The Central Board of Secondary Education has clarified that there was no change in the question pattern or framing of the recent Class 10 Mathematics board exam, amid feedback from students that the Basic Maths paper felt more challenging than expected. While CBSE officials maintained that questions were based on what students were taught, some teachers described the paper as slightly difficult, and students who opted for Basic Mathematics raised concerns over its relative level.CBSE says paper followed usual pattern and framing
Responding to concerns around the Class 10 Mathematics board exam, CBSE Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bharadwaj said the format remained consistent with previous years.
“There was no change in question pattern or framing this time. It was similar to what has been for years. The questions were from the course, syllabus what students were taught,” he said.
Another CBSE official, speaking on condition of anonymity, noted that complaints about exam difficulty are common after board papers. “Students always complain that questions asked in the exam were tough; this has become more these days. They should prepare well and appear for the exam,” the official said.
Teachers note paper was ‘a bit difficult’
A teacher from a leading school chain in Delhi, who did not wish to be named, said the Mathematics paper this year was “a bit difficult” compared to recent years. The teacher also mentioned that there were discussions among some educators that a relatively tougher paper could encourage more students to take the second board exam scheduled in May, though this remains speculative.
Basic Maths students question relative difficulty level
Students who had opted for Basic Mathematics — generally chosen by those not intending to pursue Mathematics further — said the paper felt more demanding than expected.
“I am a Class 10 student from the 2025-26 CBSE batch, and I am writing this with a genuine sense of disappointment in my Basic Mathematics board exam. I chose Basic Maths as I do not intend to pursue Mathematics further and thought this would be the best way for me to get a good percentage. I studied for a long time for it, but the paper was much tougher than I expected. After the exam, I realized that many students like me are going through the same experience. In our case, the Basic paper was no different or even tougher than the Standard paper, which is completely unfair to students who have opted for it in good faith and wanted to score above 95,” said Rashi Singh (name changed), a Class 10 student from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
A student from Noida expressed a similar concern. “I had opted for Basic Mathematics assuming it would be relatively easier and more application-based. However, several questions were tricky and time-consuming. Many of us felt the level was higher than what we had practiced in school tests,” Vaishali (name changed) the student said.
Debate emerges as CBSE moves towards two-exam system
The discussion comes as CBSE prepares to operationalise the provision of a second board examination attempt within the same academic year, aimed at reducing high-stakes pressure and offering students an additional opportunity to improve their scores.
