The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has officially released important details for the Class 12 Board Examinations 2026. This includes the syllabus for all streams, the exam pattern, and tentative dates. If you are a Class 12 student, this post is your complete guide to what to expect—and how to prepare effectively.
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What’s New for 2026
Before diving into specifics, here are some of the key changes and highlights for the 2025-26 academic year:
- A fully revised syllabus for all subjects in Science, Commerce, and Arts/Humanities has been published.
- There is increased weightage for competency-based questions—from 40% to 50% in many subjects.
- New “skill electives” introduced, such as Land Transportation Associate, Electronics & Hardware, Physical Activity Trainer, and Design Thinking & Innovation.
Syllabus for 2026
CBSE has released detailed subject-wise syllabus PDFs for all three main streams (Science, Commerce, Arts/Humanities). They include:
- Languages (English, Hindi, Sanskrit, regional languages etc.)
- Core subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Economics, Accountancy, Business Studies etc.
- Electives & additional academic subjects
- Skill subjects / elective modules newly introduced.
If you need, I can share topic-wise list for your stream (Science / Commerce / Arts).
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Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme
Here are the major features of the exam pattern for 2026:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Offline (Pen & Paper) |
| Duration | Typically 3 hours for most subjects. |
| Question Types | Mix of MCQ, short answer, long answer, case-based / competency-based questions. Increased weight for competency-based. |
| Internal & Practical Assessments | Internal evaluation counts; practicals or project work (where applicable) are part of evaluation. |
| Passing Criteria | Minimum of 33% marks required in each subject and overall aggregate. |
Important Dates (Tentative / Released)
Here are the key dates for CBSE Class 12 Board Exam 2026, as announced or estimated so far:
| Event | Date / Timeframe |
|---|---|
| Release of date sheet | Expected in second week of November 2025. |
| Practical Exams | Winter-bound schools: starting 5 November 2025; others between 1 Jan – 8 Feb 2026. |
| Board Exams (Theory) | Tentatively from 17 February 2026 to 4 April 2026. |
| Result declaration | Expected by May 2026. |
Note: All dates except those explicitly released are tentative; CBSE may update them. Always check the official CBSE website.
CBSE Class 12 Syllabus 2025-26 — Chapter-Wise / Unit-Wise Highlights
Here are some of the main subjects and their units / chapters. Marks are approximate weightages as per current syllabus.
Mathematics (Subject Code 041)
| Unit | Chapter / Topics |
|---|---|
| 1. Relations and Functions | Types of relations, Functions, Composition, Inverse functions, Binary operations, etc. |
| 2. Algebra | Matrices, Determinants, etc. |
| 3. Calculus | Limits & Continuity; Derivatives; Application of derivatives; Integrals; Differential Equations |
| 4. Vectors and Three-Dimensional Geometry | Vectors, Direction Cosines, Equations of line & plane in 3D, etc. |
| 5. Linear Programming | Formulation of LP Problems, Graphical method of solution, Feasible & Infeasible regions |
| 6. Probability | Conditional probability, Bayes’ theorem, Random variables, etc. |
Physics
| Unit | Chapter topics |
|---|---|
| Electrostatics | Electric charges, Gauss’s law, Electric potential & capacitance |
| Current Electricity | Ohm’s law, Drift velocity, Resistivity, Kirchhoff’s law etc. |
| Magnetic Effects | Moving charges & magnetism, Magnetism & matter |
| Electromagnetic Induction & Alternating Current | Faraday’s laws, Lenz’s law, AC circuits, LC oscillations |
| Electromagnetic Waves | Nature of EM waves, Spectrum etc. |
| Optics | Ray optics, Optical instruments, Interference, Diffraction & Polarisation |
| Dual Nature of Radiation & Matter | Photoelectric effect, de Broglie hypothesis, etc. |
| Atoms and Nuclei | Structure of atom, Radioactivity, Nuclear energy etc. |
Chemistry
| Unit | Chapter topics |
|---|---|
| Solutions | Types, Colligative properties etc. |
| Electrochemistry | Conductance, Electrode potentials etc. |
| Haloalkanes & Haloarenes | Nucleophilic substitution, Structure & properties etc. |
| Alcohols, Phenols & Ethers | Nomenclature, reactions, properties etc. |
| Biomolecules | Carbohydrates, Proteins, Vitamins etc. |
| Chemical Kinetics | Rate of reaction, order, molecularity etc. |
| d- and f-Block Elements & Coordination Compounds | Properties, bonding, etc. |
| Aldehydes, Ketones & Carboxylic Acids | Reactions, mechanisms etc. |
| Amines | Basicity, preparation, reactions etc. |
Biology
| Unit | Chapter topics |
|---|---|
| Reproduction | Sexual & asexual reproduction, human reproduction etc. |
| Genetics & Evolution | Mendelian genetics, DNA, etc., evolution theories etc. |
| Biology & Human Welfare | Health, disease, human interventions etc. |
| Biotechnology & its Applications | Genetic engineering, Biotechnology in agriculture etc. |
| Ecology & Environment | Ecosystem, Biodiversity, Environmental issues etc. |
Subject-Wise Reference Book Suggestions
Here are some well-known reference books (not necessarily brand new sets) which many students and teachers recommend.
| Subject | Book(s) & Strength |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | |
| Physics | HC Verma / Pradeep’s Fundamental Physics – for strong concept building. |
| Chemistry | Modern ABC of Chemistry, OP Tandon – good mix of theory & numericals. |
| Biology | Trueman’s Elementary Biology (for concepts) + NCERT + Exemplar. |
| Commerce (Accountancy etc.) | TS Grewal for Accountancy; good business studies / economics books like those by Sandeep Garg etc. |
Conclusion
The 2026 CBSE Class 12 board exam framework gives students a clear path: syllabus fully out, pattern defined, dates roughly known. What matters now is smart preparation. Cover your syllabus thoroughly, practice a variety of question types, manage time well, and remain consistent.
