The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has conlcuded the Class 12 English exam today, March 12, 2026. It has conducted the CBSE Class 12 English Core (subject code: 301) and English Elective (subject code: 001) exams from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm at various exam centres across the country.
Many students who had appeared for the CBSE 12th English exam rated the question paper as easy to moderate. Many students said the section dealing with reading skills is tricky and a bit time-consuming. Let's explore CBSE Class 12 English exam analysis 2026 along with question paper review and difficulty level.
CBSE Class 12 English exam 2026 highlightsThe CBSE Class XII English Core examination conducted on 12 March 2026 reflected the board’s continued emphasis on competency-based assessment and NCERT-focused preparation. The paper assessed a range of skills including comprehension, writing ability, interpretation, and analytical thinking. Overall, the level of the paper may be placed between moderate and difficult, primarily due to the analytical demands of certain sections and the overall length of the question paper.
CBSE Class 12 English exam analysis 2026
The CBSE 12th English Core and English Elective question paper consists of three sections: Section A (Reading skills - 22 marks), Section B (Creative Writing Skills - 18 marks) and Section C (Literature - 40 marks). The question paper consists of 13 questions and all are compulsory. The CBSE 12th written exam will be held for a total of 80 marks. The remaining 20 marks will be allocated for internal assesment.
Khushboo Arya, JIRS, said, "In Set 1 - Section A was easy and as per the sample papers. Section B - Writing questions were also easy and as per the sample paper. However, a minute detail in Q:5B (Job Application) can confuse the average slow learners, as they are used to seeing National Daily in questions and give a name to the paper but in the question paper, the name itself was given as ‘The National Times’ instead of national daily. The report-writing question required students to be mindful, as the event is not a one-day but a week-long event, but the Questions were very easy. In Section C, reference to context questions was very easy for students who have practiced sample papers. Overall, the literature questions were mostly aligned with the NCERT textbooks. 5 marker literature questions were competency-based but not very difficult for a student who has thoroughly practiced."
Dr Alka Kapur, Modern Public School, said, "The English examination conducted today was a well-balanced paper that effectively assessed students’ understanding of the subject. The MCQs were truly competency-based, testing students’ comprehension and application skills rather than simple recall. Most of the questions were analytical in nature, encouraging students to think critically and interpret the content carefully. Overall, the paper maintained a good balance between knowledge, understanding, and analytical ability."
Heena Kulkarni, Lancers Army Schools, said, "The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Class 12 English Core Board examination paper was overall well-structured and balanced. The question paper reflected the pattern suggested in the latest sample papers and fairly covered reading, writing, and literature skills. The reading comprehension passages were clear and manageable for most students, while the writing section allowed students to express their ideas effectively through formats. The paper tested not only language skills but also students’ ability to organise thoughts logically and present them clearly. Section C (Literature) had an average difficulty level, but it required thorough textual knowledge and strong interpretative skills. Students who had carefully studied the prescribed texts and understood themes, characters, and literary devices would have found the questions approachable. Extract-based questions demanded close reading and contextual understanding. Overall, the paper successfully assessed both conceptual clarity and analytical ability, making it a fair examination for well-prepared students."
Neelam Singh, Manav Rachna International School, said, "The CBSE Class XII English Core examination conducted on 12 March 2026 reflected the board’s continued emphasis on competency-based assessment and NCERT-focused preparation. The paper assessed a range of skills including comprehension, writing ability, interpretation, and analytical thinking. Overall, the level of the paper may be placed between moderate and difficult, primarily due to the analytical demands of certain sections and the overall length of the question paper."
The CBSE 12th board exams will be held from February 17 to April 10, 2026. The Board is likely to declare results in May.
