CBSE Class 10 English Syllabus 2026-27
The CBSE Class 10 English syllabus 2026-27 applies to English Language and Literature, which carries the subject code 184. Verified against the official CBSE curriculum document on 2026-07-13, the theory paper is 80 marks and the internal assessment is 20 marks. This page confirms the exact section weightage, question pattern, and prescribed books for the 2026-27 session so you can plan revision without relying on stale information.
Course Structure and Marks Distribution
The 80-mark theory paper is split into three sections. The table below maps each section to its competency focus and exact marks, taken from the official curriculum document (NCERT, p. 1).
| Section | Competencies Assessed | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Conceptual understanding, decoding, analysing, inferring, interpreting, and vocabulary | 20 |
| Writing Skills and Grammar | Creative expression of an opinion, reasoning, justifying, illustrating, appropriate style and tone, using appropriate format and fluency. Applying conventions, using integrated structures with accuracy and fluency | 20 |
| Language through Literature | Recalling, reasoning, appreciating, applying literary conventions, illustrating and justifying. Extracting relevant information, identifying the central theme and sub-theme, understanding the writer’s message and writing fluently | 40 |
| Total Theory | — | 80 |
The three blocks follow a 20/20/40 split. Section C carries the highest weightage because it combines prose, poetry, and supplementary reading into a single literature assessment.
Chapter-wise study material for every unit above:
| Ch. | Chapter | Study material |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Letter to God | Notes |
| 2 | Nelson Mandela | Notes |
| 3 | Two Stories about Flying | Notes |
| 4 | From the Diary of Anne Frank | Coming soon |
| 5 | Glimpses of India | Notes |
| 6 | Mijbil the Otter | Coming soon |
| 7 | Madam Rides the Bus | Coming soon |
| 8 | The Sermon at Benares | Coming soon |
| 9 | The Proposal | Coming soon |
| 1 | A Triumph of Surgery | Notes |
| 2 | The Thief's Story | Notes |
| 3 | The Midnight Visitor | Notes |
| 4 | A Question of Trust | Notes |
| 5 | Footprints without Feet | Notes |
| 6 | The Making of a Scientist | Coming soon |
| 7 | The Necklace | Coming soon |
| 8 | Bholi | Coming soon |
| 9 | The Book That Saved the Earth | Coming soon |
| 1 | A Letter to God | Notes |
| 2 | Nelson Mandela | Notes |
| 3 | The Midnight Visitor | Notes |
| 6 | The Making of a Scientist | Coming soon |
| 7 | Madam Rides the Bus | Coming soon |
| 8 | Bholi | Coming soon |
Section-wise Exam Pattern
The theory paper duration is 3 hours. Here is exactly what each section contains.
Section A: Reading Comprehension (20 Marks)
This section has two unseen passages with a combined length of 600 to 700 words (NCERT, p. 2). You will face:
- A discursive factual passage of 400–450 words (10 marks).
- A case-based factual passage of 200–250 words with visual input like statistical data or charts (10 marks).
Question types include Multiple Choice Questions, Objective Type Questions, and Short Answer Questions in 30–40 words to test comprehension, inference, and vocabulary.
Section B: Writing Skills and Grammar (20 Marks)
The grammar section tests contextual accuracy through gap filling, editing, and transformation exercises using tenses, modals, determiners, subject-verb concord, and reported speech (NCERT, p. 2).
- Grammar: 10 marks. You attempt 10 out of 12 questions, which allows you to skip two items (NCERT, p. 2).
- Formal Letter: 5 marks. Write a letter based on a given situation in 100–120 words. One out of two questions is to be answered.
- Analytical Paragraph: 5 marks. Write a paragraph based on a given map, chart, graph, or cue in 100–120 words. One out of two questions is to be answered.
Section C: Language through Literature (40 Marks)
This is the largest section. It begins with Reference to Context (RTC) questions worth 5+5 = 10 marks (NCERT, p. 3).
- RTC: One extract out of two from Drama or Prose, plus one extract out of two from Poetry. Questions assess inference, analysis, and evaluation.
- Short Answer Questions (First Flight): Answer 4 out of 5 questions in 40–50 words to assess interpretation and analysis. This carries 4 × 3 = 12 marks (NCERT, p. 3).
- Short Answer Questions (Footprints Without Feet): Answer 2 out of 3 questions in 40–50 words. This carries 2 × 3 = 6 marks (NCERT, p. 3).
- Long Answer Question (First Flight): Answer 1 out of 2 questions in about 100–120 words to assess creativity and extrapolation beyond the text. This carries 6 marks (NCERT, p. 3).
- Long Answer Question (Footprints Without Feet): Answer 1 out of 2 questions in about 100–120 words involving theme, plot, or character sketch. This carries 6 marks (NCERT, p. 3).
Prescribed Books and Chapter Directory
CBSE prescribes four texts published by NCERT, New Delhi for the 2026-27 session (NCERT, p. 3).
- First Flight (Prose and Poetry)
- Footprints Without Feet (Supplementary Reader)
- Words and Expressions-II (Workbook for Class X) — Units 1 to 4 and Units 7 to 11
The chapter directory rendered above links to individual chapter resources to help you connect the Class 10 English syllabus directly to study material. You can also review broader Class 10 notes across other subjects through our main notes portal.
Internal Assessment and Listening-Speaking Skills
The internal assessment carries 20 marks. Out of this total, 5 marks are specifically for the Assessment of Listening and Speaking (ALS) skills (NCERT, p. 3). The broader internal assessment guidelines refer to circular no. Acad-11/2019, dated March 06, 2019, available on the official CBSE academic website.
ALS is a component of the Subject Enrichment Activity. It is assessed throughout the academic year using art-integrated projects like role play, skits, and dramatisation, as outlined in circular no. Acad-33/2020 (NCERT, p. 5). The four parameters for assessment (NCERT, p. 7) are:
- Interactive competence (initiation, turn-taking, relevance to the topic)
- Fluency (cohesion, coherence, and speed of delivery)
- Pronunciation
- Language (grammar and vocabulary)
Because pronunciation and coherence carry weight, practice speaking aloud rather than just reading notes silently. Form your own sentences on familiar topics to build fluency.
Verified Deletions and Changes
The official CBSE curriculum document for English Language and Literature (subject code 184) for the 2026-27 session does not list any deleted chapters or rationalised content. All prose, poetry, and supplementary chapters from First Flight and Footprints Without Feet, along with the specified workbook units of Words and Expressions-II, remain part of the syllabus.
A verified “no change” is important because many stale pages incorrectly list deletions from previous academic years. Always cross-check with the official curriculum document before skipping any chapter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the subject code for CBSE Class 10 English 2026-27?
The subject code for English Language and Literature is 184. This is different from English Communicative, which carries code 101.
What is the marks distribution for the English Language and Literature paper?
The theory paper is 80 marks, split as 20 marks for Reading Comprehension, 20 marks for Writing Skills and Grammar, and 40 marks for Language through Literature. The internal assessment accounts for the remaining 20 marks.
Are there any deleted chapters in the Class 10 English syllabus 2026-27?
No. The official curriculum document does not list any deleted chapters or removed topics. All prescribed chapters remain part of the current session syllabus.
How many marks are allocated for the Listening and Speaking assessment?
The Assessment of Listening and Speaking (ALS) accounts for 5 marks out of the 20-mark internal assessment component.
Which NCERT books are prescribed for Class 10 English 2026-27?
CBSE prescribes First Flight, Footprints Without Feet, and Words and Expressions-II (Units 1 to 4 and 7 to 11) as the official texts.
Reference: CBSE Class 10 English Language and Literature curriculum document, session as stated on cbseacademic.nic.in.