CBSE reverts to old passing criteria for Class 10
What's the story
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has reverted its decision on the passing criteria for Class X board exams. The board will continue with the existing rule of requiring an aggregate score of 33% across all subjects, as was followed in the previous academic session. This decision was announced in a notification, which confirmed that there would be no changes to question paper design or assessment pattern for the academic session 2026-27. "The passing criteria will remain the same."
Initial proposal
Initial plan required students to score 33% in every subject
In April, the CBSE had introduced the Secondary School Curriculum 2026-27, which included a new assessment policy.
The CBSE had announced that students appearing in Class X exams would have to score 33 percent in every subject, both in external (board exams) and internal assessment, to pass.
Currently, students need to score an aggregate of 33%, irrespective of individual subject scores.
Reversal rationale
Concerns over on-screen marking prompted review
The decision to revert was taken after the board drew fire for its experiment with the on-screen marking (OSM) system that led to irregularities in assessments.
A schoolteacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, said students usually score around 15 out of 20 marks in internal assessments and can clear a paper with just 18 out of 80 in board exams.
The teacher added that sticking to the new decision would have reduced the pass rate.
Reversal rationale
Concerns over on-screen marking prompted review
"The introduction of OSM led to a decline in the Class XII pass rate and the board and the government came in for heavy criticism. The board may have withdrawn its decision to avoid another controversy," the teacher was quoted as saying by Telegraph India.
The CBSE follows an 80-20 weightage formula for most subjects, with 80 marks allocated to board exams and 20 to school assessments.