After much wait, CBSE has finally released Class 10 and Class 12 Sample Papers for the 2021-22 Term 1 Board Exams on 2nd September 2021 via circular No. Acad-75/202.

Students and teachers can easily download all main subjects Sample Paper and Marking Scheme Solutions from this link here. These Sample Papers have provided much clarity for students and teachers on what approach they should now take for the Nov-Dec Term 1 MCQ-based Board Exams.

However, there is a major issue in this CBSE released Sample Paper, which has led to massive confusion. In certain subjects of Class 10 and 12 Sample Papers, CBSE has provided more than the expected number of Questions to attempt in Term 1 exam (after including the choices as well), assuming the usual 1m MCQ as seen in the past in Objective Sections. Below are a few Term 1 subject sample papers where we found such confusion:

Since CBSE had clearly established in circular Acad- 53/2021 of 22nd July 2021 that Term 1 and Term 2 will be both of 40 marks; these released Sample Papers may be confusing for students and teachers.

In many subjects, it is clearly written within instructions that all Questions carry the same equal marks weightage so it is unlikely that MCQs in different sections will have different marks too.

What does this mean for Teachers & Students?

Now there are three possibilities in this scenario to conclude as suggested by CBSE Experts after reviewing these sample papers:

1. In Term 1 Board Exams, CBSE may allocate 0.7 – 0.8 marks per MCQ (40/45 or 40/50) for the above subjects and 1m per MCQ for the rest of the subjects to maintain overall 40 marks paper.
2. CBSE may provide an update or clarification to rectify this issue.
3. CBSE may maintain the 1m MCQ weightage and change the Term 1 and Term 2 marks breakdown for these subjects, i.e. to have more weightage in Term 1 than Term 2. Again, they may have to provide a clarification for this soon.

Either way, CBSE may provide an update soon via FAQs but until then we can say that the paper pattern of the upcoming Term 1 Exam is now sealed and finalised. We should not expect any further change in the paper pattern of any kind.

Now one more big update is provided! CBSE has introduced some interesting new Question types in various subjects by the concept of 1 mark Case-study MCQs like you can see below:

Along with this in many subjects, Assertion/ Reason, labelling and diagram-based MCQs are introduced that were normally not asked before so far. So, to help students with preparation on these types of Sample Paper-based MCQs, a study material book has been recommended in a circular.

Since CBSE only provides 1 Sample Paper for practice of these new and standard types of MCQs, it makes sense for such a study material book for Class 10 and Class 12 to be used by students for more practice until November.

We looked at these books and they in fact have included all these new pattern 1m case-study questions and all other MCQ types that have exclusively been introduced in the CBSE Sample Paper of all subjects of CBSE Class 10 & 12. Each chapter of the books has more than 80-100 such MCQs of all such types especially in Biology, SST, Physics, Science and Maths where Comparison table MCQs, Labelling MCQs, Case-based MCQ and Diagram based MCQs are already provided as introduced in the CBSE SQP.

The links to the Educart study material books recommended in the circular above (based on CBSE Sample Paper of Term 1 of 2nd Sept 2021) are given below for ease of access.

Class 10: Term 1 Study Material Book

Class 12: Term 1 & 2 Study Material Book

Lastly, the conversation with some CBSE experts has revealed that CBSE is taking this released Sample Paper as a basis to prepare their Term 1 Board paper. So, it is strongly advised by CBSE to focus on NCERT to get complete preparation done on time. And more importantly refer to the above Educart books to practice all new typologies for Nov-Dec 2021 Term 1 Exam.

If you are looking for all the latest 2021-22 Class 10 and Class 12 Sample Papers PDFs, click on this link and FREE download all the subject Sample Papers too.