CBSE Class 10 question papers — how the paper is built, and how to survive it
Every Class 10 subject is an 80-mark paper written in three hours with 15 minutes of reading time, plus 20 marks of internal assessment. About half the paper is competency-based. Below is the mark split, a three-hour plan, and free practice questions with worked answers.
Written
80 marks
Internal
20 marks
Duration
3 h + 15 min
Pass
33%
The mark split that changed everything
The old advice — learn every back-exercise answer — was written for a paper that no longer
exists. Half of today's paper puts familiar concepts into unfamiliar situations, which is a
different skill and needs a different kind of practice.
Class 10 theory paper, out of 80
Section
Marks
Share
Competency-based (case study, application, reasoning) 50% of the paper
40
Objective (MCQ + assertion–reason) 20% of the paper
16
Short and long answer 30% of the paper
24
Total
80
Subjects with a board paper
Mathematics
Science
Social Science
English
Hindi (or another language)
Each is out of 100 — 80 written plus 20 internal. Social
Science is a single paper drawn from four books, which is why it is the subject most often
under-planned.
A three-hour plan
1Reading time — 15 minutesDo not start composing answers. Read the whole paper, mark every long question you can definitely do, and note which ones offer internal choice. This is the only quarter-hour that improves every section.
2First 30 minutesThe one-mark block. MCQs and assertion–reason. Move fast; a one-mark question that resists for two minutes has already cost you more than it is worth.
3Next 70 minutesThe 2- and 3-mark questions. These reward precision, not length. Answer the question asked and stop.
4Next 45 minutesCase-study and competency questions. Read the stem twice — most lost marks here are from answering a question the passage did not ask.
5Final 35 minutesThe 5-mark answers you marked in reading time. Show every step and draw the diagram; method marks survive a wrong final answer.
Four questions, to show the level
Taken from the Class 10 Science set. The full chapter-by-chapter collection, with worked answers
for every question, is on the practice page.
Q1Multiple choice1 mark·Ch 1: Chemical Reactions and Equations
Respiration is considered an exothermic process because:
(a)it requires oxygen from the air
(b)it produces carbon dioxide
(c)energy is released during the breakdown of glucose
(d)it occurs in the presence of chlorophyll
Show answerHide answer
Correct option: (c)
(c) energy is released during the breakdown of glucose. Explanation: In respiration, glucose reacts with oxygen to release energy required for cellular activities.
Q2Multiple choice1 mark·Ch 2: Acids, Bases and Salts
How is hydrogen gas typically tested in the laboratory using a burning candle?
(a)It produces a pop sound when a burning candle is brought near it.
(b)It turns lime water milky.
(c)It rekindles a glowing splinter.
(d)It has a pungent smell.
Show answerHide answer
Correct option: (a)
(a) It produces a pop sound when a burning candle is brought near it. Explanation: Hydrogen gas is highly flammable and burns with a characteristic 'pop' sound when exposed to a flame.
Q3Multiple choice1 mark·Ch 3: Metals and Non-metals
Which metal reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to produce hydrogen gas?
(a)Copper
(b)Magnesium
(c)Silver
(d)Gold
Show answerHide answer
Correct option: (b)
(b) Magnesium. Explanation: Magnesium is a reactive metal that displaces hydrogen from dilute acids, releasing hydrogen gas bubbles.
Q4Multiple choice1 mark·Ch 4: Carbon and its Compounds
When ethanoic acid reacts with sodium carbonate, a gas is evolved. Which test confirms the identity of this gas?
(a)It burns with a pop sound
(b)It turns red litmus blue
(c)It turns lime water milky
(d)It produces a yellow flame
Show answerHide answer
Correct option: (c)
(c) It turns lime water milky. Explanation: The reaction produces carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide turns lime water (calcium hydroxide solution) milky due to the formation of a white precipitate of calcium carbonate.
An 80-mark written paper in three hours with 15 minutes of reading time, plus 20 marks of internal assessment. Roughly 50% of the paper is competency-based, 20% objective including assertion–reason, and 30% short and long answer.
How many questions come in a Class 10 paper?
It varies by subject, but the shape is consistent: a block of one-mark objective questions, then 2-mark, 3-mark and 5-mark constructed answers, with case-study questions worth 4 marks. Internal choice is usually offered in the longer questions.
Where do I get official CBSE sample papers?
From cbseacademic.nic.in, which publishes the sample question paper and marking scheme for each subject ahead of the exam. Use the marking scheme as carefully as the paper — it shows how marks are actually split within an answer.
How should I plan three hours in the exam?
Read for the first ten minutes and mark the long questions you are confident about. Finish the one-mark block quickly — no single mark deserves five minutes. Keep the last forty minutes for the 5-mark answers, where working earns marks even when the final result slips.