Class 10 parents and students were worried: the 2026-27 curriculum had proposed that you must score 33% separately in the board exam and in internal assessment. Here is what actually happened — CBSE has withdrawn that change. For the 2027 board exams, the old rule stands: 33% overall in each subject, with your theory and internal marks added together.
The short answer
What actually happened
How the confusion started and ended
The two rules, side by side
How the marks work
Most Class 10 subjects: 80 marks written + 20 marks internal
The two parts are added to give a total out of 100.
To pass a subject: 33 marks out of 100 in total, however it’s made up. (A few subjects use a different split, so check your own subject’s marking scheme.)
Worked examples: why the difference matters
Four imaginary students, one subject each
Illustrative scores to show the rules, not real students. Under the withdrawn proposal, 33% of 80 is about 26.4 and 33% of 20 is 6.6.
| Student | Board exam /80 | Internal /20 | Total /100 | Rule in force | Withdrawn rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 30 | 5 | 35 | Pass | Fail (internal 25%) |
| B | 20 | 20 | 40 | Pass | Fail (exam 25%) |
| C | 24 | 8 | 32 | Fail (32 < 33) | Fail |
| D | 40 | 12 | 52 | Pass | Pass |
Students A and B are exactly the cases the withdrawn rule would have hit: strong in one part, weak in the other. Under the rule that’s actually in force, they pass.
It’s deferred, not dead
That has a practical meaning for younger students. If the rule did return for 2027-28, it would apply to the batch that is in Class 9 right now, since they sit their Class 10 boards in that session. (That’s our reading of the timeline; nothing has been announced.) The safe habit, whichever way it goes, is to aim for solid marks in both parts rather than counting on internal marks to rescue a weak theory paper.
What to do now
- Class 10 in 2027: relax about the rule, but don’t neglect internal assessment. Those 20 marks are the easiest to collect.
- Check your school’s candidate details. Schools are submitting the List of Candidates for the 2027 Class 10 and 12 exams right now. Confirm your name, date of birth, subjects and photo are correct, as mistakes are easier to fix early.
- Rely on official notices. Forwarded messages caused this confusion in the first place. CBSE’s website and your school are the sources to trust.
- Practise the real paper. The pattern is unchanged, so the sample papers are exactly the right preparation.
Preparing for the 2027 boards?
Get the pattern and direct download links in our CBSE Sample Papers 2027 guide, and track the schedule in CBSE Date Sheet 2027: Is It Out?
Quick answers
What is the passing mark in CBSE Class 10 for 2027?
33% overall in each subject, calculated by combining your board exam marks and internal assessment marks. For most subjects that means 33 out of 100.
Do I need 33% in theory and internal assessment separately?
No. CBSE withdrew the proposal that would have required this. The earlier criterion, with both parts combined, continues for 2026-27.
Has the exam pattern changed for 2026-27?
No. CBSE has said the question paper design and assessment pattern remain unchanged for 2026-27.
Will the separate-33% rule come back?
It could be considered again for 2027-28, according to an Education Ministry official. It has been deferred, not permanently abandoned, and nothing has been announced.
Does this apply to Class 12 too?
The reports we checked are about the Class 10 pass criterion. We haven’t seen any change announced for Class 12, but check CBSE’s official notice for your class before relying on this.
Is the CBSE date sheet out yet?
Not as of the latest reports. It is still awaited and expected in October–November. See our date sheet page for the latest.