The Central Board of Secondary Education has confirmed the schedule and paper structure for the CBSE Class 10 English Board Exam 2026. The English exam will be held on February 21, 2026, with both English (Language and Literature) and English (Communicative) conducted on the same day. The exam timing is 10:30 am to 1:30 pm.
With just weeks to go, here’s a clear, student-friendly breakdown of the exam pattern, marking scheme, and how to download the official marking scheme.
CBSE Class 10 English Exam 2026: Key Details
- Exam date: February 21, 2026
- Exam time: 10:30 am to 1:30 pm
- Duration: 3 hours
- Subjects: English Language and Literature, English Communicative
- Total marks: 80 (theory paper)
English Language and Literature: Paper Pattern
The English Language and Literature paper carries 80 marks and includes 11 compulsory questions, divided into three sections.
- Section A: Reading Skills – 20 marks
- Section B: Grammar and Creative Writing Skills – 10 marks
- Section C: Literature Textbook – 40 marks
The paper tests reading comprehension, grammar application, creative writing, and in-depth understanding of prescribed literature.
English Communicative: Question Paper Format
The English Communicative paper consists of 12 compulsory questions across four sections.
- Section A: Reading Skills – 22 marks
- Section B: Writing Skills – 22 marks
- Section C: Grammar – 10 marks
- Section D: Literature – 26 marks
This paper focuses more on functional language use, writing ability, and practical grammar alongside literature-based questions.
CBSE Class 10 English Marking Scheme 2026
CBSE has also released the official marking scheme, which helps students understand answer presentation, step-wise marking, and examiner expectations. Teachers and students often rely on this document for focused revision and answer-writing practice.
How to Download CBSE Class 10 English Marking Scheme
Students can follow these simple steps to access the marking scheme from the official academic portal:
- Visit cbseacademic.nic.in
- Click on the Sample Papers link on the homepage
- Select Class 10
- Click on the CBSE Class 10 English marking scheme
- The PDF will open in a new tab
- Download and save it for revision
- Keep a printed copy if needed for offline study
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Students are advised to refer only to the official CBSE Academic website for authentic updates and documents related to the board exams.
