CBSE Class 12 Math Board Exam Paper Analysis: ‘The paper was balanced & student-friendly’

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on March 9, 2026, conducted the Math exam. Around 18.5 lakh students are appearing for the CBSE Class XII Board exams this year. The exams for the 2025-26 academic session began on February 17, 2026, and form part of a larger Board exam cycle that includes more than 43 lakh students from Classes X and XII combined.

For Class XII alone, the exams are being conducted at 7,574 centres across the country. A total of approximately 18,59,551 candidates have registered for the Class XII exams this year, including over 10.2 lakh boys and nearly 8.3 lakh girls. The exams will continue until April 10, 2026.

The Math paper was for 80 marks; the three-hour paper was structured into 38 questions across five sections (A-E). The students were also given 15 minutes, from 10:15 am to 10:30 am, to thoroughly read the question paper to understand what was being asked of them.

Section A: 18 MCQs and 2 Assertion-Reason questions (1 mark each)

Section B: 5 Very Short Answer (VSA) questions (2 marks each)

Section C: 6 Short Answer (SA) questions (3 marks each)

Section D: 4 Long Answer (LA) questions (5 marks each)

Section E: Case Study-based questions (4 marks each)

According to Ms Suman Saluja, PGT Mathematics, Apeejay School, Pitampura, this year the paper was comparatively easier than in earlier years. “The paper was completely aligned with the CBSE and NCERT syllabus and pattern. There were no questions that went beyond the prescribed course, and nothing was asked at a level higher than what students are expected to study. Everything remained within the NCERT framework,” the educator shared.

Wherever concepts were tested, the questions asked them directly rather than in a complicated manner, the educator said. “At the same time, the paper also included competency-based elements. The MCQs, however, were not tough. They were fairly simple and largely tested the basic understanding and knowledge of the students,” she said.

The case-based questions required students to think a little more carefully, so those did test competency and application. “Among the sections, the MCQ section was probably the most scoring. It carried 20 marks, so students who were well-prepared could easily aim for full marks. Overall, the structure of the paper was balanced and fairly student-friendly,” Ms Saluja said in conclusion.