The CBSE Class 12 Marking Scheme 2026 provides a comprehensive breakdown of marks per subject, helping students identify high-priority topics and refine their study strategies. Explore the official subject-specific CBSE marking scheme and exam pattern for the 2026 board examinations here.
With the new academic session for CBSE Class 12 underway, students are rightfully curious about the latest marking scheme and exam pattern. As the Board has published the tentative CBSE Date Sheet 2026 on its official portal, candidates should prioritize mastering the core topics outlined in the official CBSE Class 12 Syllabus 2026.
A critical element of a successful board exam strategy is a deep understanding of the CBSE Class 12 Marking Scheme 2026. Review the section below to stay updated with the latest evaluation guidelines.
Understanding the CBSE Class 12 Marking Scheme
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) issues official notifications detailing the mark distribution for all Class 12 subjects. This comprehensive marking scheme helps students allocate their study time effectively by highlighting the weightage assigned to each chapter. You can access the official PDF directly from the CBSE website or via the download link provided in this guide.
CBSE Class 12 Marking Scheme 2026: Key Details
The CBSE Class 12 examinations for 2025-26 are tentatively scheduled to be conducted in a traditional pen-and-paper format between February and April 2026. Utilizing the official marking scheme is essential for aligning your preparation with board expectations to achieve academic excellence.
Beyond the marking scheme, we highly recommend that students thoroughly analyze the latest CBSE Class 12 Exam Pattern for each subject to approach the final papers with a strategic mindset.
CBSE Marking Scheme 2025-26: Class 12 Overview
Each subject in the CBSE Class 12 board exam is typically evaluated out of 100 marks, split between theory and practical/internal assessments. The theory exam duration is 3 hours and 15 minutes, which includes a 15-minute reading period. To pass, students must secure a minimum of 33% in each subject. Below are the essential highlights of the exam pattern and marking structure.
| Particulars | Details |
| Examination Name | CBSE Class 12 Annual Examination 2025-26 |
| Exam conducting Body | Central Board of Secondary Education |
| Streams | Science, Arts, Commerce |
| Frequency | Once in a Year |
| Level of the Examination | National Level |
| Mode of the Examination | Offline (Pen paper mode) |
|
Duration
|
3 hours |
|
Medium
|
English / Hindi |
|
Maximum Marks
|
|
|
Number of subjects
|
5 or 6 (as elected by the student) |
| Passing marks | for each subject as well as the overall exam aggregate 33% of Total marks |
Subject-Wise CBSE Class 12 Marking Scheme 2025-26
The detailed subject-wise marking scheme empowers students to focus their efforts on high-scoring areas. By understanding how marks are distributed, you can better manage your preparation schedule. Download the official marking scheme PDF using the link provided below.
CBSE releases the official notification regarding mark bifurcation on its primary portal. Students preparing for the 2025-26 board exams can download the official PDF guide by clicking the link provided below.
Download Official CBSE 12th Marking Scheme 2025-26 PDF
Subject-Wise CBSE Class 12 Exam Pattern 2025-26
The updated Class 12 exam pattern for 2025-26 features an increased weightage for competency-based questions, rising from 40% to 50%. The share of traditional short and long-answer questions has been adjusted to 30%, while MCQ-based 'Select Response' questions now carry 20% weightage. Review the specific exam patterns for your core subjects.
CBSE Class 12 Mathematics Marking Scheme and Exam Pattern
| Written Examination |
||||
| Sections | Type of Questions | No of Questions | Marks | Total Marks |
| A | Question no. 1 to 18 are MCQs and question no. 19 and 20 are Assertion-Reason Based Questions | 20 | 1 Mark Each | 20 |
| B | Very Short Answer Type Questions | 5 | 2 Marks Each | 10 |
| C | Short Answer Type Questions | 6 | 3 Marks Each | 18 |
| D | Long Answer Type Questions | 4 | 5 Marks Each | 20 |
| E | Source-Based/ Case-Based/ Passage-Based/ Integrated Units of Assessment | 3 | 4 Marks Each | 12 |
| Total Marks | 80 | |||
| Internal Assessment | ||||
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Periodic Tests (2 out of 3 tests conducted)
|
10 Marks | |||
| Mathematics Activities | 10 Marks | |||
| Total Marks | 20 | |||
CBSE Class 12 Accountancy Marking Scheme and Exam Pattern
| Sections | Topics | Weightage | ||
|
Part A: Accounting For Partnership Firms And Companies (Compulsory For All)
|
Accounting For Partnership Firms | 36 | ||
| Accounting For Companies | 24 | |||
| Part B (Contains Internal Choice, Students Must Attempt Either Of The Two Options) | Option (I) Financial Statement Analysis – Analysis Of Financial Statements – Cash Flow Statement Or Option (Ii) Computerized Accounting – Computerized Accounting |
20 | ||
| Total Marks (Theory) | 80 | |||
| Total Marks (Internal Assessment) | 20 | |||
| Grand Total | 100 | |||
CBSE Class 12 Physics Marking Scheme and Exam Pattern
| Written Examination | ||||||
| Sections | Type of Questions | No of Questions | Marks | Total Marks | ||
| A | MCQs and Assertion-Reason Based Questions | 16 | 1 Mark Each | 16 | ||
| B | Very Short Answer Type Questions | 5 | 2 Marks Each | 10 | ||
| C | Short Answer Type Questions | 7 | 3 Marks Each | 21 | ||
| D | Case-Study Based Questions | 2 | 4 Marks Each | 8 | ||
| E | Long Answer Type Questions | 3 | 5 Marks Each | 15 | ||
| Total | 33 | 70 | ||||
| Practical Examination | ||||||
| 1 |
Two Experiments, one from each section
|
7 + 7 Marks | ||||
| 2 |
Practical Record (Experiments & Activities)
|
5 Marks | ||||
| 3 |
One Activity from any section
|
3 Marks | ||||
| 4 |
Investigatory Project
|
3 Marks | ||||
| 5 |
Viva on Experiments, Activities and Project
|
5 Marks | ||||
| Total Marks | 30 | |||||
Access CBSE Class 12th Sample Papers with Solutions
CBSE Class 12 Chemistry Marking Scheme and Exam Pattern
| Written Examination | ||||
| Sections | Type of Questions | No of Questions | Marks | Total Marks |
| A | MCQs | 16 | 1 Mark Each | 16 |
| B | Very Short Answer Type Questions | 5 | 2 Marks Each | 10 |
| C | Short Answer Type Questions | 7 | 3 Marks Each | 21 |
| D | Case-Study Based Questions | 2 | 4 Marks Each | 8 |
| E | Long Answer Type Questions | 3 | 5 Marks Each | 15 |
| Total Marks | 33 | 70 | ||
| Practical Examination | 30 | |||
CBSE Class 12 Biology Marking Scheme and Exam Pattern
| Theory/Written Examination | ||||
| Sections | Type of Questions | No of Questions | Marks | Total Marks |
| A | MCQs and Assertion-Reason Based Questions | 16 | 1 Mark Each | 16 |
| B | Very Short Answer Type Questions | 5 | 2 Marks Each | 10 |
| C | Short Answer Type Questions | 7 | 3 Marks Each | 21 |
| D | Case-Study Based Questions | 2 | 4 Marks Each | 8 |
| E | Long Answer Type Questions | 3 | 5 Marks Each | 15 |
| Total Marks | 70 | |||
| Practical Examination | ||||
| 1 |
One Major Experiment (5)
|
5 Marks | ||
| 2 |
One Minor Experiment (2 & 3)
|
4 Marks | ||
| 3 | Slide Preparation (1 & 4) | 5 Marks | ||
| 4 | Spotting | 7 Marks | ||
| 5 |
Practical Record and Viva Voce
|
4 Marks | ||
| 6 |
Investigatory Project and its Project Record + Viva Voce
|
5 Marks | ||
| Total Marks | 30 | |||
Class 12 English Marking Scheme and Exam Pattern
| Section | Topics | Marks | |
| Section A (Reading Skills) | Reading Comprehension through Unseen Passage Discursive passage Case-based factual passage |
12 + 10 Marks |
|
|
Section B (Writing Skills)
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Notice (up to 50 Words)
|
4 Marks | |
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Formal/ Informal Invitation & Reply (up to 50 Words)
|
4 Marks | ||
|
Letter Writing (120-150 Words)
Application for Job/ Bio Data/ Resume/ Letter to the Editor |
5 Marks | ||
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Article/ Report Writing (120-150 Words)
|
5 Marks | ||
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Section C (Literature Text Book and Supplementary Reading Text)
|
One extract out of two from Poetry (Flamingo)
|
6 Marks | |
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One extract out of two from Prose (Vistas)
|
4 Marks | ||
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One extract out of two from Prose (Flamingo)
|
6 Marks | ||
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Short Answer Type
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|||
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Prose & Poetry [Flamingo (5 out of 6 questions)]
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2×5 = 10 Marks |
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Prose [Vistas (2 out of 3 questions)]
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2×2 = 4 Marks |
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Long Answer Type
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|||
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Pros/Poetry [Flamingo (1 out of 2 Questions)]
|
5 Marks | ||
| Vista (1 out of 2 Questions) | 5 Mark | ||