The class 10 syllabus CBSE releases for each session sits on the board's official academic website, cbseacademic.nic.in, where the board posts the curriculum for each session as subject wise files. This page sums up what those files say for class 10: the subjects you study, how each paper is marked, and the books each subject follows.
Most CBSE class 10 subjects follow the same plan: an 80 mark theory paper set by the board and 20 marks of internal assessment done by your school. The chapters come from the rationalised NCERT textbooks, so a few topics that older students studied are no longer in your course.
Exam at a glance
Board
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)Compulsory subjects
Two languages, maths, science, social scienceMarks split
80 theory plus 20 internal in most subjectsTheory paper time
3 hoursPass mark
33 percent in each subjectBooks
NCERT textbooksOfficial curriculum
Subjects in the class 10 syllabus CBSE sets
The class 10 cbse syllabus is built around five compulsory subjects, with an optional sixth.
- Language 1 and Language 2: most students take English Language and Literature and either Hindi Course A or Hindi Course B. Many other Indian and foreign languages are offered.
- Mathematics: Standard (041) or Basic (241). Both have the same chapters; Basic has simpler questions.
- Science: one paper, now set in three labelled sections for biology, chemistry and physics.
- Social Science: four NCERT books, and the paper keeps a separate section for each one.
- Optional sixth subject: a skill subject such as Information Technology, or a third language.
Schools also assess health and physical education, art education and work experience internally, recorded on your marksheet.
How each main paper is marked
| Subject | Units and theory marks (out of 80) | Internal |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | Algebra 20, geometry 15, trigonometry 12, statistics and probability 11, mensuration 10, number systems 6, coordinate geometry 6 | 20 |
| Science | Chemical substances 25, world of living 25, natural phenomena 12, effects of current 13, natural resources 5; in the paper this becomes biology 30, chemistry 25 and physics 25 | 20 |
| Social Science | History 20, geography 20, political science 20, economics 20 (map work counted within history and geography), each in its own section of the paper | 20 |
| English Language and Literature | Reading 20, writing and grammar 20, literature 40 | 20 |
Chapter lists for the three big subjects are on separate pages: class 10 maths syllabus, class 10 science syllabus and class 10 SST syllabus.
Class 10 English syllabus (class 10th English, code 184)
English Language and Literature has three parts in the board paper.
- Reading: unseen passages, one discursive and one factual or case based, with objective and short questions.
- Writing and grammar: a formal letter and an analytical paragraph from given data or a chart, plus grammar items on tenses, modals, subject verb agreement, reported speech and determiners, usually set as gap filling or editing.
- Literature: extracts and questions from First Flight (prose and poems) and Footprints without Feet (supplementary reader).
Familiar names from First Flight include A Letter to God, Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Glimpses of India, along with poems such as Dust of Snow and Fire and Ice. The exact list of chapters for your session is in the English curriculum file, so tick against that before you revise. Grammar topics are explained in depth on our class 10 grammar syllabus page.
Class 10 Hindi syllabus from NCERT books (Course A and B)
The class 10th Hindi syllabus comes at two levels, and both follow the class 10 Hindi syllabus NCERT books listed below. Course A (code 002) suits students who studied Hindi as a first language; Course B (code 085) is lighter.
| Course | Main textbook | Supplementary reader |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi A | Kshitij Part 2 | Kritika Part 2 |
| Hindi B | Sparsh Part 2 | Sanchayan Part 2 |
Both papers test unseen passages (apathit gadyansh and kavyansh), grammar (vyakaran), literature from the textbooks, and writing tasks such as letters, notices, advertisements and short compositions. The grammar topics are not the same: Course A asks rachna ke aadhar par vakya bhed, vachya, pad parichay and alankar, while Course B asks padbandh, vakya rupantaran, samas and muhavare. Marks per part also differ, so read the Hindi curriculum file for your course.
What changed recently
- Rationalised NCERT books: several older topics were dropped, for example constructions in maths and periodic classification in science. Old guides may still carry them.
- Competency based questions: a large share of each paper now uses case studies, source passages, data and assertion reason items rather than direct recall.
- Two board exams for class 10: CBSE has moved to a main board exam in February that every student takes and a second, optional exam in May, which you may use to raise marks in a maximum of three subjects chosen from science, maths, social science and the languages.
- Section wise answer books: science papers now come in three blocks (biology, then chemistry, then physics) and social science in four, one per NCERT book. Your answer book must be divided to match, because CBSE has said answers placed under the wrong block get no marks.
A study plan for the whole year
- April to July: finish the first half of every NCERT book. Keep one notebook per subject for definitions, formulas and diagrams.
- August to October: complete the remaining chapters. Start maps for social science and practise one writing task a week in English and Hindi.
- November and December: revise each subject once, work through the board's sample question paper and its case based items.
- January onward: complete papers in exam conditions, then mark them against CBSE's scheme.
For that last stage, use our guide to past CBSE class 10 board papers.
Books you actually need
NCERT textbooks are the base for every main subject, and board questions are written from them. Add the NCERT Exemplar for maths and science if you want harder practice. The CBSE sample question paper and its marking scheme, posted on the academic website each session, show the exact design of the paper and how answers are marked.
For what comes next, see the class 9 syllabus if you are revising foundations, or the CBSE class 12 syllabus and the school boards hub for other boards.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I download the CBSE class 10 syllabus?
Open cbseacademic.nic.in and go to Curriculum, then pick the current session and the secondary level. Each subject has its own file with units, marks, chapters and internal assessment rules.
Do Maths Standard and Basic follow one syllabus of class 10 CBSE?
They do. Both cover the same chapters and the same unit marks. The Basic paper has simpler questions. Under the usual rule, Basic leads to Applied Mathematics in class 11, but CBSE has kept a relaxation that lets a school allow a Basic student to take Mathematics if the principal is satisfied, so check the current circular.
How much do I need to pass each class 10 subject?
The pass level is 33 percent per subject, with your theory paper and school assessment added up. The board can revise this, so glance at the current rules.
Which books are prescribed for class 10 English?
First Flight is the main reader and Footprints without Feet is the supplementary reader. Grammar and writing are taught from the curriculum rather than a separate NCERT book.
How do Hindi Course A and Course B differ in class 10?
Hindi A uses Kshitij and Kritika and is meant for students with stronger Hindi. Hindi B uses Sparsh and Sanchayan and has an easier level, but both carry the same 80 plus 20 marks pattern.
Has CBSE reduced the class 10 syllabus?
The rationalised NCERT books removed some topics, and CBSE follows those books. There is no further cut announced for every session, so use the current curriculum file as your final list.