CBSE Passing Criteria for the 2024-25 Academic Year: Key Details for Students

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board exams are some of the most important exams for students in India. They are conducted in classes 10th (secondary) and 12th (higher secondary). Depending on their chosen stream, these exams assess students’ academic knowledge and performance across various subjects, such as English, mathematics, science, and others.

For the 2024-25 academic year, CBSE has announced the passing criteria for all subjects on its official website. Here's a simplified breakdown in this blog:

What are the minimum CBSE passing marks for board exams?

To pass the CBSE board exams, students must get at least 33% marks in each subject. This is the minimum requirement to qualify overall. If a student scores less than 33% in any subject, they will need to appear for a supplementary exam to improve their score. 

Grading system

To qualify for the certificates, students must score at least a Grade D in each subject. If a student gets a Grade E in any subject, they will need to take a supplementary exam to improve their grade.

Students who don’t meet the CBSE minimum passing marks or grades in a subject or overall will need to take a supplementary exam for that subject. Otherwise, they will be marked as failed.

To make it easier to understand how a grade is calculated, we've simplified the process for you.

Major Changes in the 2025  Boards Exam

The CBSE board exams for classes 10 and 12 in 2025 will follow a new exam pattern. There will be more multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and questions that test your skills and understanding. Thus, there will be fewer short-answer and long-answer questions compared to last year's exam paper.

CBSE Class 10 & 12 Passing Marks 2024-25

The CBSE Class 10 board exams are usually held in February to March, while the Class 12 exams typically take place in February to April. 

Check out the timetable for the 10th and 12th main exams through the link below:

To help students understand the exam pattern and marking criteria, CBSE provides clear guidelines for passing. If you’re curious about the types of questions asked and how marks are distributed, keep reading to find out more.

Schools calculate a student’s practical marks based on their overall academic and non-academic performance. The practical assessment is usually calculated for 20 marks, and the theory exam paper is set for 80 marks. The practical marks are given by the subject teacher and are based on:

• Attendance: The student must have at least 75% attendance or more.
• Assignments: All assignments should be completed on time.
• Discipline: The teacher values the student’s behavior and participation in  extracurricular activities conducted in class

Steps to prepare for competency-based questions for CBSE Board Exams?

• Stick to your timetable and focus on subjects based on your Class 10 or Class 12  board priorities.
• Go through question banks, past years’ papers, and sample papers to understand the pattern.
• Practice many questions of the same type to get comfortable with the format.
• Read the given statement or paragraph carefully at least twice to understand the context or situation fully.
• Keep practicing similar questions to build confidence and improve accuracy.

How to Prepare to Meet CBSE Passing Criteria for the Board Exam

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