The CBSE Class 12th Marking Scheme 2026 provides a comprehensive breakdown of marks for every subject, empowering students to prioritize high-weightage topics and optimize their revision. Access the complete subject-specific CBSE marking scheme and Class 12 exam pattern for the 2026 board examinations here.
As the new academic session for CBSE Class 12th begins, students are eager to understand the updated marking scheme and exam pattern. With the tentative CBSE Date Sheet 2026 now available on the official website, candidates must align their preparation with the essential topics outlined in the official CBSE Class 12 Syllabus 2026.
One of the most critical steps for board exam success is mastering the CBSE Class 12 Marking Scheme 2026. Continue reading this guide to get the latest updates and essential insights into the board's evaluation structure.
CBSE Class 12th Marking Scheme
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) officially issues the detailed marking scheme for upcoming board exams, outlining the exact weightage for every topic to help students plan effectively. You can easily access the official CBSE Class 12 Marking Scheme notice via the official website or by using the download link provided later in this article.
CBSE Class 12th Marking Scheme 2026
The CBSE Class 12 exams for the 2025-26 academic session are tentatively scheduled to take place between February and April 2026 in a traditional pen-and-paper format. Familiarizing yourself with the CBSE Class 12th Marking Scheme is essential for aligning your study plan with exam requirements to maximize your performance.
Alongside the official marking scheme, we highly recommend that students thoroughly analyze the latest CBSE 12th Exam Pattern for their subjects. A strategic approach backed by a clear understanding of the exam format is the key to securing high marks.
CBSE Marking Scheme 2025-26 Class 12th Overview
In the CBSE Class 12 examinations, each subject is evaluated out of 100 marks, distributed between theory and practical assessments. The theory paper is held for 3 hours and 15 minutes, including an initial 15-minute cooling-off period. To pass, students must secure a minimum of 33% marks in both theory and practical components for each subject. Below are the key highlights of the updated exam pattern.
| 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 |
CBSE Class 12th Marking Scheme 2025-26 for all Subjects
The CBSE provides a subject-wise marking scheme that helps students identify high-scoring areas and manage their revision time efficiently. You can download the official notice containing the latest CBSE Class 12th Marking Scheme by clicking the link provided below.

CBSE publishes the official notification regarding mark distribution for the 2025-26 board exams on their portal. Students preparing for the upcoming cycle can download the official PDF from the link below.
CBSE Class 12th Exam Pattern 2025-26 Subject wise
Under the updated Class 12 exam pattern for 2025-26, the weightage for competency-based questions (including MCQs) has risen to 50%. Conversely, traditional short and long-answer questions now account for 30%, with an additional 20% dedicated to objective-type 'Select Response' questions. Refer to the subject-specific breakdown to refine your strategy.
CBSE Class 12 Maths 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 | ||||
|
Periodic Tests (2 out of 3 tests conducted)
|
10 Marks | |||
| Mathematics Activities | 10 Marks | |||
| Total Marks | 20 | |||
CBSE Class 12 Accounts 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 | |||||
Practice with CBSE Class 12th Sample Papers and 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)
|
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)
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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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Prose & Poetry [Flamingo (5 out of 6 questions)]
|
2×5 = 10 Marks |
||
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Prose [Vistas (2 out of 3 questions)]
|
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 | ||