CBSE Marks Distribution 2025-26: Complete Details for Class 10 & 12 as per New Circular
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released an important circular dated 17 November 2025, announcing the complete marks distribution pattern for Classes 10 and 12 for the academic session 2025-26. The notice also confirms the schedule for Practical Examinations, Projects, and Internal Assessments, which will be conducted from 1 January 2026 to 14 February 2026.
This article provides a clear and simple explanation of the updated CBSE marks distribution 2025-26, including how theory, practical, project, and internal assessment marks are divided for every subject.
Practical, Project & Internal Assessment Schedule for 2026
According to the circular, CBSE has fixed the timeline for all schools:
- Start Date: 01 January 2026
- End Date: 14 February 2026
Schools have been instructed to strictly follow the schedule and ensure error-free uploading of marks, as CBSE will not entertain correction requests due to mistakes made while entering marks.
How CBSE Marks Are Distributed (2025-26)
For every subject in Classes 10 and 12, the maximum marks remain 100, divided among:
- Theory Examination
- Practical Examination
- Project Assessment
- Internal Assessment (IA)
The exact distribution varies from subject to subject and is clearly listed in the annexure released with the circular.
CBSE Marks Distribution 2025-26 – Class 10
For Class 10, most language subjects such as Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Urdu, Tamil, Punjabi, Assamese, etc., follow:
- 80 Marks Theory
- 20 Marks Internal Assessment
- No practical/project component
Skill subjects like Retail, IT, AI, Tourism, Marketing, Security, Data Science, etc., follow:
- 50 Marks Theory
- 50 Marks Practical
Music and Painting subjects follow:
- 30 Marks Theory
- 50 Marks Practical
- 20 Marks Internal Assessment
Mathematics (Standard & Basic):
- 80 Marks Theory
- 20 Marks Internal Assessment
- Theory will use Graph Pages type answer book.
Science & Social Science:
- 80 Marks Theory
- 20 Marks Internal Assessment
Home Science:
- 70 Marks Theory
- 30 Marks Practical
All subjects follow subject-wise specified answer books, mostly 32-page answer sheets unless otherwise mentioned.
CBSE Marks Distribution 2025-26 – Class 12
For Class 12, the marks pattern varies widely across streams:
Languages (English Core, Hindi Core, Sanskrit, etc.)
- 80 Marks Theory
- 20 Marks Internal Assessment
Humanities Subjects
- History, Political Science, Economics, Business Studies, Accountancy, Legal Studies:
- 80 Marks Theory
- 20 Marks Project/Internal Assessment
- Many subjects also require External Examiner for assessments.
Science Stream
Subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, Computer Science:
- 70 Marks Theory
- 30 Marks Practical
- Practical conducted with External Examiner
- Practical answer books supplied by the Board
Mathematics & Applied Mathematics
- 80 Marks Theory
- 20 Marks Internal Assessment
- Theory uses Graph Pages answer books.
Skill Subjects (Class 12)
Examples: Retail, IT, Web Application, Beauty & Wellness, Agriculture, Multimedia, Health Care, Data Science, AI, Textiles, Electrical Technology, Geospatial Technology, etc.
- 60 Marks Theory
- 40 Marks Practical
Fine Arts & Music
- 30 Marks Theory
- 70 Marks Practical
- External Examiner + Practical Answer Book supplied.
Key Instructions to Schools
CBSE has clearly advised schools:
- Read the circular carefully before conducting practicals or uploading marks.
- Do not request mark corrections later due to internal errors.
- Use only the correct type of answer booklets as specified for each subject.
- Ensure timely and error-free completion of Practical/Project/Internal Assessment.
Conclusion
The new CBSE circular ensures complete clarity on how examinations will be conducted for Classes 10 and 12 in the 2025-26 session. With the detailed CBSE marks distribution 2025-26, students and teachers can organize preparation effectively — especially for practical, project, and internal assessment components.