The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced the date for the Class 10 English board exam for the year 2026. The exam will be held on February 21, 2026 . This is a crucial examination for all Class 10 students across India. The English paper, including both English (Communicative) and English (Language & Literature) subjects, will be conducted from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM . CBSE has already released the official question paper pattern and marking scheme to help students prepare.
Understanding the exam pattern and marking scheme is very important for every student. It shows how many questions will be asked and how marks will be given for each section. This knowledge helps students plan their studies, focus on important areas, and practice answering questions correctly to score well. Students can find these detailed guidelines on the official CBSE academic website.
CBSE Class 10 English (Language & Literature) Exam Pattern 2026
The English (Language & Literature) paper is for a total of 80 marks . The question paper will have 11 compulsory questions . These questions are divided into three main sections:
| Section | Marks |
| Section A: Reading Skills | 20 marks |
| Section B: Grammar and Creative Writing Skills | 20 marks |
| Section C: Literature Textbook | 40 marks |
Section A tests students' ability to understand and analyze unseen passages. Section B focuses on grammar rules and creative writing tasks like letter writing or descriptive paragraphs. Section C covers questions from the prescribed literature textbooks, assessing understanding of stories, poems, and characters. For this paper, marks are given based on grammar, vocabulary, and how answers are presented.
CBSE Class 10 English (Communicative) Exam Pattern 2026
The English (Communicative) paper also carries a total of 80 marks . This paper will have 12 compulsory questions . These questions are structured into four different sections:
| Section | Marks |
| Section A: Reading Skills | 22 marks |
| Section B: Writing Skills | 22 marks |
| Section C: Grammar | 10 marks |
| Section D: Literature | 26 marks |
In this paper, Section A tests reading comprehension from various passages. Section B assesses practical writing skills, such as notices, messages, or letters. Section C focuses on basic grammar concepts through different types of questions. Section D asks questions from the English (Communicative) literature textbooks. Like the Language & Literature paper, clear writing and correct English are key to scoring well.
How to Download CBSE Class 10 English Marking Scheme PDF for 2026
Students can easily download the official marking scheme PDF for Class 10 English and other subjects. Follow these simple steps:
- Go to the official CBSE academic website: cbseacademic.nic.in
- On the homepage, look for and click on the link for "Question Paper" or "Marking Scheme".
- Select the subject and class you need.
- The PDF file will download automatically to your device.
- Open and save the PDF for future reference and detailed study.
Reviewing this marking scheme well before the exam is essential. It helps students understand how marks are given for each answer. This guides their preparation and helps them write answers that meet the board's expectations for the 2026 English board exam.
