Checked 3 October 2026. Links checked one by one on 3 October 2026 on CBSE Academic. Some 2026-27 papers (several regional languages and Hindi-medium versions) were not yet online; CBSE adds them to the same page.
CBSE published the Class 10 sample question papers (SQPs) and marking schemes for 2026-27 with a notification dated 21 September 2026. The notification says two things every student should know: “There is no change in the question paper design and assessment pattern for the Academic Session 2026-27”, and the passing criteria stay as in 2025-26. So the 2025-26 sample papers remain good practice, and the 2026-27 ones show the exact shape of the 2027 board paper. Below are CBSE’s own links for every subject, checked one at a time, a finder tool, and a way of using them that matches how the marking scheme is actually applied.
CBSE Academic notification 21.09.2026 and SQP page, checked 3 October 2026.
The core subjects: official links
These open CBSE’s PDFs directly. The 2026-27 page is cbseacademic.nic.in/SQP_CLASSX_2026-27.html and the 2025-26 page is cbseacademic.nic.in/SQP_CLASSX_2025-26.html; CBSE keeps older sessions under the same address pattern, which is why these links stay stable.
Sample paper and marking scheme PDFs (English medium)
- Mathematics (Standard): 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- Mathematics (Basic): 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- Science: 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- Social Science: 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- English (Language and Literature): 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- English (Communicative): 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- Hindi Course A: 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- Hindi Course B: 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- Sanskrit: 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
- Computer Applications: 2026-27 sample paper · marking scheme; 2025-26 sample paper · marking scheme
Links tested on 3 October 2026. Hindi-medium versions of Science, Mathematics and some other papers were listed on the 2026-27 page but did not open yet; the 2025-26 page has Hindi-medium Science and Social Science papers with marking schemes, and Hindi-medium Mathematics papers.
| Subject | Sample paper 2026-27 | Marking scheme 2026-27 | Sample paper 2025-26 | Marking scheme 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics (Standard) | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| Mathematics (Basic) | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| Science | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| Social Science | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| English (Language and Literature) | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| English (Communicative) | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| Hindi Course A | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| Hindi Course B | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| Sanskrit | Online | Online | Online | Online |
| Computer Applications | Online | Online | Online | Online |
What the 2026-27 papers look like
We read every core 2026-27 sample paper and compared it with the 2025-26 one. The design is the same in each: the number of questions, the sections and the marks per section did not move. Two of the biggest subjects are now set out by discipline: Science in three sections and Social Science in four, and CBSE has told schools that answers written in the wrong section of the answer book will not be evaluated.
| Subject | Time and marks | Questions | Sections |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics Standard (041) | 3 h, 80 | 38 | A: 18 MCQ + 2 assertion-reason (1 mark); B: 5 × 2; C: 6 × 3; D: 4 × 5; E: 3 case studies × 4 |
| Mathematics Basic (241) | 3 h, 80 | 38 | Same pattern as Standard, easier content weighting |
| Science (086) | 3 h, 80 | 39 | A: Biology; B: Chemistry; C: Physics |
| Social Science (087) | 3 h, 80 | 38 | A: History; B: Geography; C: Political Science; D: Economics; 20 marks each, map questions in A (2) and B (3) |
| English Language and Literature (184) | 3 h, 80 | 11 | A: Reading 20; B: Grammar and Writing 20; C: Literature 40 |
| English Communicative (101) | 3 h, 80 | 12 | Reading, Writing, Grammar, Literature |
| Hindi Course A (002) | 3 h, 80 | 15 | Four sections: unseen passages, grammar, textbooks, writing |
| Hindi Course B (085) | 3 h, 80 | 16 | Four sections: unseen passages, grammar, textbooks, writing |
| Computer Applications (165) | 2 h, 50 (theory) | 26 | A: 12 × 1; B: 7 × 2; C: 4 × 3; D: 1 × 4; E: 2 case-based × 4 |
Where other pages get this wrong
In Science and Social Science, an answer written in the wrong section of the answer book gets no marks.
Commonly published instead: Sample-paper pages that show the new section headings but say nothing about the answer book.
CBSE’s circular of 09.12.2025 told schools that students must divide the answer book into three sections for Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) and four for Social Science, write each answer only in its section, and that mixed-up answers “will not be evaluated”, with no remedy at verification or re-evaluation. Practise this with the sample paper.
How to use a sample paper and its marking scheme
A sample paper is a template, not a prediction. CBSE says it issues SQPs to give “a broad template” of the question paper design and to guide “uniformity and proper coverage of the curricula”. The marking scheme is the more valuable half. It shows the value points an examiner looks for, how the marks for a long answer are split across steps, and which alternative answers are accepted. That is exactly the document a student uses after the result too: CBSE’s 2026 post-result notice tells students to “compare the answers with the question paper and the marking scheme”.
A routine that matches how papers are marked
- Sit the 2026-27 sample paper once under exam conditions: three hours, the answer book divided into sections for Science and Social Science.
- Mark it yourself with the official marking scheme, step by step, before asking a teacher. Note where you lost the step marks, not only the final answer.
- Sit the 2025-26 sample paper next. The design is identical, so it is a second full mock.
- Then use CBSE’s actual board papers: the Board publishes past question papers and their marking schemes, including the 2026 main and second exams.
- Keep a list of question types you dropped marks on, such as case-based, assertion-reason, map or source-based, and practise those chapters.
CBSE notification 21.09.2026; post-result notice 05.08.2026; question-paper and marking-scheme pages on cbse.gov.in.
Past board papers and their marking schemes
The sample paper is a model. The real papers are on cbse.gov.in: the question-paper page lists Class 10 papers from 2022 to 2026, including the 2026 main exam and the 2026 second exam, and the marking-scheme page has the Board’s own marking schemes for them. Our subject pages collect past papers for Mathematics, Science, Social Science, English, Hindi A, Hindi B, Sanskrit and Computer Applications.
| Folder | Question papers | Marking schemes |
|---|---|---|
| Class 10 main exam 2026 | 81 files | 82 files |
| Class 10 second board exam 2026 | 46 files | 45 files |
Our count of the download links on CBSE’s two pages on 3 October 2026; a file is usually a ZIP of all sets of one subject. Board papers come in several sets per subject, so one year gives more practice than one sample paper.
Other subjects and languages
Of the 51 other Class 10 subjects and languages on CBSE’s 2026-27 page, 36 had both the 2026-27 sample paper and marking scheme online when we checked. The rest showed a placeholder, mostly regional languages: use the 2025-26 paper until the new one appears, since the design has not changed. The Foundation of Information Technology and ICT rows, and the papers for visually impaired candidates in Mathematics, did not open in either session.
| Subject | 2026-27 paper and scheme | 2025-26 paper and scheme |
|---|---|---|
| Sanskrit (Communicative) | Online | Online |
| Home Science | Online | Online |
| Elements of Business | Online | Online |
| Elements of Book Keeping and Accountancy | Online | Online |
| National Cadet Corps (NCC) | Online | Online |
| Painting | Online | Online |
| Hindustani Music (Vocal) | Online | Online |
| Hindustani Music (Melodic) | Online | Online |
| Hindustani Music (Percussion) | Online | Online |
| Carnatic Music (Vocal) | Online | Online |
| Carnatic Music (Melodic Instruments) | Online | Online |
| Carnatic Music (Percussion Instruments) | Online | Online |
| Arabic | Online | Online |
| Assamese | Online | Online |
| Bahasa Melayu | Online | Online |
| Bengali | Not online yet | Online |
| Bhoti | Online | Online |
| Bhutia | Not online yet | Online |
| Bodo | Online | Online |
| French | Online | Online |
| German | Online | Online |
| Gujarati | Not online yet | Online |
| Gurung | Online | Online |
| Japanese | Online | Online |
| Kannada | Not online yet | Online |
| Kashmiri | Online | Online |
| Kokborok | Online | Online |
| Lepcha | Not online yet | Online |
| Limboo | Not online yet | Online |
| Malayalam | Not online yet | Online |
| Manipuri | Online | Online |
| Marathi | Online | Online |
| Mizo | Not online yet | Online |
| Nepali | Online | Online |
| Odia | Online | Online |
| Persian | Online | Online |
| Punjabi | Online | Online |
| Rai | Online | Online |
| Russian | Online | Online |
| Sherpa | Not online yet | Online |
| Sindhi | Not online yet | Online |
| Spanish | Online | Online |
| Tamil | Not online yet | Online |
| Tamang | Online | Online |
| Tangkhul | Not online yet | Online |
| Telugu (Andhra Pradesh) | Not online yet | Online |
| Telugu (Telangana) | Not online yet | Online |
| Thai | Online | Online |
| Tibetan | Not online yet | Online |
| Urdu Course A | Online | Online |
| Urdu Course B | Online | Online |
Practise it, don't just read it
A sample paper tells you the shape of the exam; chapter practice is what fills it. Use our chapter quizzes for the subjects above between full papers.
The ProSyllabus CBSE Class 10 library has chapter quizzes for Mathematics, Science, Social Science (History, Geography, Political Science and Economics), English (First Flight and Footprints without Feet), Hindi and Health and Physical Education. You can start free, and a ProSyllabus school plan opens more of them each month.
Frequently asked questions
Has CBSE released the Class 10 sample papers for 2026-27?
Yes. CBSE’s notification dated 21 September 2026 announced them at cbseacademic.nic.in/SQP_CLASSX_2026-27.html.
Has the Class 10 paper pattern changed for 2027?
No. CBSE says there is no change in the question paper design and assessment pattern for 2026-27, and the passing criteria are the same as in 2025-26.
Are the 2025-26 sample papers still useful?
Yes. The design is the same, so they work as a second full mock paper.
Where is the marking scheme for the sample paper?
On the same CBSE Academic page, next to each sample paper.
Why does my language show no 2026-27 paper?
On 3 October 2026 several regional-language papers, including Tamil, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu, were not online yet. Use the 2025-26 paper meanwhile.
How many questions are in the Class 10 Science sample paper?
39 questions for 80 marks in 3 hours, in three sections: Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
How many questions are in the Class 10 Maths sample paper?
38 questions for 80 marks in 3 hours, in five sections A to E, for both Standard and Basic.
Where can I find the actual 2026 board papers?
On cbse.gov.in under question papers, with the Board’s marking schemes on the marking-scheme page, including the 2026 main and second exams.
Is the sample paper the same as the board paper?
No. CBSE calls it a broad template of the design. The questions in the board paper are different.
More in this series
- Two board exams: who sits which, which score counts
- Marking scheme: 80+20, internal marks, competency share
- Passing marks, compartment and Essential Repeat
- Date sheet and result dates, year by year
- CBSE Class 10 notice board — updates
- Class 10 Mathematics previous year question papers
- Class 10 Science previous year question papers
- Class 10 Social Science previous year question papers
- Class 10 English previous year question papers
- Class 10 Hindi Course A previous year question papers
- Class 10 Hindi Course B previous year question papers
- Class 10 Maths board paper analysis, 2026
Sources
- official — CBSE Academic — Notification: Sample Question Papers for Classes X and XII, 2026-27 (21.09.2026)
- official — CBSE Academic — Class X sample question papers and marking schemes 2026-27
- official — CBSE Academic — Class X sample question papers and marking schemes 2025-26
- official — CBSE — Previous years’ question papers (includes 2026 main and second exams)
- official — CBSE — Marking schemes of past board papers (includes 2026 main and second exams)
- official — CBSE — Guidance to Class X students: answer book in sections for Science and Social Science (09.12.2025)
- official — CBSE — Post-result facilities, Class X Main and Second Board Examinations 2026 (05.08.2026)
- official — CBSE Academic — Mathematics syllabus and question paper design, Class X 2026-27
- official — CBSE Academic — Science syllabus and question paper design, Class X 2026-27
- official — CBSE Academic — Social Science syllabus and question paper design, Class X 2026-27
- official — CBSE Academic — English Language and Literature syllabus, Class X 2026-27
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
