The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced significant updates for the 2025 board examinations for Classes 10 and 12. These changes aim to enhance the assessment process, reduce student stress, and align with contemporary educational practices.
Key Changes in CBSE Board Exams 2025
- Increased Weightage on Internal Assessments Internal assessments will now constitute 40% of the final grade, with the remaining 60% derived from the final written examinations. This shift emphasizes continuous learning through projects, assignments, and periodic tests, providing students with more opportunities to demonstrate their understanding throughout the academic year.
- Syllabus Reduction To alleviate academic pressure, CBSE has reduced the syllabus by up to 15% across various subjects. This reduction allows students to focus on in-depth learning and minimizes the need for rote memorization.
- Emphasis on Competency-Based Questions Aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the 2025 exams will feature a higher proportion of competency-based questions. For Class 10, 50% of the questions will assess practical application and critical thinking skills. For Class 12, this proportion increases from 40% to 50%. These questions will include multiple-choice, case-based, and source-based formats.
- Digital Assessments and Open-Book Exams CBSE plans to continue digital assessments for select subjects to enhance transparency and efficiency in the evaluation process. Additionally, open-book exams will be introduced for subjects like English Literature and Social Science, encouraging analytical skills and a deeper understanding of the material.
- Exam Structure For the 2025 academic session, CBSE will maintain a single-term exam format. However, from the 2025-2026 session, the board intends to revert to a two-term structure, providing students with more frequent assessments to better track their progress and reduce the pressure of a single annual examination.
Summary of Key Changes
| Change | Details |
|---|---|
| Internal Assessment Weightage | Increased to 40% |
| Syllabus Reduction | Up to 15% across subjects |
| Competency-Based Questions | 50% for Class 10; increased from 40% to 50% for Class 12 |
| Digital Assessments | Continued for select subjects |
| Open-Book Exams | Introduced for English Literature and Social Science |
| Exam Structure | Single-term in 2025; two-term structure from 2025-2026 session |
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: How will the increased internal assessment weightage affect my final score?
A1: With internal assessments now accounting for 40% of your final grade, consistent performance in projects, assignments, and periodic tests throughout the year will significantly impact your overall score.
Q2: Which subjects will have open-book exams?
A2: Open-book exams will be introduced for subjects like English Literature and Social Science, allowing you to refer to your textbooks during the examination.
Q3: What types of questions are considered competency-based?
A3: Competency-based questions assess your ability to apply concepts in real-life scenarios. They include multiple-choice questions, case-based questions, and source-based integrated questions.
Q4: Will the syllabus reduction apply to all subjects?
A4: Yes, the syllabus reduction of up to 15% is applicable across various subjects to promote focused learning and reduce rote memorization.
Q5: When will the two-term exam structure be implemented?
A5: The two-term exam structure is planned to be implemented from the 2025-2026 academic session. For the 2025 exams, the single-term format will continue.
These updates reflect CBSE’s commitment to evolving the educational framework to better prepare students for higher education and real-world applications. Students are encouraged to adapt their study strategies accordingly to excel under the new assessment patterns.
