CBSE issues new rules for class 10 science and social science board exams 2026: What students must follow

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released a set of strict instructions that Class 10 students must follow while writing their Science and Social Science board examinations. The move comes after repeated evaluation challenges where students mixed answers belonging to different subject sections, leading to loss of marks and avoidable confusion during checking.

With the 2025-26 board cycle approaching, CBSE has clarified that examiners will not award marks for answers written outside their designated section, even if they are factually correct. The Board has urged schools to familiarise students with the new format through classroom practice and Pre-Board exams, emphasising that no corrections will be permitted during verification or revaluation.

CBSE releases new structure for Science and Social Science papers

As per the official announcement by the board authorities, the question papers for science and social science for class 10 will be divided in dedicated sections. These are explained below:

Science: Three dedicated sections

Social Science: Four distinct sections

Students are expected to study the sample question papers available on the CBSE Academic website to understand how questions are grouped and how answers must be presented.The complete pattern is explained in the official notice released by CBSE. Students can download the notice by clicking on the link here.

Students to follow the same pattern while writing answers

CBSE has mandated that students must divide their answer books into clear, labelled sections before they begin writing the examination.

This section-wise structure must be maintained consistently throughout the answer book, ensuring that responses are written only under their designated headings to avoid any loss of marks.

Strict section-wise structure to be followed

CBSE has stressed that students must write every answer strictly within the section allocated to that subject area, and no response should appear outside its designated space. A Physics answer, for instance, cannot be written under Biology or Chemistry in the Science paper, and an Economics response cannot be placed under Geography in Social Science. The Board has issued a clear warning that if answers from different sections are mixed or written under the wrong heading, they will not be evaluated.

Examiners will award no marks for such responses, even if the content is factually correct. This guideline applies uniformly across all examination centres and must be followed without exception.

No relief during verification or revaluation

To remove ambiguity, CBSE has clarified that errors related to mixed-section writing will not be corrected during verification of marks and revaluation or re-checking requests. Once the answer book is evaluated, such mistakes are final.

Schools urged to build section-wise writing practice

CBSE has urged schools to consistently train students in section-wise writing during regular classes and to replicate the same structure in Pre-Board examinations. Schools are expected to ensure that students clearly understand the consequences of mixing answers across sections, as such errors can lead to a complete loss of marks. CBSE emphasises that developing this habit early is essential to help students avoid avoidable mistakes in the final board examination.Note: For more information about CBSE board exams 2026, students are advised to keep checking the board’s official website, cbse.gov.in.