CBSE Previous Year Question Papers — Last 5 Years (Class 10 & 12)
CBSE previous year question papers for Class 10 and 12 — last 5 years with solutions.
CBSE previous year question papers are available for free at cbse.gov.in and cbseacademic.nic.in. Solve at least 5 years of papers (2021–2025) per subject. Start with the most recent year and work backwards. Always use the official marking scheme to check your answers.
Where to Download — Official Sources Only
| Source | URL | What's Available |
|---|---|---|
| CBSE Official | cbse.gov.in → Question Papers | Last 5+ years, all subjects, all sets |
| CBSE Academic | cbseacademic.nic.in | Papers + marking schemes + sample papers |
| CBSE App | Google Play Store | Papers accessible on mobile |
Always download the marking scheme along with the question paper. Without it, you cannot accurately evaluate your answers or understand step marking.
Year-Wise Availability
| Year | Class 10 | Class 12 | Pattern Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Available | Available | Most relevant — closest to 2026 pattern |
| 2024 | Available | Available | Current pattern with CBQs |
| 2023 | Available | Available | Single-term pattern resumed |
| 2022 | Available | Available | Term 1 (MCQ only) + Term 2 — different pattern, still useful |
| 2021 | Available | Available | Reduced syllabus due to COVID — some chapters excluded |
| 2020 | Available | Available | Pre-COVID full syllabus — good for comprehensive practice |
Priority: 2025 > 2024 > 2023 > 2020 > 2022 > 2021. Papers from 2022 (term system) and 2021 (reduced syllabus) had different patterns, so use them selectively.
Subject-Wise Frequently Repeated Topics
Mathematics (Class 10)
| Topic | Frequency (Last 5 Years) | Typical Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Quadratic Equations — word problems | Every year | 3–5 marks |
| AP — sum and nth term | Every year | 3–5 marks |
| Trigonometric Identities — prove LHS = RHS | Every year | 3–4 marks |
| Surface Area & Volume — combination of solids | Every year | 5 marks |
| Statistics — mean/median of grouped data | Every year | 3–5 marks |
| Triangles — BPT and similarity | 4 out of 5 years | 3–5 marks |
| Circles — tangent properties | Every year | 3 marks |
| Real Numbers — HCF/LCM using prime factorisation | Every year | 2–3 marks |
Science (Class 10)
| Topic | Frequency | Typical Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity — Ohm's law numericals, circuit diagrams | Every year | 5 marks |
| Light — mirror/lens formula, ray diagrams | Every year | 5 marks |
| Chemical Reactions — balancing, types of reactions | Every year | 3–5 marks |
| Life Processes — heart diagram, digestion, respiration | Every year | 5 marks |
| Heredity — Mendel's experiments, sex determination | 4 out of 5 years | 3–5 marks |
| Carbon Compounds — nomenclature, properties, reactions | Every year | 3–5 marks |
| Magnetic Effects — electromagnetic induction, motor/generator | Every year | 3 marks |
Practise these high-frequency topics
Super Tutor has chapter-wise CBSE practice questions focused on the most frequently asked topics with instant feedback.
Start Practising — FreeHow to Solve Previous Year Papers — 4-Step Method
Step 1: Solve Under Exam Conditions
- Set a timer for exactly 3 hours
- No phone, no books, no breaks
- Use a clean answer sheet (not rough paper)
- Write answers as you would in the actual exam — full steps, diagrams, labels
Step 2: Evaluate Using the Marking Scheme
- Download the official marking scheme from cbseacademic.nic.in
- Award step marks strictly — partial marks matter in boards
- Count: correct answers, partially correct, wrong, unattempted
- Calculate your score out of 80
Step 3: Analyse Your Mistakes
| Error Type | Example | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Concept gap | Could not solve BPT problem | Revise the theorem, watch explanation, solve 10 similar problems |
| Silly mistake | Calculation error in Trigonometry | Slow down, double-check calculations, write each step |
| Time pressure | Left 2 questions unattempted | Practise speed. Skip hard questions and come back. |
| Presentation | Lost step marks for missing units | Always write units, label diagrams, show formula before substitution |
Step 4: Revise Weak Areas
After each paper, spend 1–2 hours revising ONLY the chapters where you lost marks. Do not re-read the entire syllabus — target your weaknesses. Keep a running list of chapters that need work across all papers.
Recommended Solving Schedule
| Week | Papers to Solve | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 2025 paper (all subjects) | Understand current pattern |
| Week 2 | 2024 paper (all subjects) | Build pattern recognition |
| Week 3 | 2023 paper + weak subject extra | Address specific weaknesses |
| Week 4 | 2022 or 2020 paper | Volume practice |
| Week 5 | Re-solve questions you got wrong | Final gap filling |
Class 12 — Key Repeated Topics
| Subject | Frequently Tested Topics |
|---|---|
| Physics | Electrostatics (Gauss's law, capacitors), Optics (ray diagrams, wave optics), Current Electricity (Kirchhoff's, potentiometer), Modern Physics (photoelectric, nuclear) |
| Chemistry | Electrochemistry (Nernst), Chemical Kinetics (rate law), p-Block reactions, Organic named reactions (Aldol, Cannizzaro), Coordination compound naming |
| Maths | Integration (definite integrals, area under curves), Probability (Bayes'), Matrices (inverse, system of equations), 3D Geometry (line/plane equations), Differential Equations |
| Accountancy | Partnership (admission, retirement, dissolution), Cash Flow Statement, Ratio Analysis |
| Business Studies | Principles of Management (Fayol, Taylor), Financial Management (capital structure, dividend), Marketing (4Ps, consumer protection) |
Previous year papers and marking schemes are available for free on cbse.gov.in and cbseacademic.nic.in. Topic frequency analysis based on 2020–2025 CBSE board papers. Exam pattern may have minor variations each year. Last updated: February 2026.
Turn this into board-exam marks
Super Tutor gives you chapter summaries, previous-year questions, and full mock exams matched to your board syllabus — so you revise smarter, not longer.
Start preparing — freeFrequently Asked Questions
Where can I download CBSE previous year question papers?
Official sources: (1) cbse.gov.in → Examinations → Question Papers, (2) cbseacademic.nic.in — has papers with marking schemes, (3) CBSE mobile app. These are 100% authentic. Avoid third-party websites that may have incorrect or modified papers. CBSE provides papers from the last 5+ years for free.
How many previous year papers should I solve?
Solve at least 5 years of papers per subject (2021–2025). Ideally, solve all available papers (7–10 years) for your weakest subjects. Strategy: solve the most recent year first (closest to current pattern), then work backwards. Each paper takes 3 hours — plan 1 paper per day across subjects.
Do questions repeat from previous year papers in CBSE?
Exact questions rarely repeat, but question PATTERNS repeat heavily. Similar types of problems from the same chapters appear year after year. For example: Maths — quadratic equation word problems, trigonometric identities; Science — electricity numericals, chemical equations; SST — map-based questions on the same locations. Solving PYQs trains you for these patterns.
Are previous year papers harder or easier than the actual exam?
CBSE maintains consistent difficulty. Previous year papers are the BEST predictor of actual exam difficulty. The exam pattern, marks distribution, and question types are almost identical. If you can consistently score 70+ out of 80 in PYQs under timed conditions, expect similar performance in the actual exam.
Should I solve previous year papers before or after sample papers?
Solve sample papers FIRST (to understand the current year pattern), then previous year papers (for practice and pattern recognition). Sample papers reflect any recent changes in exam format. PYQs provide volume practice and help identify frequently tested topics. Ideally: 3 sample papers → 5 PYQs → 2 more sample papers as final practice.
How to use the marking scheme with previous year papers?
After solving each paper: (1) Check answers using the CBSE marking scheme (available on cbseacademic.nic.in), (2) Award yourself step marks exactly as the scheme describes, (3) Note where you lost marks — was it concept, calculation, or presentation? (4) The marking scheme shows EXACTLY how examiners award partial marks — study it carefully.