On February 21, 2026, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) orchestrated a nationwide examination event, conducting the Class 10 English Communicative and English Language and Literature exams across 8,000 centers in India and 26 countries abroad. For three hours, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., more than 25 lakh students—over 10.9 lakh girls and 14 lakh boys—sat for a paper that experts widely described as balanced, fair, and reflective of the syllabus.
The English exam, worth 80 marks, came in two flavors: Communicative and Language and Literature. The Communicative exam unfolded in four sections—reading skills, writing skills, grammar, and literature—while the Language and Literature paper was split into three: reading skills; grammar and creative writing skills; and literature textbook. Each was meticulously structured to test comprehension, analytical thinking, and application-based learning, as reported by Careers360 and corroborated by educators from across the country.
Sunita Virmani, TGT English at Global Indian International School, Noida, praised the paper for its inclusivity, noting, "It was a good blend, allowing below-average, average, and above-average students to attempt confidently. The sections were clear and well-structured, and students were well-prepared due to ample practice, completing the paper on time." Her analysis echoed a sentiment shared by many: the exam was accessible yet rigorous, rewarding those who had engaged deeply with the curriculum.
Vinnita Maheshwari, an expert from Lancers Army Schools, described the paper as "student-friendly, fair, and scoring, with most questions directly from the syllabus." She added, "It allowed students to showcase concept clarity, with balanced choices and clear guidelines," highlighting that while some questions required analytical thinking, none strayed beyond prescribed boundaries.
Mahima Dudeja, PGT English at JAIN International Residential School, Bengaluru, offered further insight: "The overall Class 10 English Language and Literature (184) paper was moderately easy. The language used was lucid and coherent, which likely enabled smooth comprehension for most students." She observed that the exam leaned heavily on competency-based questions, expecting students to compare, contrast, and draw logical conclusions, rather than simply recall facts. "Students who could interpret figurative and metaphorical meanings clearly had an advantage, as several questions served as a quiet test of analytical ability," she said, emphasizing the importance of attentive reading and deep thinking.
Section-wise, Section A (Reading) was straightforward, requiring careful reading; Section B (Grammar and Writing) was consistent, though a minor punctuation error in reported speech could have tripped up some students. Section C (Literature) was perhaps the most approachable for those who had grasped the underlying themes and messages of the texts. As Mahima Dudeja concluded, "Overall, the paper was fair, syllabus-aligned, and student-friendly, with a clear tilt towards competency and comprehension."
Gitika Haloi, PGT-English at Modern English School, Guwahati, highlighted the exam's focus on comprehension, critical thinking, and application-based learning. She noted that the first reading comprehension passage was "based on a current issue and was moderately critical, requiring careful understanding and analysis," while the second passage was "easy and direct." The grammar section required students to apply rules in context, and the writing section, dealing with familiar topics, made it easier for students to organize their ideas. Haloi summed up the paper as "a balanced mix of knowledge, analysis, and application-based questions," though she cautioned that proper time management was crucial.
Dr. Alka Kapur, Principal of Modern Public School, Shalimar Bagh, commented, "The Class 10 English Communicative paper was fair and well-structured. Most students were able to complete it comfortably within the allotted time. The questions were clear, direct, and designed to assess students’ understanding of concepts rather than rote learning." She also pointed out that the literature section, based on NCERT, emphasized comprehension and deeper meanings, making it manageable for students with a clear understanding of the texts.
Feedback from students themselves, as reported by Careers360, reinforced these expert opinions. Many described the first reading comprehension passage as "moderately critical and required careful understanding and analysis," while the second was "easy and direct with case-based questions." Students with a broader perspective and a solid grasp of topics found the exam approachable, particularly as it featured application-based questions and struck a balance between knowledge and analysis.
The structure of the paper was carefully calibrated: 33 questions accounted for a total of 70 marks, distributed as 16 one-mark questions, 5 two-mark questions, 7 three-mark questions, 2 four-mark questions, and 3 five-mark questions. The remaining 10 marks were reserved for internal assessment, making the total 80. The marking scheme was transparent and accessible, with sample papers and answer keys made available on the official CBSE website for students to practice and self-assess.
Time management emerged as a recurring theme among both teachers and students. While the paper was designed to be completed in three hours, the variety and depth of questions meant that those who had practiced with sample papers and managed their time well were at a distinct advantage. Sumeet Mehta of the LEAD Group, a technology-driven education company, noted, "The paper was approachable for students who had engaged meaningfully with the curriculum." He emphasized the board’s focus on core themes, irony, symbolism, and character analysis, all of which required deeper understanding rather than rote memorization.
Portia Biswas, TGT English at Manav Rachna International School, Mohali, observed that the reading comprehension section tested inference skills, grammar questions emphasized practical usage, and the writing section focused on clarity and coherence. The literature section, she said, "required conceptual understanding rather than rote learning." Sreelekha Sarcar, Senior Educator at Shiv Nadar School Gurgaon, highlighted the analytical nature of the reading passages and the value points in the analytical paragraph questions, reinforcing the paper’s emphasis on both inferential and recall-based skills.
In terms of logistics, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), in partnership with CISF, provided special arrangements for students on exam days, granting priority at security checks and ticket counters to those carrying admit cards. Strict dress codes were enforced, with students not wearing their school uniforms denied entry to exam halls. The CBSE also reiterated its policy on grace marks: students falling short by just one mark could be awarded grace marks, but any greater deficit would not be covered.
Looking ahead, the board announced that Class 10 exams will be conducted twice a year, with the first phase ending March 10 and the second phase running from May 15 to June 1. In addition, compulsory Computing and Artificial Intelligence courses are set to be introduced for Classes 9 and 10, signaling a shift towards digital literacy and future-ready skills.
For now, as unofficial answer keys and solutions become available, students across India and beyond are evaluating their probable scores, reflecting on a paper that, by all accounts, balanced challenge with fairness and rewarded those who read, thought, and prepared well.