The CBSE Class 12 English Question Paper 2025 is an important exam for students as it tests their reading, writing, and literature skills. The paper follows the latest CBSE syllabus and helps students improve their understanding of English. According to the CBSE date sheet class 12, the English exam was conducted on March 11, 2025, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm for both English core and elective.
The overall CBSE class 12th Maths exam 2026 can be considered balanced and moderately difficult. Students with a clear conceptual understanding and regular practice of NCERT and exemplar problems would have found the paper manageable. The question paper was a fair mix of knowledge, application, and analytical questions, reflecting the ongoing shift towards competency-based assessment in school education.
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The CBSE 12th English question paper is important for students who are going to appear in the CBSE 12th board exam next year. As it gives the idea of a paper pattern, types of questions were asked to prepare well for the exam. Students can download the CBSE 12th English question paper PDF from this page after the conduction of the exam.
Also Check: CBSE Class 12 English Syllabus (Updated)
Here, the important highlights of the CBSE English paper are given in the table.
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
Conducting Body | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) |
Exam Date | March 11, 2025 |
Subjects | English Core (Code 301), English Elective (Code 001) |
Exam Duration | 3 Hours |
Exam Time | 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM IST |
Total Marks | 100 Marks (80 Written + 20 Internal) |
Question Paper Format | Reading, Writing, Grammar, and Literature |
Internal Assessment | ASL (Listening & Speaking) - 10 Marks, Project Work - 5 Marks, Portfolio - 5 Marks |
Mode of Exam | Offline (Pen & Paper) |
Passing Criteria | Minimum 33% in each section |
Important Textbooks | Flamingo (Prose & Poetry), Vistas (Supplementary Reader) |
Official Website | cbse.gov.in |
Students can download the CBSE Class 12 English question paper PDF from the link given below.
| Question Papers | Download PDF |
|---|---|
CBSE 12th English Core Question Paper 2025 | |
CBSE 12th English Elective Question Paper 2025 | Available soon |
Some questions from all sets of CBSE Class 12 English Core Question Paper 2025 are given below.
English (Core) SET 1 Q. P. Code 1/2/1
SECTION - A
1. Read the following passage carefully :
(1) Having a sense of humour might mean having the ability to entertain other people by making them laugh, but it can also mean having a quick wit that is frequently employed to criticize other people with snide comments. Some might define the sense of humour as the ability to see humour in everyday life or as appreciating the cleverness of puns and other wordplay, and may think it entirely possible to possess a good sense of humour without ever having those around them become aware of it.
(2) In any case, a sense of humour is a socially valued trait that almost all of us would prefer to have more, rather than less, of - akin to the way that we think about intelligence or good looks. A person with an undeveloped sense of humour lacks a social skill that puts him or her at a severe disadvantage in the hurly-burly of everyday social life.
(3) Freud thought of humour as an outlet for forbidden impulses, and philosophers ranging from Aristotle to Descartes believed that we, are amused by something when it makes us feel superior to other people.
(4) Evolutionary psychologists believe that humour, along with other creative abilities, such as art and music, evolved as an honest signal of intelligence and genetic quality. The value of such a skill in defusing tense, aggressive situations and in managing alliances and friendships should not be underestimated either.
(5) Schmoozing with a bunch of new people at a cocktail party is an opportunity to engage in light-hearted banter, and other people are grateful when someone is skillful enough to turn a stiff and awkward situation into fun. Cracking jokes, making witty remarks, and engaging in tongue-in-cheek observations about the social world can be like fishing for other minds that connect naturally with one's own. In other words, humour can be a device for connecting people who are operating on the same wavelength.
(6) Observing the performance of other people in such situations tips you off as to who you might like to get to know better - and who might be best left behind, wallowing in indignation and blank stares. In short, a sense of humour is the Swiss Army Knife of social skills. Perhaps it is indeed a single instrument, but it contains an arsenal of tools - each exquisitely designed for a unique social purpose.
Answer the following questions, based on the given passage above:
(i) How does the author prove in paragraph 1 that sense of humour is a double-edged sword?
(ii) Cite evidence from the passage to prove that a sense of humour is a valuable tool to make someone's life better.
(iii) Complete the following sentence suitably with reference to paragraph 3.
One significant advantage of humour is that it helps one -
(ix) Provide ONE textual evidence with reference to paragraph 5, how a good sense of humour can be a great ice breaker.
English (Core) SET 2 Q. P. Code 1/2/2
SECTION - A
Read the following passage carefully :
(1) Having a sense of humour might mean having the ability to entertain other people by making them laugh, but it can also mean having a quick wit that is frequently employed to criticize other people with snide comments. Some might define the sense of humour as the ability to see humour in everyday life or as appreciating the cleverness of puns and other wordplay, and may think it entirely possible to possess a good sense of humour without ever having those around them become aware of it.
(2) In any case, a sense of humour is a socially valued trait that almost all of us would prefer to have more, rather than less, of - akin to the way that we think about intelligence or good looks. A person with an undeveloped sense of humour lacks a social skill that puts him or her at a severe disadvantage in the hurly-burly of everyday social life.
(3) Freud thought of humour as an outlet for forbidden impulses, and philosophers ranging from Aristotle to Descartes believed that we are amused by something when it makes us feel superior to other people.
(4) Evolutionary psychologists believe that humour, along with other creative abilities, such as art and music, evolved as an honest signal of intelligence and genetic quality. The value of such a skill in defusing tense, aggressive situations and in managing alliances and friendships should not be underestimated either.
(5) Schmoozing with a bunch of new people at a cocktail party is an opportunity to engage in light-hearted banter, and other people are grateful when someone is skillful enough to turn a stiff and awkward situation into fun. Cracking jokes, making witty remarks, and engaging in tongue-in-cheek observations about the social world can be like fishing for other minds that connect naturally with one's own. In other words, humour can be a device for connecting people who are operating on the same wavelength.
(6) Observing the performance of other people in such situations tips you off as to who you might like to get to know better - and who might be best left behind, wallowing in indignation and blank stares. In short, a sense of humour is the Swiss Army Knife of social skills. Perhaps it is indeed a single instrument, but it contains an arsenal of tools - each exquisitely designed for a unique social purpose.
Answer the following questions, based on the given passage above :
(i) How does the author prove in paragraph 1 that sense of humour is a double-edged sword?
(ii) Cite evidence from the passage to prove that sa ense of humour is a valuable tool to make someone's life better.
(iii) Complete the following sentence suitably with reference to paragraph 3.
One significant advantage of humour is that it helps one
(iv) Provide ONE textual evidence with reference to paragraph 5, how a good sense of humour can be a great ice breaker.
English (Core) SET 1 Q. P. Code 1/2/3
SECTION - A
1. Read the following passage carefully :
(1) Having a sense of humour might mean having the ability to entertain other people by making them laugh, but it can also mean having a quick wit that is frequently employed to criticize other people with snide comments. Some might define the sense of humour as the ability to see humour in everyday life or as appreciating the cleverness of puns and other wordplay and may think it entirely possible to possess a good sense of humour without ever having those around them become aware of it.
(2) In any case, a sense of humour is a socially valued trait that almost all of us would prefer to have more, rather than less, of - akin to the way that we think about intelligence or good looks. A person with an undeveloped sense of humour lacks a social skill that puts him or her at a severe disadvantage in the hurly-burly of everyday social life.
(3) Freud thought of humour as an outlet for forbidden impulses, and philosophers ranging from Aristotle to Descartes believed that we are amused by something when it makes us feel superior to other people.
(4) Evolutionary psychologists believe that humour, along with other creative abilities, such as art and music, evolved as an honest signal of intelligence and genetic quality. The value of such a skill in defusing tense, aggressive situations and in managing alliances and friendships should not be underestimated either.
(5) Schmoozing with a bunch of new people at a cocktail party is an opportunity to engage in light-hearted banter, and other people are grateful when someone is skilful enough to turn a stiff and awkward situation into fun. Cracking jokes, making witty remarks, and engaging in tongue-in-cheek observations about the social world can be like fishing for other minds that connect naturally with one's own. In other words, humour can be a device for connecting people who are operating on the same wavelength.
(6) Observing the performance of other people in such situations tips you off as to who you might like to get to know better - and who might be best left behind, wallowing in indignation and blank stares. In short, a sense of humour is the Swiss Army Knife of social skills. Perhaps it is indeed a single instrument, but it contains an arsenal of tools - each exquisitely designed for a unique social purpose.
Answer the following questions, based on the given passage above :
(i) How does the author prove in paragraph 1 that sense of humour is a double-edged sword?
(ii) Cite evidence from the passage to prove that a sense of humour is a valuable tool to make someone's life better.
(iii) Complete the following sentence suitably with reference to paragraph 3.
One significant advantage of humour is that it helps one
CBSE Class 12 English Paper Analysis: Initial reactions from students suggest that both the English core and elective papers were of a moderate difficulty level, with a few tricky and application-based questions. However, the basic paper was comparatively easier than the standard paper.
The CBSE Class 12 English question paper is a crucial resource for students preparing for their board exams. Here's how it helps:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, internal choices are provided in some questions, especially in the literature and writing sections.
The exam duration is 3 hours.
The paper is of 80 marks (written exam) + 20 marks (internal assessment).
You can start with the reading section, but if you are more comfortable with the writing section then you can start with writing.
On Question asked by student community
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