Hyderabad: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducted the Class 10 English exam today (February 15), and according to students and educators, the paper was balanced and moderately difficult. Most students found the exam to be manageable, with a few minor challenges in the comprehension passages and reference to context (RTC) sections.
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The exam’s language was lucid, making it easier for students to understand and attempt the questions, as noted by some teachers. They mentioned, “The paper had lucid language, which made it easier for the students to understand and attempt the questions.”
Balanced Content Across Sections
The paper covered a wide range of topics from the English literature syllabus, with no out-of-syllabus questions. The structure followed the CBSE sample paper pattern, ensuring that the questions were direct and easy to understand. “If the students have solved sample papers and previous years’ board papers, the paper would not be considered difficult by them,” she said.
Teachers described the paper as “a bit lengthy,” but one that students could tackle with ease and confidence. “All the students were able to complete the paper on time and attempt all the questions with accuracy,” she said, attributing their preparedness to rigorous practice and revision.
Reading and Writing Sections
The reading comprehension section was moderate, with a few tricky questions, particularly in one of the passages. Students were required to read the passages thoroughly, which made it time-consuming. “The reading section was manageable, with only one or two tricky questions at most,” Said One Teacher. While most students could answer the questions confidently, one or two questions in the second passage posed a slight challenge.
Writing tasks such as letter writing and analytical paragraphs were considered easy. “The writing section was simple, with the hints and key points clearly mentioned in the paper,” added Bajpai.
Grammar and Literature Questions
The grammar section was straightforward across all sets. The questions were based on syllabus topics, and students with a good grasp of grammar concepts found it easy to score well. According to educators, the grammar questions were designed to assess the student’s understanding of language rules rather than tricking them with difficult concepts.
For literature, the reference to context (RTC) questions required critical analysis, especially those based on poems. “Some of the RTC questions were tricky and required deep thinking, but they weren’t overly complex,” said Dudeja.
Competency-Based Questions
The exam also included competency-based questions, which focused on assessing students’ understanding of literary themes, tones, and messages. “The competency-based questions were basic, making it easier for students to answer them if they were well-versed with the themes of the chapters,” said Dudeja.
However, there were a few challenging questions in the short answer section, especially those related to value-based questions. “The short-answer questions were of average difficulty, but the value-based questions had a higher level of complexity,” said Bajpai.
Feedback and Areas for Improvement
While the paper was generally considered well-structured, some educators pointed out minor issues. Some noted that the question paper had “errors, ambiguous questions, and repetition.” They also mentioned that the language in some questions was vague. “To improve, the paper should be revised for clarity and accuracy,” Jha added, rating the paper as 7/10.
On the other hand, some teachers praised the paper for being well-balanced. “It was simple and well-balanced with no errors. The paper effectively tested students’ knowledge and critical thinking abilities,” Alam said.
Conclusion: An Overall Positive Experience for Students
Overall, the CBSE Class 10 English paper for 2025 was balanced and fairly easy to moderate. While some parts, particularly the reading and literature sections, required careful reading and critical thinking, students found it manageable, thanks to consistent practice and preparation. With educators and students sharing positive feedback, the exam appears to have been successful in testing the students’ knowledge and comprehension skills while remaining fair to a wide range of abilities.
