CBSE Passing Criteria 2023-24 Class 10 and 12

This article will discuss the CBSE class 10 and class 12 board exam passing criteria and passing marks for the academic session 2023-24 based on the CBSE exam bye-laws given on the CBSE official website. As you know the CBSE passing criteria are not the same for class 10 and class 12 board exams, you must understand the difference.

Assessment Components

There are two assessment components in CBSE board exams. These are internal exams and external exams.

• Internal Assessment by School
• External Assessment by CBSE (Theory Paper)

Here, internal exams include the following:

• Practical Assessment
• Periodic Assessment
• Multiple Assessment
• Portfolio Assessment
• Project Assessment
• Subject Enrichment Activities
• ASL Activities

If you calculate overall marks for internal assessment, you will be surprised that it varies from subject to subject and starts from 20 marks and goes up to 70 marks.

For example, Maths, Social, English etc have 20 marks for internal assessment whereas Music and Painting carry 70 marks as internal assessment including practical marks.

The application of the above components is different for different subjects. You can get detailed information about this in the secondary and senior secondary curriculum documents.

Passing Criteria for Class 10 Board Exam 2024

Class 10 Students need to score higher than E grade means 33% or more in each subject separately in internal and external exams. It means if a student scores 13/80 in theory and 20/20 in internals, he/she will be declared as FAIL in class 10 board exams even after getting 33% marks overall.

Here are some other points as well that we will discuss one by one.

Passing Marks in Internal Exam

A candidate will be eligible to get the Pass Certificate of the Board, if he/she gets a gradehigher than E in all subjects of internal assessment unless he/she is exempted. Failing this, the result of the external examination will be withheld but not for a period of more than one year.

It means if any student fails in practical or internal assessment, CBSE will not declare him/her pass even if he/she scores good marks in the external exam.

Passing Marks in External Exam

In order to be declared as having passed the examination, a candidate shall obtain a grade higher than E (i.e. at least 33% marks) in all the five subjects of external examination in the main or at the compartmental examinations. The pass marks in each subject of external examination shall be 33%.

It means you have to score a minimum of 33% marks in the external exam separately.

Language will Replace Language

In respect of a candidate offering an additional subject, the following norms shall be applied:
(a) A language offered as an additional subject may replace a language in the event of a candidate failing in the same provided after replacement the candidate has English/Hindi as one of the languages; and
(b) The replacement shall satisfy the conditions as laid down in the Scheme of Studies for appearing in external examination and result shall be declared subject to fulfilment of other conditions laid down in the Pass Criteria.

Passing Criteria for Class 12 Board Exam 2024

In the same way, in class 12 too students have to pass theory and practical separately. The passing criteria is almost similar to class 10 board exams. Let us discuss the same in detail.

Class 12 Internal Exam Passing Marks

A candidate will be eligible to get the Pass Certificate of the Board, if he/she gets a grade higher than E in all subjects of internal assessment unless he/she is exempted. Failing this, result of the external examination will be withheld but not for a period of more than one year.

Students passing only external exams will not get a pass certificate from CBSE. They have to pass practical or internal exams separately. However, you will hardly find any case where a student failed in the internals but passed the external exam.

Class 12 Theory Exam Passing Marks

In order to be declared as having passed the examination, a candidate shall obtain a grade higher than E (i.e. atleast 33% marks) in all the five subjects of external examination in the main or at the compartmental examinations. The pass marks in each subject of external examination shall be 33%. In case of a subject involving practical work a candidate must obtain 33% marks in theory and 33% marks in practical separately in addition to 33% marks in aggregate in order to qualify in that subject.

Now it’s clear that students have to pass both internal and external exams separately and he has to obtain a minimum of 33% passing marks in each paper.

Language Subject Criteria

In respect of a candidate offering an additional subject, the following norms shall be applied:

1. A language offered as an additional subject may replace a language in the event of a candidate failing in the same provided after replacement the candidate has English/Hindi as one of the languages.
2. An elective subject offered as an additional subject may replace one of the elective subjects offered by the candidate. It may also replace a language provided after replacement the candidate has English/Hindi as one of the languages.
3. Additional language offered at elective level may replace an elective subject provided after replacement, the number of languages offered shall not exceed two.

Exempted from Internal Exams

Candidates exempted from one or more subjects of internal examination shall be eligible for appearing in external examination and result shall be declared subject to fulfilment of other conditions laid down in the Pass Criteria.

In some cases, students may get an exemption from internal exams. In all such cases, CBSE will declare results based on external exams only.

Passing Marks in Board Exams 2023-24

So, passing marks are 33% separately in theory and practical exams. If you are getting good marks in internals but not able to get even passing marks in theory exams, you will not get a pass certificate. You have to re-appear in that theory paper. In the same way, if you are getting good marks in theory but not able to get the same in practical, you will have the option to appear in practical again. Although, it is a rare of the rarest events.

You can get CBSE Sample Papers from myCBSEguide app and website for your board exam preparation.