How Many Sets Are There in CBSE Board Exams? CBSE Class 10 & Class 12 Clarified for 2026
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has started the board examination for CBSE class 10 and CBSE class 12 exams from February 17, 2026. Lakhs of students appear in the CBSE board exam. To ensure a fair implementation of the examination, the board uses different sets of question papers. It is to maintain fairness and prevent any malpractice during the examination. It helps the board to prevent any chance of the paper leaking. The board is expected to publish 15 sets, which will include 5 major sets, and each will further be divided into 3 subsets.
The questions in major sets will be different from one another, while questions in subsets will be the same but in a different order. To perform better and score passing marks in the CBSE results, students can solve previous years’ CBSE board sample papers. It will help them familiarise themselves with the variety of questions that are asked in the exam and improve their problem-solving skills. Below, we have provided more information on the CBSE board exam sets for students' information.
What are CBSE Question Paper Sets?
The board prepares the CBSE question paper for classes 10 and 12 in multiple sets to maintain fairness in the examination and prevent cheating. Each CBSE board exam set contains different questions, but the level of difficulty and the distribution of marks remain the same. The set number should not matter as long as students are familiar with the CBSE syllabus and have prepared well for the examination.
Number of Sets in the CBSE Board Exam
Last year, the CBSE board released a total of 15 sets of question papers for each subject, including Science, Social Science, Hindi, etc. These sets were labelled as Set 1, Set 2, Set 3, Set 4 and Set 5. Each major set comes with 3 subsets. Most questions in each subset are usually the same, but arranged differently or phrased slightly differently.
CBSE Class 10th Syllabus 2025-26
Students can access the subject-wise CBSE Class 10 syllabus for the 2025–26 academic session.
Check NowTotal Sets in CBSE Class 10 Board Exam
| Subject | Number of sets | Number of subsets |
|---|---|---|
Hindi | 5 | 3 |
English | 5 | 3 |
Mathematics | 5 | 3 |
Science | 5 | 3 |
Social Science | 5 | 3 |
CBSE Board Exam Class 12 Number of Sets
| Subjects | Number of sets | Number of subsets |
|---|---|---|
Hindi | 5 | 3 |
English | 5 | 3 |
Mathematics | 5 | 3 |
Accountancy | 5 | 3 |
Business Studies | 5 | 3 |
Economics | 5 | 3 |
Geography | 5 | 3 |
History | 5 | 3 |
Political Science | 5 | 3 |
Biology | 5 major sets and 1 set B for VI candidates | 3 |
Chemistry | 5 major sets and 1 set B for VI candidates | 3 |
Physics | 5 major sets and 1 set B for VI candidates | 3 |
Note: VI stands for Visually Impaired candidates.
Purpose of Sets in CBSE Exam
Multiple sets ensure that no particular group of students have access to the same questions. It promotes fairness in the examination and helps avoid unnecessary circumstances.
It also reduces the risk of question paper leaks before the exam and cheating during the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How many sets of question papers does CBSE publish for board exams?
A:
The CBSE board publishes three sets of question papers for each subject.
Q: Will the different set numbers affect students’ performance in the examination?
A:
No, the set number will not affect the student’s performance as long as they are well prepared for the examination.
Q: What is the purpose of multiple sets?
A:
The multiple sets ensure fairness in the examination, enhance the security of the exam process and help avoid unnecessary circumstances such as risk of question paper leaks and cheating.
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Have a question related to CBSE Class 10th ?
The CBSE Board Exam Class 10 English Question Paper can be downloaded in PDF format here .
Students can download the CBSE 10th Maths question paper from below.
Download CBSE Class 10 Maths Question Paper Here
The CBSE 10th maths exam follows the 80 (Theory) + 20 (Internal) format.
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Question 1 (8 Marks):
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(A) 4 MCQs (1 mark each).
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(B) 4 Very Short Answer questions (1 mark
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You can check the SST 2026 question paper here .
Hi Student
Check out the link below to get the Central Board of Secondary Education question paper 2026 Class 10 for all subjects.
Hi,
Please open the link below to find the CBSE Class 10th Maths 2026 question papers and answer key - https://school.careers360.com/boards/cbse/cbse-class-10-maths-question-paper-2026
https://school.careers360.com/boards/cbse/cbse-10th-maths-answer-key-2026
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