 % of
candidates passing that subject. This is subject to passing the exam.
The grading system of CBSE Class 12 is given below.
Grade | Grade Points | Proportion of Students |
A-1 | 10 | Top 1/8th of the passed candidates |
A-2 | 9 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
B-1 | 8 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
B-2 | 7 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
C-1 | 6 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
C-2 | 5 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
D-1 | 4 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
D-2 | C | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
E | C | Failed candidates |
CBSE may award grace marks in exceptional cases where a student falls short of passing by a small margin. It is given at the discretion of the board.
Overview of CBSE 12th Passing Marks
Students can check the following important points related to CBSE 12th passing marks.
- Obtain a grade higher than E in all subjects, including internal assessments
- Failing to meet the required result may result in withholding of results
- No overall percentage, division, or distinction is given. Students receive grades based on performance
- If students fail in one or two subjects, they are eligible for compartment exams
Also Read: CBSE Class 12 Result 2026
CBSE 12th Passing Marks 2026 Stream-Wise
CBSE 12 th Passing Marks for Science Stream
| Subject | Marks in Theory | Marks in Practical and Internal Assessment | Passing Marks for Theory Exam | Passing Marks for Internal Assessment/Practical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing marks of Physics Class 12 |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| Chemistry |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| Maths passing marks Class 12 |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
| Biology |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| English Core |
80 |
20 |
23 |
6 |
Commonly asked questions
For subjects whose total marks are calculated out of 100, the passing marks are 33%. This applies to subjects without internal/practical or to those where theory and internal assessment are combined into a single score.
Many CBSE Class 12 follows an 80-mark theory and 20-mark internal assessment pattern. In such cases, students must secure a minimum of 26 marks out of 80 in the theory paper and 7 marks out of 20 in internal assessment.
It is compulsory to pass in CBSE Class 12 internal assessment. Students will be considered as fail if they don't qualify in internal assessment.
If a student fails in one subject in CBSE Class 12, they become eligible for the compartment exam. Passing the exam allows the student to be declared passed without repeating the year.
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CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026 for Arts Stream
| Subject | Marks in Theory | Marks in Practical and Internal Assessment | Passing Marks for Theory Exam | Passing Marks for Internal Assessment/Practical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sociology |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
| Political Science |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
| Psychology |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| History |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
Also Read: CBSE Class 12 Dates 2026
CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026 for Commerce Stream
| Subject | Marks in Theory | Marks in Practical and Internal Assessment | Passing Marks for Theory Exam | Passing Marks for Internal Assessment/Practical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BS |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| Accountancy |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| Economics |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
| Maths |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
Commonly asked questions
CBSE maintains a consistent passing criteria of 33%. Any changes to passing marks are officially notified by CBSE.
In the Accountancy subject, the CBSE Board has decided to do away with the answer books wherein tables were provided for the subject of Accountancy.
CBSE released the CBSE 12th sample papers on the official website- cbseacademic.nic.in. You can download CBSE Class 12 sample question papers from the official website or from this page too. Students must solve and practice the CBSE 12th question papers of previous years' to know the marking scheme, the types of questions asked in the exam, gauge the difficulty level and more.
It is advised that students solve and practice the CBSE sample papers to ace the board examinations.
Sample papers are the question papers 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, the CBSE 12th question paper 2026 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 CBSE Class 12 question paper before the exam.
What is Qualifying Marks in Class 12th out of 100?
CBSE 12th passing marks for a 100-mark paper depend on the distribution of theory and practical marks. To qualify exam, it is necessary to secure required marks out of 100. Those who fail to meet the minimum qualifying criteria are required to appear in the compartment exams.
CBSE Class 12 Grading System
| Grade | Grade Points | Proportion of Students |
|---|---|---|
| A-1 |
10 |
Top 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| A-2 |
9 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| B-1 |
8 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| B-2 |
7 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| C-1 |
6 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| C-2 |
5 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| D-1 |
4 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| D-2 |
C |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| E |
C |
Failed candidates |
Commonly asked questions
The latest CBSE exam pattern for class 12 comprises competency-based questions (MCQs, case-based, source-based questions, etc.), which carry 40% weightage. The Multiple choice questions (MCQs) carry 20% weightage and short/answer type questions carry 40% weightage.
CBSE 12th marking scheme for is such that 80 marks are allotted for Theory and 20 marks for Internal Assessment. The marking scheme for Science subjects have 70 marks and 30 for practicals.
CBSE Class 12 Accountancy Question Paper 2026 is available now. Students can download the question paper from our website for free. Practising this paper, candidates can know the nature of questions.
CBSE 12th Political Science Question Paper 2026 is available on our website. Students can download the question paper for free.
CBSE Class 12 Merit Certificates 2026
The guidelines related to awarding merit certificates are given below.
- CBSE awards Merit Certificates in each subject to top 0.1 % of candidates
- It is determined based on number of candidates passing subject
- In case of tie, if one student gets a Merit Certificate, then all those securing that score will get the same
What are CBSE 12th Grace Marks?
The passing marks in exam is 33%. In case students miss this by one or two marks, the board offers grace marks so that students do not fail in the exam. This depends on the board. Grace marks are given to students if the paper is extremely difficult. If questions are asked out of the syllabus.
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