Home Articles CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature Syllabus 2025–26 PDF: Units, Question Pattern & Marking Scheme

CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature Syllabus 2025–26 PDF: Units, Question Pattern & Marking Scheme

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CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature Syllabus 2025–26 PDF: Units, Question Pattern & Marking Scheme

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the updated syllabus for Class 10 English Language and Literature for the academic session 2025–26. This revised curriculum aligns with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and NEP 2025 guidelines and is designed to enhance students' literary competence, writing precision, and grammatical command. The complete syllabus covers reading, writing, grammar, and literature with clearly defined evaluation metrics.

CBSE 10th English Language and Literature Syllabus 2026 PDF Download

Click here to download CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature Syllabus 2026 PDF

CBSE 10th English Syllabus 2025–26: Section-wise Weight Distribution

SectionComponentWeightage
Section AReading Comprehension20 Marks
Section BWriting & Grammar20 Marks
Section CLiterature-Based Language Skills40 Marks
Total80 Marks

Section A: Reading Skills

This section tests students’ reading and comprehension abilities using unseen passages.

ComponentDescriptionMarks
Discursive PassageAround 400–450 words – analytical and interpretative reading10
Case-based Factual Passage (with charts/graphs, etc.)200–250 words – data interpretation and factual comprehension10
Total Word LimitCombined 600–700 words
Question TypesMCQs, objective, and short-answer questions (30–40 words)

Section B: Grammar and Writing Skills

Grammar (10 Marks)

The grammar segment aims to evaluate proficiency in structure and usage through editing, transformations, and gap-filling exercises.

Grammar Topics
Determiners
Tenses
Modals
Subject-Verb Concord
Reported Speech:
- Commands and Requests
- Statements
- Questions

Students need to attempt 10 out of 12 questions based on these topics.

Writing (10 Marks)

Writing TaskWord LimitMarks
Formal Letter based on a given situation (1 of 2)100–120 words5
Analytical Paragraph (Graph/Chart/Cue-based – 1 of 2)100–120 words5

Section C: Language through Literature

This section evaluates students' understanding and interpretation of the prescribed prose, poetry, and drama.

Reference to Context (10 Marks)

TaskDescriptionMarks
One extract from Prose/DramaChoose 1 out of 25
One extract from PoetryChoose 1 out of 25
Question TypesMCQs, short answers, vocab

Short & Long Answer Questions (30 Marks)

Type of QuestionsBooksDetailsMarks
Short Answer (4 out of 5 questions)First Flight40–50 words each12 (4×3)
Short Answer (2 out of 3 questions)Footprints Without Feet40–50 words each6 (2×3)
Long Answer (1 out of 2 questions – passage/situation based)First Flight100–120 words6
Long Answer (1 out of 2 questions – theme/character sketch/extrapolation-based)Footprints Without Feet100–120 words6

Prescribed NCERT Books for CBSE Class 10 English

Book TitleCategoryChapters/Poems
First Flight (Published by NCERT)Prose1. A Letter to God
2. Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
3. Stories About Flying
4. From the Diary of Anne Frank
5. Glimpses of India
6. Mijbil the Otter
7. Madam Rides the Bus
8. The Sermon at Benares
9. The Proposal (Drama)
Poetry1. Dust of Snow
2. Fire and Ice
3. A Tiger in the Zoo
4. How to Tell Wild Animals
5. The Ball Poem
6. Amanda!
7. The Trees
8. Fog
9. The Tale of Custard the Dragon
10. For Anne Gregory

Footprints Without Feet

(Published by NCERT)

Supplementary Prose1. A Triumph of Surgery
2. The Thief’s Story
3. The Midnight Visitor
4. A Question of Trust
5. Footprints Without Feet
6. The Making of a Scientist
7. The Necklace
8. Bholi
9. The Book That Saved the Earth

CBSE 10th English 2025–26 Marking Scheme

SectionsCompetency EvaluatedMarks
Reading ComprehensionInterpretation, decoding, vocabulary, inference, and analysis20
Writing Skills & GrammarCoherent expression, grammar accuracy, reasoning, fluency, and creativity20
Literature (Lang. Skills)Literary analysis, recall, thematic understanding, inference, justification, character sketching, etc.40
Total80
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