CBSE Class 12 History Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme 2025-26: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct the Class 12 History board examination in 2026 based on a specific, structured pattern. Understanding this framework is essential, as the exam assesses not just recall of facts, but also analytical skills, source interpretation, and application of historical knowledge, with an increased focus on competency-based evaluation.
The paper is structured as an 80-mark Theory examination complemented by 20 marks for Project Work, totaling 100 marks. Students should familiarize themselves with the distribution of marks across the three Parts (Themes in Indian History I, II, and III) and the different question formats including Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Source-Based Questions, and Long Answer Questions (8 marks). This comprehensive knowledge is vital for strategizing their study plan, prioritizing high-weightage historical themes, and maximizing their overall score in the final examinations.
CBSE Class 12 Exam Pattern 2026: Key Highlights
Check the below table to get the key pointers of CBSE Class 12 Exam Pattern:
| Board | Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) |
| Class | 12 |
| Streams | Science, Commerce, Arts/Humanities |
| Question Paper Pattern |
|
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Mode of Exam | Offline, Pen and Paper |
| Number of subjects | 5 or 6 (as elected by the student) |
| Maximum Marks | 100 (theory + practical)
|
| Each Subject Passing Marks | 33% |
| Passing marks for the overall exam | Aggregate 33% |
| Official Website |
CBSE Class 12 History: Chapter-Wise Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
The table outlines the CBSE 12th History exam pattern:
| Section | Question Numbers | Question Type | Marks per Question | Total Marks |
| A | 1 to 21 | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) | 1 mark | 21 marks |
| B | 22 to 27 | Short Answer Questions | 3 marks | 18 marks |
| C | 28 to 30 | Long Answer Questions | 8 marks | 24 marks |
| D | 31 to 33 | Source-Based Questions (3 sub-questions each) | 4 marks per question | 12 marks |
| E | 34 | Map-Based Question | 5 marks | 5 marks |
CBSE Class 12 History Exam Pattern 2026: Unit-wise Marks distribution
The following table mentions the weightage distribution across various themes of CBSE Class 12 History curriculum for the upcoming board exam:
Part—I | |
| Theme Title | Marks |
| Bricks, Beads and Bones | 25 Marks |
| Kings, Farmers and Towns | |
| Kingship, Caste and class | |
| Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings | |
Part—II | |
| Theme Title | Marks |
| Through the eyes of Travellers | 25 Marks |
| Bhakti-Sufi Traditions | |
| An Imperial Capital – Vijayanagar (c. fourteenth to sixteenth centuries) | |
| Peasants, zamindars and the States Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire (c. |
|
Part-III | |
| Theme Title | Marks |
| Colonialism and The Countryside | 25 Marks |
| Rebels and Raj | |
| Mahatma Gandhi and the National Movement | |
| Framing of the Constitution | |
| Map work of the related Themes | 5 Marks |
| Theory Total | 80 Marks |
| Project Work | 20 Marks |
| Total | 100 Marks |
CBSE Class 12 History Deleted Syllabus 2026
CBSE Class 12th History exam 2025-26: there are no new topics deleted in the syllabus. The chapters that were removed in 2024-25 remain excluded. Check the table below to know the topics that are not part of the syllabus:
Part | Theme | Topic | Status |
| Part II: Medieval India | Theme 9 | The Mughal Court: Reconstructing Histories | Fully Deleted |
| Part III: Modern India | Theme 12 | Colonialism and Indian Towns | Fully Deleted |
| Theme 14 | Partition through Oral Sources | Fully Deleted | |
| Theme 10 | Colonialism and Rural Society (Certain topics) | Partially Deleted |
A thorough understanding of the CBSE Class 12 History Exam Pattern and the precise unit-wise weightage for 2026 is the foundation of a winning study strategy. By focusing preparation time on the high-weightage units, practice to the increased percentage of Competency-Based Questions, students can ensure they cover the syllabus effectively and are well-prepared for the final board examination.
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