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CBSE Best of Five Rule - Read Complete Features, Insights and Benefits of this Rule
  • CBSE Class 12th Exam
  • CBSE Best of Five Rule - Read Complete Features, Insights and Benefits of this Rule

CBSE Best of Five Rule - Read Complete Features, Insights and Benefits of this Rule

#CBSE Class 12th
Manasvini GuptaUpdated on 12 Aug 2025, 03:01 PM IST

The ‘CBSE Best of Five Rule’ introduced by the Central Board of Secondary Education is an evaluation strategy intended to benefit students by considering their top-performing subjects while calculating their final aggregate in CBSE 12th exams and CBSE 10th exams. The CBSE’s Best of Five rule aims to reduce academic stress and provide students with a fair opportunity to achieve better scores based on their strengths.

This Story also Contains

  1. What is the CBSE Best of Five Rule?
  2. CBSE Best of Five Rule - Important Insights
  3. Benefits of the CBSE Board Best of Five Rule
  4. Passing Criteria for CBSE Board Examination
CBSE Best of Five Rule - Read Complete Features, Insights and Benefits of this Rule
CBSE Best of Five Rule

On May 13, 2025, the board released the CBSE results. Students must note that the board does not calculate or officially declare the percentage of marks for students. If the percentage is required for higher education admissions or employment purposes, the admitting institution or employer can calculate the percentage by considering the marks in the top-performing five subjects or use the CGPA calculator. This ensures consistency in percentage determination based on institutional criteria. In this article, we have explored several benefits of the CBSE Best of Five Rule and explained its primary elements and other relevant details.

What is the CBSE Best of Five Rule?

  • The CBSE Best of Five Rule applies primarily to the CBSE results of Class 10, and 12th students.

  • According to this rule, the marks obtained in the five best-performing subjects are considered while calculating the aggregate percentage.

  • This Best of Five rule enables students to showcase their calibre in their strong subjects, ensuring that lower scores in other subjects do not disproportionately affect their final scores.

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CBSE Best of Five Rule - Important Insights

Selection of Subjects:

  • Out of all the subjects studied, the five subjects in which the student scored the highest marks are chosen for calculating the percentage.

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Mandatory Inclusion of Core Subjects:

  • While selecting the best five, English or Hindi (whichever is higher) is to be included as a compulsory language subject.

Subjects Eligible for Consideration:

  • Subjects such as Mathematics, Science, Social Science, and other elective or vocational subjects are included in the pool for selection.

Role of Institutions in the Calculation of Scores

  • If a student has studied more than five subjects, the decision to determine the best five subjects is often taken by the admitting institution or employer. The CBSE itself does not calculate, declare, or inform the percentage of marks.

Weightage Adjustment

  • Internal and external assessment marks, such as theory and practical exams, are combined and included in the calculations for eligible subjects.

Exception for Compartment Exams

  • The CBSE Best of Five rule applies to regular annual examinations and not to compartment or supplementary exams.

Benefits of the CBSE Board Best of Five Rule

  • There is great stress reduction. By focusing on top-performing subjects, students experience less anxiety about underperforming in difficult areas.

  • It ensures fair assessment criteria and a balanced evaluation, highlighting the student's strengths.

  • The rule can significantly boost the overall percentage, benefiting students during admissions to higher secondary schools.

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Passing Criteria for CBSE Board Examination

Along with understanding the Best of Five rule, it is important for students and parents to also be aware of the passing criteria for CBSE examinations, which vary for Class 10 and Class 12. Also, the board can replace core subjects with optional subjects in CBSE Class 10, if a student is unable to pass the core subject. Students can read details after clicking on the link provided.

The CBSE passing criteria for both Class 10 and Class 12 are intended to ensure that students meet the academic standards necessary to progress in their education. These criteria complement the Best of Five rule by further clarifying how students' results are assessed across different subjects. Read below to know details:

Pass Criteria for CBSE Class 10 (Secondary School Examination)

To be eligible for the Pass Certificate, the following conditions must be met:

  • A student must obtain a grade higher than 'E' in all subjects of internal assessment unless exempted. If this condition is not met, the result of the external examination will be withheld, but not for more than one year.

  • In order to pass, a candidate must achieve a grade higher than 'E' (i.e., at least 33%) in all five subjects in the external examination, whether the main or compartmental exams. For subjects with practical work, students must obtain at least 33% marks in both the theory and practical components, in addition to 33% in aggregate.

  • If a student offers an additional subject, the following norms apply:


    • A language may replace a failed language, provided English/Hindi is still one of the languages.

    • An elective subject may replace another elective, or a language may replace an elective, provided that English/Hindi remains a language.

  • No overall division or distinction is awarded at the Class 10 level.

Passing Criteria for Class 12 (Senior School Certificate Examination)

The following criteria apply to pass the CBSE Class 12 exams:

  • A student must obtain a grade higher than 'E' in all internal assessments unless exempted.

  • Students need to secure at least 33% marks in the external examination for each subject, including practicals, and in aggregate to pass.

  • In Class 12, if a student offers an additional language or elective subject, they can replace a failed subject with one of these additional offerings, as long as the conditions on language requirements are met (English/Hindi as one of the languages).

  • No overall division or distinction is awarded in Class 12.

CBSE Class 12th Syllabus: Subjects & Chapters
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Who decides the Best of Five subjects for a student?
A:

If more than five subjects are offered, the choice of the Best of Five can vary. The admitting institution or employer makes this decision if percentages are required for further studies or employment.

Q: Are practical marks included in the calculation?
A:

Yes, practical marks are combined with theory marks for calculating the Best of Five aggregate.

Q: What happens if two subjects have the same score?
A:

If there is a tie between two subjects, both can be considered among the top five. The final choice depends on the subject's relevance to the student's academic stream.

Q: Can additional subjects be included in the Best of Five?
A:

Yes, if a student has taken an additional subject and scored well in it, the marks can be considered among the top five.

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Questions related to CBSE Class 12th

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CBSE Class 12th ?
Can i improve my 12 result this year in PCM

Hello,

If you want to improve the Class 12 PCM results, you can appear in the improvement exam. This exam will help you to retake one or more subjects to achieve a better score. You should check the official website for details and the deadline of this exam.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Read Complete Answer
R
Rahul Mandal
8 Sep'25
what will be tha CBSE Exam Date?

For the 2025-2026 academic session, the CBSE plans to conduct board exams from 17 February 2026 to 20 May 2026.

You can download it in pdf form from below link

CBSE DATE SHEET 2026

all the best for your exam!!

Read Complete Answer
A
Afreen
13 Sep'25
how may marks should i get in my 12th board exams to get fee concesion in sastra university

Hello Aspirant,

SASTRA University commonly provides concessions and scholarships based on merit in class 12 board exams and JEE Main purposes with regard to board merit you need above 95% in PCM (or on aggregate) to get bigger concessions, usually if you scored 90% and above you may get partial concessions. I suppose the exact cut offs may change yearly on application rates too.

Read Complete Answer
G
gopi
4 Sep'25
Which course is best for computer science students after 12th standard

Hello,

After 12th, if you are interested in computer science, the best courses are:

  • B.Tech in Computer Science Engineering (CSE) – most popular choice.

  • BCA (Bachelor of Computer Applications) – good for software and IT jobs.

  • B.Sc. Computer Science / IT – good for higher studies and research.

  • B.Tech in Information Technology (IT) – focuses on IT and networking.

All these courses have good career scope. Choose based on your interest in coding, software, hardware, or IT field.

Hope it helps !

Read Complete Answer
P
Prachi Kumari
4 Sep'25
I am a CBSE class 12 private candidate will my maksheet of CBSE supplement exam will be delivered on main exam form address for supplementary exam form address ,my both addresses are different please tell

Hello Vanshika,

CBSE generally forwards the marksheet for the supplementary exam to the correspondence address as identified in the supplementary exam application form. It is not sent to the address indicated in the main exam form. Addresses that differ will use the supplementary exam address.

Read Complete Answer
G
gopi
3 Sep'25
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