Class 10 Board Exam
Bihar Board and CBSE
Bihar Board and CBSE set different Class 10 papers. This guide puts them side by side, so you know what your own paper asks.
Start here
How the Two Boards Differ
Bihar Board and CBSE teach almost the same Class 10 ideas. Both follow NCERT closely. But the two exams ask their questions in different ways. A student should prepare for the paper their own board sets.
The Bihar Board paper has a large objective part. About half the marks come from one-mark questions with four options. The CBSE paper has fewer of those. It asks more questions where you must apply an idea to a new case.
We last checked the facts on this page in October 2026. Boards can change their rules. Read the official notice on biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in for Bihar Board, or cbse.gov.in for CBSE.
Side by side
Bihar Board and CBSE Class 10 at a glance
| Bihar Board (BSEB) | CBSE | |
|---|---|---|
| Main subjects | Hindi or another first language, a second language such as Sanskrit, Maths, Science, Social Science. English is a sixth paper | Two languages, Maths, Science, Social Science |
| Marks per subject | 100. Science has an 80-mark paper and a 20-mark practical | 100: an 80-mark paper and 20 marks from school |
| Objective questions | About half the marks. One mark each. In recent years the board has printed twice as many as you must answer | About one fifth of the paper is multiple choice |
| Written answers | About half the marks: short and long answers | Short and long answers, with many questions that test how you apply an idea |
| Pass mark | 30 in each subject and 150 in total | 33% in each subject |
| Exams in a year | One main exam, then a compartmental exam | Two. Every student sits the first. The second is optional, to improve in up to three subjects |
| Official website | biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in | cbse.gov.in |
Checked in October 2026 against published board information. The Bihar Board divisions are: first division from 300 marks out of 500, second from 225, third from 150. In recent years the English marks have not been counted in that 500.
Common mistakes
Common Mistakes and Better Habits
These apply to both boards. Most of these marks are lost in questions the student could have answered.
Common mistakes
- Starting past papers only in the last month
- Reading the chapter again and again, without writing
- Leaving the objective part to guesswork
- Skipping steps in maths, so part marks are lost
- Running out of time on the last long answers
What works better
- Solving past papers of your own board, with a clock
- Writing answers by hand and having them checked
- Practising objective questions chapter by chapter
- Showing every step, with units and diagrams
- Keeping a fixed number of minutes for each section
A plan for the year
How to Use the Class 10 Year
Both boards hold the main exam early in the year, around February. Work backwards from there.
Learn every chapter properly
Finish the syllabus with understanding. Write short notes as you go. Do not leave any chapter for later.
Finish and start revising
Close the last chapters. Begin the first full revision. Start objective practice for each chapter.
Past papers, with a clock
Solve past papers of your own board in the full exam time. Have them checked. Fix the same mistake before the next paper.
Revise only
Go through your short notes and your marked mistakes. Do not start new chapters now. Sleep well, because a tired student loses easy marks.
Class 10 questions
Questions Students Ask About the Class 10 Board Exam
What is the pass mark in the Bihar Board Class 10 exam?
A student needs 30 marks out of 100 in each subject, and 150 marks in total. A student who misses this in one or two subjects can usually sit the compartmental exam. Check the latest rule on biharboardonline.bihar.gov.in.
How many objective questions are there in the Bihar Board matric exam?
About half the marks in each subject come from objective questions. Each carries one mark and has four options. In recent years the board has printed twice as many questions as you must answer, so you can choose. You mark the answers on an OMR sheet.
Does CBSE hold the Class 10 board exam twice a year?
Yes. From 2026, CBSE holds two board exams for Class 10 in a year. Every student must sit the first one. The second one is optional. In 2026 a student could use it to improve in up to three subjects. The better score in each subject counts. Check cbse.gov.in for the current rules.
What is the pass mark in CBSE Class 10?
A student needs 33% in each subject. Each subject has 100 marks. The board paper carries 80 marks, and 20 marks come from the school as internal assessment.
Is the Bihar Board exam easier than CBSE?
The syllabus is close, since both follow NCERT. The paper style is different. Bihar Board has a large objective part. CBSE asks more questions where you apply an idea. Either paper is hard if you have practised for the other one. Practise the past papers of your own board.
When should I start solving past papers for Class 10?
Start chapter-wise questions as soon as a chapter is finished. Start full past papers by December, with a clock. Two months of timed papers helps more than reading the book once more.
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