CBSE Grace Marks 2025-26: Class 10 & 12 Passing Criteria and Maximum Marks

CBSE Grace Marks 2025-26: Class 10 & 12 Passing Criteria and Maximum Marks

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CBSE Class 10th Exam Date:01 Jan' 26 - 14 Feb' 26

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Manasvini GuptaUpdated on 03 Oct 2025, 10:49 AM IST
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The Central Board of Secondary Education has a provision of awarding grace marks to students who fall slightly short of the CBSE passing criteria under certain conditions. According to CBSE guidelines, the passing marks in CBSE Class 10th and 12th are 33%. To ensure that no student fails due to a small margin, CBSE may award 01 grace marks. In the article, we have discussed the conditions under which a student can be awarded grace marks in CBSE 10th, 12th boards.

This Story also Contains

  1. CBSE Grace Marks: Overview of Official Provision
  2. CBSE Class 10 Grace Marks Policy
  3. CBSE Class 12 Grace Marks Policy
CBSE Grace Marks 2025-26: Class 10 & 12 Passing Criteria and Maximum Marks
CBSE Grace Marks 2025-26

CBSE Grace Marks: Overview of Official Provision

“If any student is not able to achieve 33% marks and miss out by 01 marks or so, decision

may be taken to award the grace mark(s),” mentioned in an official notice.

In the following table, we have stated details of the maximum grace marks that can be awarded by CBSE and passing criteria. Check it out to understand the official grace mark provision policy of CBSE:

ClassPassing MarksGrace Marks ProvisionMaximum Grace Marks in CBSE Board

CBSE Class 10

33% (combined theory + internal)

Applicable if short by 01 mark

Up to 01 mark

CBSE Class 12

33% separately in theory and practical

Applicable if short by 01 mark

Up to 01 mark

CBSE Class 10 Grace Marks Policy

  • For CBSE Class 10, a student needs to secure a minimum of 33% marks in total, including both theory and internal assessment, to pass the exams.

  • In cases where a student falls short by just one mark, such as scoring 32 instead of 33, CBSE may grant 01 grace mark to help the student qualify as ‘Pass.’

  • The CBSE Class 10 grace mark provision is meant to ensure that students are not declared failed simply due to a one-mark difference.

CBSE Class 12 Grace Marks Policy

  • To pass CBSE Class 12 exams, students are required to secure at least 33% marks separately in both theory and practical exams.

  • If a student falls short by just 01 mark in meeting this condition, CBSE may award grace marks to help them pass. However, if the gap is more than one mark, the student will not be eligible for grace marks under the board’s rules.

Subject-Wise CBSE Class 10 Passing Marks (Theory)

SubjectsMaximum MarksPassing Marks

Mathematics - Basic

80

27

Mathematics- Advanced

80

27

Science

80

27

Social Science

80

27

English

80

27

Computer Application

30

10

Other Regional and Foreign Languages

80

27

Subject-Wise CBSE Class 10 Passing Marks (Practical)

SubjectsMaximum Marks for IA/Practical ExamsPassing Marks for IA/Practical Exams

Mathematics- Basic

20

06

Mathematics- Advanced

20

06

Science

20

06

Social Science

20

06

English

20

06

Computer Applications

70

23

Other Regional and Foreign Languages

20

06

CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks for Science Stream

SubjectMaximum Marks for Theory ExamMaximum Marks for Practical and IAPassing Marks for TheoryPassing Marks for IA/Practicals

Physics

70

30

23

10

Chemistry

70

30

23

10

Mathematics

80

20

26

06

Biology

70

30

23

10

English Core

80

20

23

06

CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks for Commerce Stream

SubjectMaximum Marks for TheoryMaximum Marks for Practicals/ IAMinimum Marks for TheoryMinimum Marks for Practicals/ IA

Business Studies

70

30

23

10

Accountancy

70

30

23

10

Economics

80

20

27

06

Maths

70

30

23

10

CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks for Arts Stream

SubjectMaximum Marks for Theory ExamMaximum Marks for Practicals/ IAMinimum Marks for TheoryMinimum Marks for Practicals/ IA

Sociology

80

20

27

06

Political Science

80

20

27

06

Psychology

70

30

23

10

History

80

20

27

06

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can students request CBSE for grace marks?
A:

No, grace marks cannot be requested. They are awarded solely at the discretion of CBSE.

Q: Are grace marks automatically given by CBSE in board exams?
A:

No, grace marks are given only at CBSE’s discretion. They are restricted to situations involving a deficit of just one mark.

Q: How many grace marks are given by CBSE?
A:

As per official data available, CBSE awards up to 01 grace mark if a student narrowly misses the passing criteria.

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Questions related to CBSE Class 10th

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to CBSE Class 10th ?

Hi! If you’re looking for the Class 11 English half yearly question paper for 2025-26 (CBSE board), you’ll find the right resource once you check the link provided from Careers360. Solving previous or sample papers is a smart way to prepare, as it helps you understand the question types, marking scheme, and important topics. This practice will boost your confidence and help you manage your time well in the actual exam.
https://school.careers360.com/boards/cbse/cbse-class-11-half-yearly-sample-papers-2025-26

Hi dear candidate,

Could you please specify us the board of education for which you need the half yearly question papers of class X so that we can help you further.

Below are few links which may help you and it has all the subjects with English as well:

CBSE Class 10 Half Yearly Exam Question Paper 2025-26 with Answer Key & Analysis

ICSE Class 10 Half Yearly Sample Papers 2025-26 PDF (All Subjects)

BEST REGARDS

Hi dear candidate,

Can you please specify the board of education or state for which you need to know the exam pattern and syllabus so that we can guide you accordingly.

Since, most of the boards uses NCERT as base syllabus, you can refer to the link below:

NCERT Syllabus for Class 10 – All Subjects PDF Download 2025-26

Exam pattern:

CBSE 10th New Exam Pattern 2026- Marking Scheme, Subject-Wise Exam Pattern

BEST REGARDS

The CBSE Class 10th Board Exams for the 2026 session will follow the revised curriculum, emphasizing competency-based questions.

  • Conducting Body: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

  • Exam Period: The main theory exams are typically held between February and April 2026.

  • Grading: Based on marks in five main subjects plus internal assessment marks (often 20 marks per subject) provided by the school.

  • Passing Criteria: You must achieve at least 33% overall in each subject (theory + practical/internal assessment combined) to be declared pass.

Key Preparation Strategy

The most crucial element of your preparation is understanding the exam structure:

  • Syllabus: Strictly adhere to the rationalized syllabus released by CBSE for the 2025-26 academic year.

  • Practice: Your primary resource should be the latest sample papers and previous year question papers. These accurately reflect the format and types of competency questions being asked.

For the most comprehensive and official announcements, including the detailed time table and access to crucial practice materials, always check the official board updates, as tracked by Careers360: https://school.careers360.com/exams/cbse-class-10th .

HELLO,

If you want admission to 9th grade under the CBSE board in Andhra Pradesh , visit nearby CBSE affiliated schools during the admission period that is generally from January  to April or you can check the official websites of the schools in which you are interested for admission if they are accepting the admissions now .

After deciding the school and getting information about admission deadline from the school you can fill out the admission form with documents submission like your previous report card , transfer certificate and birth certificate , they make take entrance test or interview to confirm your admission

To know more visit :- https://school.careers360.com/schools/cbse-schools-in-andhra-pradesh

Hope this Helps!