CBSE Board Exam 2026: New Answer Sheet Rules for Class 10 - Students Must Follow Fresh Writing Pattern

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has rolled out a new set of guidelines for Class 10 board exams, with a strong focus on helping students avoid common mistakes during evaluation. Schools have been asked to give students thorough practice so they become comfortable with the updated pattern well before the final exams.

New Paper Structure for Clearer Evaluation

This year, CBSE has revamped the way answer sheets are to be used for Science and Social Science papers. The goal is simple, cleaner responses, clearer evaluation, and no confusion between subjects or sections.

Science Paper to Be Split into Three Sections

The Science question paper will now be neatly divided into:

• Section A – Biology
• Section B – Chemistry
• Section C – Physics

Every answer must be written only in the space given for its respective section.

Social Science Divided into Four Structured Units

Similarly, the Social Science paper will have:

• Section A – History
• Section B – Geography
• Section C – Political Science
• Section D – Economics

Again, students must strictly stick to the designated area for each section.

Mixing Answers Will Lead to Zero Marks

CBSE has clearly stated that writing an answer in the wrong section or mixing responses from different sections will lead to non-evaluation of those answers. In simple terms, no marks will be awarded even if the answer is correct.

Special Boxes for MCQs

To streamline objective-type responses, the board has introduced separate boxes in the answer sheet exclusively for Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs). Students must mark or write the MCQ answers only inside these boxes.

Rechecking Rules Also Simplified

Along with the new writing pattern, CBSE has issued clear and structured guidelines for rechecking and reevaluation, ensuring transparency and ease for students who want their papers reviewed.

With these new changes, CBSE aims to make board evaluations fairer, cleaner, and error-free. Students are encouraged to practice the new format thoroughly to avoid losing marks due to simple yet costly mistakes.