The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that there is no change in the passing criteria for Class 10 board examinations, putting an end to widespread confusion among students, parents, and schools. The board has confirmed that students will continue to need an aggregate of 33 per cent marks, combining their internal assessment and board examination scores, to pass a subject.
The clarification came after the board's own communication in April 2026, which had introduced a revised assessment policy as part of the Secondary School Curriculum for 2026-27-1. Under the proposed system, students would have been required to secure at least 33 per cent marks separately in both the external board examination and internal assessment for every subject.
The Rollback and Its Reasons
Fearing a significant drop in the overall pass rate, the CBSE decided to roll back the proposed change. A notification issued on September 21, 2026, stated, "There is no change in the question paper design and assessment pattern for academic session 2026-27. The passing criteria will remain the same as those applicable during academic session 2025-26".
The decision follows concerns surrounding the board's use of the on-screen marking (OSM) system, which faced criticism after irregularities were reported in the assessment process, including delayed Class XII results. An education ministry official noted that the government had advised the CBSE against launching multiple experiments so quickly, and the subject-wise requirement may be reconsidered for the 2027-28 academic session.
Current Passing Criteria: Class 10 vs. Class 12
The board has also reiterated the distinct passing criteria for Class 10 and Class 12, which often causes confusion among students.
For Class 10, the passing criteria remains an aggregate of 33 per cent. Students must secure a combined total of at least 33 per cent across the board examination (80 marks) and internal assessment (20 marks) in each subject. There is no requirement to secure 33 per cent separately in each component--19.
For Class 12, the rules are different. Students are required to secure 33 per cent marks separately in theory and practical examinations, in addition to 33 per cent marks in aggregate, to qualify in a subject involving practical work--25.
Implications for Students
The retention of the aggregate 33 per cent rule for Class 10 provides significant relief to students. Under the existing system, a student who scores well in internal assessments (usually around 15 out of 20 marks) can clear a board paper by scoring as few as 18 out of 80 marks-6. Had the subject-wise requirement been implemented, the pass rate would likely have dropped, as students would have needed to meet the minimum threshold in both components independently-6.
With the confusion now cleared, students appearing for the 2026-27 board examinations can prepare according to the established assessment pattern, focusing on the combined score rather than separate subject-wise minimums.
