CBSE Sample Papers – Chapter-wise & Updated

CBSE sample papers help students see the paper format, question style, and marking scheme before they sit for school or board examinations. This hub brings class-wise and subject-wise practice material together, explains how to use each paper, and shows how to review your marks after solving. Use it with the latest syllabus, your textbook, and the official marking scheme for the year you are preparing for.

What Are CBSE Sample Papers and How They Help

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) releases Sample Question Papers (SQPs) and Marking Schemes (MS) for the board classes so that students and teachers can understand the expected question format, paper design, and evaluation method. For the 2026-27 academic session, the latest official sample papers CBSE has published are the 2025-26 set, linked below; this page will update with 2026-27 papers as soon as CBSE releases them. CBSE has released 2025-26 Sample Question Papers and Marking Schemes for Class 10 and Class 12 subjects, along with skill-subject papers.

A sample paper is not a prediction paper. It is a practice paper based on the current curriculum and paper pattern. The marking scheme is equally important because it tells you what kind of points, steps, keywords, diagrams, units, or explanations may be credited.

These papers help in three practical ways:

• Paper familiarity: You learn the section pattern, question types, and answer length expected in that subject.
• Time control: You can practise completing a full paper within the allowed time instead of solving questions without a limit.
• Marking awareness: You can compare your answer with the marking scheme and see where marks are awarded or lost.

The sample papers and marking schemes are crucial resources for students and teachers to understand the exam pattern and marking criteria. Teachers can use them to plan revision tests, while students can use them to check whether their preparation is syllabus-based or only chapter-reading based.

For chapter study before a full paper attempt, use related resources such as NCERT Solutions, CBSE revision notes, and CBSE syllabus along with the sample paper.

CBSE Sample Papers by Class (Class 1 to Class 12)

Students in lower and middle classes need practice papers mainly for school examinations. Students in Classes 10 and 12 must give special attention to official SQPs and marking schemes because those classes follow board examination paper designs. Class 9 and Class 11 papers should be used with the school’s annual-exam plan and the current curriculum.

Class	Use this class-wise page	How to use the papers
Class 1	Class 1 sample papers	Practise basic reading, writing, numbers, and simple subject questions with parental guidance.
Class 2	Class 2 sample papers	Use short practice sessions and check neatness, spelling, and number work.
Class 3	Class 3 sample papers	Revise each chapter first, then solve one subject paper at a time.
Class 4	Class 4 sample papers	Focus on answer framing, word problems, grammar, and diagrams where needed.
Class 5	Class 5 sample papers	Practise full units and learn to write answers in complete sentences.
Class 6	Class 6 sample papers	Start timed practice for Maths, Science, Social Science, and languages.
Class 7	Class 7 sample papers	Use papers after chapter revision to identify weak topics before school tests.
Class 8	Class 8 sample papers	Build habit of writing stepwise answers and revising mistakes.
Class 9	Class 9 sample papers	Prepare for annual exams using the current curriculum and school marking plan.
Class 10	Class 10 sample papers	Solve official SQPs, then mark answers using the official marking scheme.
Class 11	Class 11 sample papers	Practise stream-wise papers and revise concepts before moving to Class 12 topics.
Class 12	Class 12 sample papers	Use the official SQP and marking scheme for each subject as a board-exam rehearsal.

Do not treat the same method as suitable for every class. A Class 4 child may need guided checking. A Class 10 or Class 12 student should solve the paper in one sitting, without textbook help, and then self-mark carefully.

CBSE Sample Papers by Subject

Subject-wise preparation matters because each paper tests a different skill. A Mathematics paper rewards correct steps and final answers. A Social Science paper rewards relevant points, maps where applicable, and clear presentation. A language paper tests reading, writing, grammar, and literature together.

Subject group	Classes where it is commonly used	Preparation focus
Mathematics	Classes 1 to 12, depending on stream	Formula recall, stepwise working, calculation accuracy, and time management.
Science	Classes 3 to 10	Concepts, diagrams, definitions, experiments, and application-based questions.
Physics, Chemistry, Biology	Classes 11 and 12	Numericals, theory, diagrams, reactions, definitions, and reasoning questions.
English	Classes 1 to 12	Reading comprehension, writing formats, grammar, literature answers, and vocabulary.
Hindi and other languages	Classes 1 to 12 where offered	Grammar, writing formats, unseen passages, and literature-based answers.
Social Science	Classes 6 to 10	History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, maps, dates where relevant, and source-based questions.
Accountancy, Business Studies, Economics	Classes 11 and 12 Commerce	Formats, case questions, calculations, definitions, and presentation of working.
Computer Science, Informatics Practices, Computer Applications	Classes 9 to 12 where offered	Concepts, code logic, output questions, definitions, and application questions.
Skill subjects	Classes 9 to 12 where offered	Subject terminology, practical application, employability skills, and the relevant marking scheme.

These sample papers are available for various subjects, including skill subjects. For board classes, check the subject name carefully. For example, English Language and Literature is not the same as English Communicative, and Mathematics is not the same as Applied Mathematics in Class 12.

How to Use CBSE Sample Papers for Exam Preparation

Solving a paper without reviewing it gives only half the benefit. The review is where learning happens. Follow this method when you practise.

1. Check the syllabus first. Remove chapters or topics that are not in the current syllabus. Do not waste time on old topics unless your teacher has asked you to revise them for school assessment.
2. Read the paper design. Notice the sections, internal choices, marks per question, and question types before you start.
3. Solve in exam conditions. Keep the textbook, guidebook, and phone away. Use the same time limit as the actual paper when it is mentioned.
4. Mark with the scheme. Do not mark only by final answers. Check whether your steps, keywords, diagrams, examples, and units match the marking points.
5. Make an error log. Write each mistake under one reason: concept not clear, forgot formula, careless calculation, weak presentation, or time shortage.
6. Revise the weak area. Go back to the textbook, notes, and solved examples before attempting another paper.
7. Repeat after a gap. Try the next paper after revision, not immediately after checking. This shows whether the mistake has actually been corrected.

For Classes 10 and 12, keep the official marking scheme beside you after solving. It clarifies how marks are assigned for different questions. If your answer has the correct idea but misses a required term, label, unit, or step, mark that honestly in your error log.

Common mistakes while using practice papers include solving only easy sections, reading answers before attempting the paper, ignoring the marking scheme, and treating a sample question as a guaranteed board question. A good attempt should train you to answer unknown questions from known concepts.

Why Our CBSE Sample Papers Are Reliable and Up to Date

Reliability means the paper is aligned with the current curriculum, subject structure, and official sample-paper format wherever official SQPs are available. It also means older papers are clearly treated as practice material, not as proof of the current paper pattern.

For 2025-26, the official Class 10 and Class 12 pages list Sample Question Paper and Marking Scheme documents for many subjects. The Class 12 list includes subjects such as Accountancy, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, English Core, Geography, History, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, and others. The Class 10 list includes subjects such as Science, English, Hindi, Home Science, Computer Applications, Elements of Business, and Elements of Book Keeping and Accountancy.

The official skill-education section also lists SQP and MS documents for skill subjects. Students taking a skill subject should not depend only on a general academic-subject paper. They should practise the relevant skill-subject paper and check its own marking scheme.

For official reference, students can check the Class 10 SQP and marking scheme page, the Class 12 SQP and marking scheme page, and the skill-subject SQP page. For textbook-based revision, use the official textbook portal.

Up to date does not mean every old paper remains current. Paper pattern, syllabus coverage, and internal assessment details can vary by year or subject. Always give first priority to the current year’s curriculum and subject-wise SQP, then use older papers only for extra practice.

Personalized Performance Analysis & Feedback

Personalized feedback mechanisms for student performance on sample papers are useful because two students with the same score may have different problems. One may lose marks in concepts, another in presentation, and another because of time management. Use the following score review after every full paper.

Review area	What to check	Action after checking
Concept gap	You could not start the answer or used the wrong idea.	Revise the chapter from the textbook and solve basic questions before another full paper.
Answer structure	Your points were correct but not arranged clearly.	Rewrite answers using headings, steps, diagrams, or labelled points where suitable.
Marking-scheme mismatch	Your answer missed a required keyword, step, unit, diagram label, or example.	Add that requirement to a subject-wise checklist.
Careless error	You knew the answer but made a reading, copying, calculation, or spelling mistake.	Circle the exact cause and recheck that type of question in the next attempt.
Time issue	You left questions unanswered or rushed the last section.	Set section-wise time limits and practise long-answer writing separately.

After marking, write a short feedback note for yourself:

• Three topics I handled well: list only topics where you scored most of the available marks.
• Three topics to revise: choose topics that caused repeated errors, not random one-time mistakes.
• One presentation habit to improve: for example, drawing labelled diagrams, writing units, or underlining final answers where appropriate.
• One timing rule for the next paper: decide which section needs a fixed time limit.

This method gives practical feedback even without a teacher sitting beside you. If a teacher checks the same paper later, compare the teacher’s comments with your self-review. That comparison will show whether you are marking yourself too loosely or too strictly.

Searchable Archive of Past CBSE Sample Papers

Students often lose time because there is no consolidated, searchable database of all past sample papers arranged by year, class, subject, and marking scheme in one place. A useful archive should let a student search by class, subject, academic session, and document type instead of opening many pages one by one.

The official archive currently lists SQP links for Class 10 and Class 12 across sessions from 2015-16 through 2025-26. Older papers are useful for extra practice, but the current session’s SQP and curriculum should be treated as the main reference.

Archive filter	Why it matters	How a student should use it
Academic session	Paper pattern and syllabus may change by year.	Start with 2025-26, then use earlier years only after finishing current practice.
Class	Official board SQPs are mainly needed for Classes 10 and 12.	Do not mix Class 10 and Class 12 papers, even if the subject name looks similar.
Subject	Subject names can be similar but not identical.	Check the exact subject name before downloading or practising.
Document type	The paper and marking scheme serve different purposes.	Solve the SQP first; use the MS only for checking and feedback.

When using past papers, write the year on top of your answer sheet. If the question type no longer appears in the current paper design, treat it as concept practice rather than pattern practice.

For official older documents, use the official SQP archive and then organise your downloaded files by year and subject. This prevents confusion during final revision.

Frequently Asked Questions