
CBSE Class 10 Science Exam 2026 was successfully conducted on 25 February 2026 (from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM), and students across the country are discussing one major question: Was the paper tough or easy? Every year, the Class 10 Science board exam becomes one of the most talked-about papers because it plays a key role in stream selection for Class 11.
Here, we will cover the CBSE Class 10 Science paper review 2026, difficulty level, section-wise analysis, student reactions and comparison with previous years.
According to common reviews of students, the overall paper was moderate:
Overall Level: Moderate
Chemistry was mostly easy and scoring
Physics had slightly tricky numericals
Biology was moderate but lengthy
The exam focused more on understanding and application rather than direct memory-based questions.
The Physics section required careful reading and accurate calculations.
Light - Reflection and Refraction
Human Eye and the Colourful World
Electricity
Magnetic Effects of Electric Current
Numerical questions from Electricity were formula-based but needed correct substitution and unit conversion. Ray diagram questions also required precision.
Conceptual
Calculation-based
Slightly tricky
Students who practiced numericals multiple times were able to solve the questions confidently.
Chemistry was considered the most scoring section by many students.
Chemical Reactions and Equations
Acids, Bases and Salts
Metals and Non-metals
Carbon and its Compounds
Most questions were directly based on NCERT examples and in-text questions. Balancing equations and writing chemical formulas were straightforward.
Easy to Moderate
Direct NCERT-based
High scoring
Students felt comfortable while attempting this section.
Biology questions were theory-based but slightly lengthy.
Life Processes
Control and Coordination
Reproduction
Heredity and Evolution
Environment and Natural Resources
Assertion-reason and case-study questions required clear understanding of concepts. Diagram-based questions were expected.
Moderate
Conceptual
Time-consuming
Students who revised definitions along with concepts found this section manageable.
After the exam, student feedback was mostly positive.
Many students called the paper balanced
Physics numericals were considered slightly difficult.
Chemistry was easy and boosted confidence.
Biology required more time due to lengthy answers.
Overall, students who practiced sample papers felt confident about scoring good marks.
The Class 10 Science paper followed the competency-based structure introduced in recent years.
40% Competency-based questions
20% Objective type questions
40% Short and Long answer questions
This format tested analytical thinking and understanding rather than rote learning.
When compared with the 2025 paper:
Difficulty level was similar
Slight increase in application-based questions
Pattern remained consistent
No out-of-syllabus questions
The 2026 paper maintained a balance between theory and application.