CBSE Exam 2020-21 – Complete Study Materials for CBSE Board Exam

CBSE Board Exam 2020-21: One of the entities that govern the education system in India is CBSE or the Central Board of Secondary Education. It is formed under the Union Government of India and is responsible for overseeing the entire education system.

The Central Board of Secondary Education came into being when the first-ever education board began in 1921, in Uttar Pradesh. It was called the Uttar Pradesh Board of High School and Intermediate Education. Later, in 1929, the Government of India established a joint education board known as the ‘Board of High School and Intermediate Education.’ In 1952, the name changed to the Central Board of Secondary Education or CBSE.

CBSE affiliates various educational institutions, including all the Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, and other private schools after seeking the approval of the Government of India.

In this blog, you will get the detailed guide on CBSE Board Exam 2020-21.

CBSE Board Exam 2020-21

Each year, in March, the CBSE board conducts what are known as public examinations for students of both classes 10 and 12. Earlier, the board used to conduct the AIEEE exams, required for seeking admission into various reputed colleges for the Engineering field. Recently, however, the government decided to merge the exam with the Joint Entrance Exam meant for IIT. Thus, as of now, there is only one common exam called the JEE (Main).

In November 2017, the honorable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, created the National Testing Agency. The National Testing Agency is a premier autonomous body responsible for conducting entrance examinations to various disciplines such as engineering and medicine.

Besides the class 10 and class 12 board exams, CBSE also conducts other examinations like the Central Teacher Eligibility Test and the NET. So, the board of education has become the largest body in conducting exams in India.

Important Highlights of CBSE Board

The academic session 2020-21 has not started yet due to the spread of the Coronavirus. It is expected that this year the schools will begin by September. Usually, the academic session starts in the month of June/July. Here we have summarized the important points related to the CBSE board exams.

CBSE Class 10 Board Exam

The CBSE class 10 syllabus is comprehensive and requires a rigorous study schedule. Every year, the board conducts the final exams for class 10 between March and April and subsequently announces the results between May and June. Every topic in the syllabus serves as the basis for other complex concepts. So, you need to be mastering them if you want to pursue higher studies and do well in the exams. So, CBSE class 10 is the foundation for higher studies.

• Know Everything About class 10 Board Exam

CBSE Class 12 Board Exam

Once a student is through with class 10, he or she then must choose the stream of his or her interest. There are three significant disciplines available, namely Science, Commerce, and Arts. The stream that you choose depends on not only your interests but also your talent and skills.

Since CBSE class 12 is the last stage of schooling, the board conducts one final public examination for the students of class 12. The public exam is a deciding factor for students who aspire to become successful in their respective domains. The exam happens between March and April, and the results would be out between May and June.

• Know Everything About class 12 Board Exam

CBSE class 12 is a steppingstone for various other disciplines of higher education and helps build a strong foundation. So, make sure you prepare rigorously for the board exams. If you can come out in flying colors, then it means you have got your concepts right and will be able to apply them when you pursue higher education.

Also, since you would be choosing your field of study for higher education depending on your current domain, class 12 becomes vital as you would learn fundamental concepts that you can then apply to your respective field. It is also an essential factor in deciding your career.

CBSE Board Exam Pattern

CBSE has come up with a new exam pattern that assesses both academic as well as extracurricular activities. According to this new scheme, there are two types of evaluations. They are the ‘Formative’ and ‘Summative’ assessments. The board has also distributed the academic year between two terms. Both the terms consist of formative and summative assessments to see where the students stand.

You can find below the meanings of both these terms, along with their implications.

1. Formative Assessment

When assessing a student formatively, teachers consider their learning and academic stance, while also providing them with a supportive environment. Formative assessment allows teachers to consult each student’s parents at least twice in each term to let them know about their pupil and to offer suggestions on how he or she can improve academically.

For primary classes, teachers conduct formative tests with the help of homework, dictation, oral examinations, assignments, projects, classwork, memory tests, storytelling, and quizzes, and elocutions, among other things. Teachers can also use other such tools that they find suitable for formatively assessing the students.

2. Summative Assessment

While formative assessment judge students with the help of tests, homework, projects, and other such tools, summative assessment evaluates them at the end of each chapter or instructional unit. Summative assessments are pen and paper tests that let teachers know whether the students have understood each unit in the syllabus.

CBSE Board Grading System

The CBSE board grading system consists of three categories. The first of these three categories are for classes six to eight, while the second grading system is for secondary school, and the third is for high school. In the below table, you will find the different grading systems for the two terms.

Term 1

Subjects	Language 1, Language 2, Language 3, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Others
Periodic Assessment (PA)	10 Marks
Notebook Submissions	5 Marks
Sub-Enrichment	5 Marks (At the end of the Term)
Half-Yearly Exam	80 Marks
Total	100 Marks

For term one, you get ten marks for the periodic assessments. In comparison, you get five points each for submitting the classwork and homework notebooks and for the sub-enrichment, respectively. Also, all half-yearly examinations carry 80 marks. So, the entire term constitutes 100 marks.

Similarly, you can also find below a table that gives the marking scheme for the second term.

Term 2

Subjects	Language 1, Language 2, Language 3, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Others
Periodic Assessment (PA)	20 Marks
Notebook Submissions	5 Marks at the end of the term
Sub-Enrichment	5 Marks at the end of the term
Yearly Exam	80 Marks
Total	100 Marks

In term two, you can see that you get 20 marks for the periodic assessments. In comparison, you get five marks each for the submission of homework and classwork notebooks and sub-enrichment, respectively. Since term two marks the end of the academic year, a yearly exam would be conducted instead of a half-yearly one. The final annual exam carries 80 marks, and the whole term constitutes 100 marks.

CBSE Board Grading System for Primary Classes

While all classes from secondary school onward have the marking scheme, primary classes make use of the grading system. The grading system consists of five points, ranging from A* to D, where A* is the highest grade that a student can get. You can find below a table that shows the grading system used to assess the students of primary classes.

Percentage	Remark	Grade
90% to 100%	Outstanding	A*
75% to 89%	Excellent	A
56% to 74%	Very Good	B
35% to 55%	Good	C
Below 35%	Scope for Improvement	D

So, from the above table, you can infer that if a student scores more than 90%, then his or her grade would be A* and that he or she would get a remark of ‘Outstanding.’ Similarly, if a student scores anywhere between 75% and 89%, his or her grade would be A, and he or she would get an ‘Excellent’ remark.

Likewise, a student who scores between 56% and 74% would get a ‘B’ grade and a ‘Very Good’ remark. And those pupils who score between 35% and 55% would get a ‘Good’ comment along with a ‘C’ grade.

Any student who scores below 35% would need to improve as he or she would get a ‘D’ grade and a ‘Scope for Improvement’ remark.

CBSE Secondary School Grading System

The grading system for secondary school differs quite a bit from that for primary school students. While primary school students get remarks for their scores, those in secondary school only get grade points, as you can see in the table below.

Marks	Grade Points	Grade
91-100	10	A1
81-90	9	A2
71-80	8	B1
61-70	7	B2
51-60	6	C1
41-50	5	C2
33-40	4	D
21-32	0	E1
20 and Below	0	E2

Thus, the students get grade points depending on their scores. The grade points range from ten to four, and the marks that correspond to them vary from 100 to 33. If a student scores below 33 will get zero grade points. Similarly, students also get grades that change based on grade points. The grades vary from A1 to E2, where A1 is the highest, and E2 is the lowest.

CBSE Board Exam Syllabus

The latest syllabus for all classes is available as PDF, and students can download a copy to get to know the subjects they are going to study. According to the latest syllabus, students from classes one to five must study five subjects, including two languages, English and Hindi, as well as two core subjects, Maths and Environmental Studies.

Secondary school students, that is, the students of classes six, seven, and eight, study six subjects. Among them, one subject, Sanskrit, is optional. Two of the remaining five subjects are languages, English and Hindi. And the rest of the three are core subjects, which include Mathematics, Science, and Social Science.

Students of classes nine and ten also study Maths, Science, and Social Science, along with two Hindi language courses and English. They may also have an optional Sanskrit course.

When it comes to classes 11 and 12, you study a host of subjects, including Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, and Computer Science, if you have chosen the science syllabus. Similarly, you must study Business Studies, Accountancy, Applied Mathematics, and Economics if you select the Commerce stream.

And if you choose the Arts syllabus, you study a host of subjects like Geography, History, Fine Arts, Psychology, Political Science, and Sociology, among others.

As per the latest syllabus, CBSE has reduced 30% of the topics in each subject for classes nine and ten.

CBSE Board Exam Question Bank

The board has designed question banks for all the classes and all the subjects. The question banks are available as PDF, which you can download from the various websites that host them.

You also get question banks in different languages. So, you can download them in the language of your choice. They have various types of practice questions. By solving question banks, not only will you become faster but also more accurate at writing answers. Question banks also consist of chapter-wise questions. So, you can become thorough with each chapter by going through them.

CBSE Board Exam Previous Year Papers

Solving question papers can be a great way to prepare for the examinations. If you are studying under the CBSE syllabus, you can get question papers from the previous years. They are available for download in PDF format. You get question papers from the earlier years for all the classes beginning from class one, going up to grade 12. Question papers from 2011 to 2020 are available online via the websites that host them. You have hundreds of benefits of solving previous year question papers. To know the benefits, you can go through the section that follows.

1. By solving previous year question papers, you will know the types of questions to expect in the final examinations.
2. You will also become well-acquainted with the question paper blueprint.
3. Another advantage of solving previous year question papers is that you can become thorough with the different concepts in each subject.
4. Solving previous year question papers also helps you to write faster.
5. When you solve previous year question papers, you will notice that some questions appear more than once. So, you can expect them to appear again.

Likewise, solving question papers from the past years comes with a host of other benefits. It gives you enough practice and confidence to come out on top.

CBSE Board Exam Sample Question Papers

Like previous year question papers, you should also be solving sample papers so that you get enough practice. By solving sample papers, not only will you get good scores in the final exams, but also in the summative assessments. So, solving sample papers has a host of advantages, some of which you can find in the following section.

1. You will get to know the actual question paper.
2. You will also know the marking scheme and the number of marks that each chapter carries.
3. Solving sample papers will allow you to prepare for the exams.
4. By solving sample papers, you will also know how to manage time effectively.

When you solve sample question papers, you can rest assured that you will be beaming with confidence when you sit down to write the exams.

CBSE NCERT Books

A wide range of NCERT books is available for both classes ten and 12. Such books explain complex topics in an easy to understand way, using examples and diagrams. The books also have practice questions and problems that the students must answer if they want to score well. Each chapter consists of questions for the students to answer. And by answering them, you will know where you stand in that chapter.

NCERT books for class 12 are available for all the subjects and disciplines, including Science, Commerce, and Humanities. You also get NCERT books for language subjects such as English and Hindi. Each of the books is arranged in a chapter-wise manner, offering easy navigation.

Once you have finished going through the NCERT books, you will be able to get a clear picture of the different concepts. Evaluators expect you to write answers in a logical, stepwise manner. And NCERT books provide answers to each question in the same way. All the concepts are detailed, along with relevant diagrams and necessary formulae. In a few subjects such as Biology, you may also need to support what you write with appropriate diagrams. Also, students are required to write detailed answers for each question. By going through various books from NCERT, you will know how you can answer each question.

NCERT books are available for all the classes under the CBSE syllabus. Besides the different websites that host them, you can also find NCERT books on the official NCERT portal. They are available as e-books, which you can download.

CBSE NCERT Solutions

Besides textbooks, NCERT also designs solutions for all the classes, emphasizing more on classes ten and 12. Teachers who create them are experts in their respective areas. So, they provide accurate answers along with diagrams and formulae wherever necessary. Also, the design of these solutions is as per the textbooks. And that means the solutions have a chapter-wise arrangement for each subject.

The solutions also have a summary at the end of each chapter. The summary explains those concepts that are essential for the exams. NCERT solutions can also help students with homework and other assignments. They provide logical explanations for each concept, so students understand them in a better way. You can download the chapter-wise NCERT solutions that are available on different websites, and you can download a copy of them. For classes 11 and 12, you get NCERT solutions for all the three streams, namely, Science, Commerce, and Humanities.

CBSE Revision Notes

Studying from revision notes helps students quickly grasp the concepts. Much research shows that when the students write down important points, they learn in a better way. So, revision notes are vital as they help improve concentration, memory, imagination, and reasoning abilities. Also, writing important points helps improve brain activity and allows students to stay alert during the classes. By writing notes, students can tap into their creativity by expressing essential concepts in their words. Likewise, there are a host of benefits of jotting down important points.

1. Revision notes reinforce learning and creativity.
2. It helps students to become more confident when writing answers in the exams.
3. Writing important points also helps students alleviate stress and anxiety as the exams get closer.
4. It saves time and enables them to write faster.
5. By writing revision notes, students also get more accurate at writing answers.

So, revision notes help alleviate stress as the exams approach. They also help you to write faster and in a better and effective way. Moreover, you stay attentive during class and become more creative.

CBSE Practical

Experiments help you to learn in a better way. So, practical knowledge is as necessary as theoretical knowledge, if not more important. It allows students to visualize what they learn. You should also know that the practical exam for class 11 and 12 carry 30 marks and that every student must aim to secure full marks. While most students tend to ignore practical and focus on theory, instead, it is advisable not to do so.

CBSE conducts practical exams only for classes 11 and 12, depending on the field of study. So, you will have practical exams if you are from the Science stream. Also, the board conducts practical exams for each of the three core subjects in Science, that is, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Each experiment is related to a concept that you study in the theory classes. For the practical sessions, you also get a dedicated book designed by NCERT along with a record book. The record book is for note-taking. So, it would help if you were writing all the essential points related to the experiments that you conduct.

Additionally, it would help if you also made a note of the diagrams, graphs, and formulae that you would be using. You may also need to answer a few questions that you can find at the end of each experiment.

Here are some tips that you should keep in mind when you prepare for the practical exams.

1. You should know the principles and theories that govern each experiment.
2. You must practice the formulae and diagrams related that appear in the experiments.
3. Before you head over to the examination session, make sure that you thoroughly practice all the formulae, graphs, and diagrams.
4. Always remain calm when experimenting, no matter the outcome.
5. Right before the exams, try and get rid of all your doubts by consulting with your teachers.
6. Revise each viva question rigorously, as the evaluators can ask you anything from any of the experiments.

So, prepare well for the practical examinations, and stay calm when you experiment. You can follow the tips mentioned above to get the most out of your practical experience. Also, be sure to get each step of the experiment right, so that you don’t miss out on a mark.

CBSE Admit Card

Every year, CBSE releases admit cards for classes 10 and 12. They are available on the official website of CBSE. However, the board always sends the hall tickets to the schools. So, you must get them from your respective schools. Also, while regular students get admit cards from their schools, those students who have applied for the exams by themselves can download their hall tickets from the official website. Note that every student of classes 10 and 12 who wish to appear for the public exams must carry the admit card with them to the examination centers.

The exams take place between February and March. So, all the students must get their admit cards before the commencement of the exams.

To download your admit card:

1. Visit the official website of CBSE
2. Navigate to the ‘In Focus’ section, and click on the link, ‘Admit Card and School LOC for Board Examination.’
3. Click on ‘Login’
4. Enter all the necessary details such as User ID, Password, and Security PIN
5. Download the admit card and take a printout

Make sure to go through your admit card to check whether all the necessary details are present. Admit cards should indicate the paper that you are writing. It should also show your roll number and exam centre along with the dates. Your name, photo, and signature should also be present on the admit card.

CBSE Results

The results for CBSE board exams are announced sometime in July. You can find below the steps to check your CBSE board examination results.

1. Firstly, make sure to log in to the official CBSE Result website.
2. Enter your roll number, the center number, and the number that your school has given to you.
3. Once you do that, click on the ‘Submit’ button.
4. The website will display the results on the screen.
5. You can then take a printout of the same.

There are also other methods using which you can check for your CBSE board exam results.

IVR Method

Students can also get their results using the IVR number. The IVR numbers differ for each city. So, make sure you know yours.

UMANG App

The latest method to check for the CBSE board exam results is with the help of the UMANG application. Students can download the application on their Android or iOS smartphones to check for their results.

The results depend on the grade points that a student has scored. You can know your grade points using various CGPA calculators found online.

CBSE Latest News and Updates

You can get the latest updates on the central board of secondary education on the official website or partner or other such websites. By regularly checking the official website, you will know the latest changes to the syllabus as well as the question paper pattern. The website also notifies you about upcoming tests, exams, practical, and other such events. So, make sure that you check the website. You can also check other partner websites to get relevant information.

The websites also host circulars that let students know about the various upcoming events in their schools or from the board. So, be sure to know all the latest happenings in their schools. By regularly checking the official website, you won’t miss out on important news such as upcoming exams or announcement of results.

How to Prepare for CBSE Exams?

CBSE students have a ton of study materials that they can use to prepare for the exams. You have revision notes, sample and previous year question papers, and solutions, among other things. Besides this, you also have hundreds of other books and reference materials that you can find online. While you can study these materials, one of the best ways to prepare for the exams is to answer question papers.

But before you do that, you must go through each chapter and get your concepts right. You can then move on to solving as many previous year question papers as you can. Additionally, you should also make sure that you go through the syllabus and the question paper blueprint so that you get a fair idea about the kind of questions to expect and the different ways in which you should be writing answers to them.

Besides NCERT solutions and a host of other study materials, you also get a detailed analysis of the question papers from the previous years. So, make sure that you go through and understand them thoroughly so that you will know how you should craft your answers. Similarly, these exam preparation tips should help you score well.

1. Start Early

If you plan and execute a study strategy, you could cut down on half the burden that you have. Likewise, there are other advantages to starting early, some of which you can find in the following section.

1. A head start will save time and give you more space to prepare rigorously for the exams. By starting early, you can go through each concept and make sure that you comprehensively understand them.
2. An early start will also give you more time to work on question papers.
3. If you start preparing for your 12^th-grade board exams right from the 10^th grade, you get to build a solid foundation. Many of the concepts taught in the 10^th grade are the basis for what you learn in the 12^th
4. Grade 11 will help you to acquainted with the field that you have chosen so that you become ready to face the 12^th-grade board examinations.

2. Look at the Syllabus

Go through the syllabus before the academic sessions begin. It will help you to know what you would be learning. Additionally, you will also know the kind of questions to expect from each chapter and the number of marks they carry.

3. Make Notes

Note-taking is one of the easiest ways to stay attentive during class. And when you focus during each academic session, you understand the concepts in a better way. Both these put together will reduce nearly half of your burden.

4. Revise

Once you have taken down the notes, you can go through them when you get back home, so that you don’t forget the things that you learned in the day. It would also help if you solved a few questions while you revised. By solving questions, you also get enough practice and confidence to face the exams.

5. Have a Study Plan

As you go higher, you must create a study routine for yourself. Not only will it help you with your homework and revision sessions, but it will also allow you to manage time effectively. So, a study plan is so vital, especially for classes 10 and 12.

So, remember to go through the syllabus before the start of each academic year. Also, have a study plan and revise all things that you have learned throughout the day. You should revise every day so that you don’t forget a concept. Classes 10 and 12 are the steppingstones for higher education. They also have a prominent role to play when it comes to deciding your career. So, take your studies seriously, especially when you are in class 10 or class 12. They decide not only your career but also your future.

We have covered a detailed guide on the CBSE Board exam 2020-21. Feel free to ask us any questions in the comment section below.