The CBSE has retained the existing 33 per cent overall passing criterion for Class 10 students appearing in the 2026-27 academic session, withdrawing a proposed change that would have required students to secure 33 per cent separately in every subject.
The board clarified that there is no change in the question paper design or assessment pattern for 2026-27 and that the passing criteria will remain the same as the previous academic session.
Under the existing system, students need to achieve an overall 33 per cent in a subject by combining marks from the board examination and internal assessment. CBSE's 2018 notification had established this combined 33 per cent criterion for Class X examinations from 2019 onwards.
The board had earlier proposed requiring students to obtain 33 per cent separately in both the external examination and internal assessment for every subject. That change has now been deferred.
According to the report, the subject-wise requirement could be considered again from the 2027-28 academic session, although no such change applies to the current session.
The development comes as CBSE has begun preparations for the 2027 Board Examinations, including the List of Candidates (LOC) process for Classes X and XII. The board's website lists the LOC notification issued on September 21, 2026.
For students appearing in Class 10 board exams in 2027, the existing combined 33 per cent passing criterion therefore continues to apply.
