CBSE Board Exam 2024 Pattern & Topic-wise Breakdown

Are you preparing for the CBSE Board Exam 2024? Staying updated with the latest exam pattern can help you make a better preparation strategy. CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has revised the board exam pattern that emphasises multiple-choice questions and less importance is given to descriptive answer-type questions. 

The CBSE board exams are starting from 15th February 2024 and will last till 13th March 2024 for class 10th and 2nd April 2024 for class 12th. These exams are crucial for every student as they form the foundation of students’ future. 

The CBSE has revised the exam pattern in alignment with the implementation of the NEP 2020 (New Education Policy) which relies on creative and analytical thinking rather than rote learning. The CBSE has revealed subject-wise marks distribution for both classes, indicating the maximum marks for theory exams and practical/project/internal assessments in the 2023-24 session. Read the full article to get an insight into the board examination 2023-24.

Analyzing Changes in the CBSE Class 10 & 12 Board Exam Pattern 2024

Under the NEP 2020, the board exam will check the competency of the students and the application of the knowledge in real-life situations. They will shift their focus from traditional study patterns and rely more on conceptual understanding and their real-life application. Therefore, questions such as multiple choice, case-studies-based, and stories will be more in the exam paper than the descriptive questions.

Changes in the exam question composition of classes 10 and 12 are as follows:

Class 10 Exam Pattern Composition

1. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs): 20%

2. Competency-based questions (case studies, conceptual application, source-integrated): 50%

3. Long answers and short answers: 30%

Class 12 Exam Pattern Composition

1.  Multiple-choice questions (MCQs): 20%

2. Competency-focused questions (case-based or source-based): 40%

3. Short answer/long answer questions (following the old pattern): 40%

Some Important Points for Board Examinations

1. Each subject has a total of 100 marks.

2. The minimum passing marks for each subject are 33% both individually and in aggregate.

3. The exam mode will be offline i.e. pen and paper exam and will be conducted at the respective allotted centres.

4. The exam paper will cover the entire syllabus of the respective subject. Therefore students should prepare accordingly.

5. Exam time will be 3 hours for each subject.

Download:  Class 10th Exam Date Sheet 

                     Class 12th Exam Date Sheet

Exploring Competency-Based Questions in Board Examination

Competency-based questions include case studies, assertion and reasoning, and objective-type that are intended to analyse the practical application of the knowledge in real life. Moving forth, the studies would not be based on rote learning or memorisation rather the emphasis would be on the practical application of the knowledge.

To become ready to answer such questions students should:

1. Thoroughly understand the subject, especially the concepts and fundamentals.

2. Ready to think out of the box to answer the situation-based questions.

3. Should study beyond the curriculum to get some extra knowledge.

4. Use question banks, mock sessions, and practice papers to comprehend such questions.

5. Seek expert guidance and clarify all the doubts before it’s too late.

Subject-wise Marks Distribution for Board Examination

Class 10th: Marks Distribution

The 100 marks for every subject have been distributed as 80 for theory and 20 for practical. Each subject has a different exam pattern. The student must formulate a strategy that can help to get good marks in the board examination.

Sections	Type of Questions	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Section A	MCQs	20	1	20
Section B	Short Anwer Type-I	5	2	10
Section C	Short Anwer Type-II	6	3	18
Section D	Long Answer Type	4	5	20
Section E	Source-based/case-based/passage-based	3	4	12
Total Theory Marks	–	–	–	80
Practical Marks	–	–	–	20
Total Marks	–	–	–	100

CBSE Class 10 Mathematics Topic-wise Weightage

CBSE Class 10 Science Topic-wise Weightage

CBSE Class 10 Social Science Topic-wise Weightage

CBSE Class 10 Language 1: English Exam Pattern

CBSE Class 10 Language 2: Hindi Exam Pattern

Class 12th: Marks Distribution

For class 12th, the theory exam will be of 80 marks, while the practical exam will be of 20 marks. Theory will be for 70 marks and practical will be for 30 marks for the Science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Biology).

Subject-Wise Marks Distribution for Class 12th Exam 2024

Mathematics

Physics

Chemistry

Biology

CBSE Board 2024: Preparation Tips

Students preparing for the CBSE board examination must cover up the entire syllabus before time with last few days for the revision. Here are a few tips that can help students enhance their preparation level and improve their overall score in the examination:

1. Go Through the Syllabus and Exam Pattern

It is important to understand the syllabus, exam pattern, and marking scheme before the preparation. Know the type of questions, their weightage and how to answer them correctly. The total marks of the CBSE exam is 100 out of which 80 are for the theory paper and 20 for the internal assessment or practical.

2. Make a Study Plan

Prepare a study schedule allocating proper time for each subject. Emphasise the weaknesses and strengths of every subject. Seek expert guidance to overcome the challenges. Making a schedule helps in regular study and goal accomplishment leading to timely completion of the syllabus.

3. Join Study Groups or Tuition Classes

Do not self-isolate yourself while preparing for the board exams as it can demoralize you. Join a study group or tuition class where you can learn along with friends. Group study leads to effective learning. Furthermore, boring topics can become interesting when you discuss them with your friends and teacher.

4. Take Short Breaks

Taking a rest to refresh your mind leads to higher productivity. Take short breaks of 10-15 minutes after long study hours. You can take a walk around, talk to your friends, or just chill out during this period to relax yourself.

5. Solve Previous Year’s Papers

Attempt the previous year’s exam paper in exam simulated environment. This will help you to identify the status of your preparation. Work as per the result or revise your study timetable to overcome the mistakes you come across while solving last year’s exam papers.

Conclusion

Board exams act as in the student’s life. It is a very crucial year in every student’s studies. Therefore, preparation for the board exams is significant. Chaitanya Academy is one of the tuition classes for 7th to 10th-grade students. We have our centres at Pune and Baramati offering tuition classes along with NEET, JEE, and MHT CET preparation. The experts at the centre are well acquainted with the updated syllabus and pattern of the board examination that can help you to score well in the exams.