The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a 15% syllabus cut for Classes 10 and 12 for the 2025 board exams. This update, shared during a principal’s summit in Indore, aims to help students focus on deeper learning and reduce the need for rote memorization.
Vikas Kumar Agrawal, CBSE’s Bhopal regional officer, said the syllabus reduction is part of the board’s goal to let students explore topics in more detail without overwhelming them with too much content.
CBSE 2025 Syllabus Update: 40% Internal Assessment Weightage
CBSE has also raised the internal assessment weightage to 40%, while the final board exams will make up the remaining 60%. Internal assessment includes projects, assignments, and regular tests, creating a balanced and continuous evaluation process. Agrawal noted that this approach promotes steady learning and lets students show their understanding better.
Emphasis on Practical Knowledge and Skill-Based Questions
Following the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, CBSE is changing its exam pattern to focus more on practical knowledge and skills. For the 2025 board exams, around half of the questions will test real-life applications instead of just theory. This shift encourages critical thinking and problem-solving, moving away from memorization.
Major Changes for the CBSE Board Exam 2025
Digital Assessments and Open-Book Exams
To improve accuracy and fairness, CBSE will continue using digital assessments for grading in select subjects, helping reduce errors and make evaluations more transparent. CBSE also plans to introduce open-book exams for certain subjects, such as English Literature and Social Science, where students can use textbooks during the exam. This approach focuses on understanding and analytical skills rather than memorizing facts.
Moving to a Two-Term Exam Structure by 2026
For the 2025 academic year, CBSE will keep a single-term exam format for Classes 10 and 12. However, starting in the 2025-2026 session, CBSE will switch to a two-term exam system. Agrawal explained that the board is preparing for this change to give students more frequent assessments, helping them track their progress and easing the stress of one big exam.
Benefits of the CBSE 2025 Changes
These updates bring CBSE closer to international education trends and prepare students better for future studies. The focus on internal assessments, practical knowledge, and application-based questions encourages deeper understanding, moving students away from rote learning towards skill-based learning.
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