Scoring well in the CBSE Class 10 board exams requires more than reading textbooks - it demands familiarity with the exact question patterns that examiners repeat year after year. Chapter-wise Previous Year Questions (PYQs) let students identify which topics carry the most marks and how questions are framed across different years. For instance, in Mathematics, questions on Arithmetic Progressions almost always involve finding the nth term or the sum of a series, while in Science, diagram-based questions on Light - Reflection and Refraction are a perennial favourite. Practising these PYQs chapter by chapter - rather than attempting full papers in one go - helps students pinpoint weak areas far more efficiently. All chapter-wise PYQs listed below are available on EduRev and can be accessed for free. Use the table below to jump directly to your subject.
| S.No. | Study Materials |
|---|---|
| 1 | CBSE Previous Year Papers for Class 10 Mathematics |
| 2 | CBSE Previous Year Papers for Class 10 English |
| 3 | CBSE Previous Year Papers for Class 10 Hindi |
| 4 | CBSE Previous Year Papers for Class 10 Social Studies (SST) |
| 5 | CBSE Previous Year Papers for Class 10 Science |
Mathematics is consistently one of the most scoring yet most feared subjects in the CBSE Class 10 board exam, and the margin between a good and a great score often comes down to knowing which question types repeat. Chapter-wise PYQs reveal, for example, that Quadratic Equations almost always test the discriminant method or the completing-the-square approach, while Coordinate Geometry questions frequently involve the section formula or distance formula in multi-step problems. Working through these questions helps students recognise that certain chapters - like Triangles and Circles - carry higher weightage and demand proof-writing skills. All 14 chapter-wise PYQ sets are available on EduRev, allowing targeted revision instead of passive reading.
CBSE Class 10 English board questions draw from three books - First Flight (prose and poetry), Footprints Without Feet (supplementary reader), and grammar/writing sections. Chapter-wise PYQs are especially valuable here because examiners tend to ask extract-based questions from the same key passages year after year; for example, the extract from Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom on the concept of courage and obligation has appeared repeatedly. Knowing which stanzas of poems like Dust of Snow or Fire and Ice are examined most often saves significant revision time. All 28 chapter-wise PYQ sets for Class 10 English are accessible on EduRev.
First Flight prose chapters range from Lencho's unshakeable faith in A Letter to God to the colonial undertones in Madam Rides the Bus. Board questions from these chapters typically test comprehension of character motivation and theme, and examiners frequently ask students to explain a specific line or event in context. For instance, questions on From the Diary of Anne Frank often probe the distinction Anne draws between a true friend and a surface-level acquaintance - a nuance that many students miss in their answers.
Poetry questions in CBSE Class 10 English almost always include an unseen extract followed by short-answer questions on imagery, tone, and the poet's message. In The Ball Poem, students are frequently asked to explain what the ball symbolises - a question that requires understanding John Berryman's theme of loss and responsibility rather than a surface reading. Similarly, Amanda! is a recurring source of extract questions that test whether students understand the irony between the mother's instructions and the child's imagination.
Footprints Without Feet, the supplementary reader, is a goldmine for board marks because its stories are short yet conceptually rich. Questions on The Thief's Story regularly ask students to analyse Hari Singh's internal conflict - a character study question that demands a nuanced answer beyond simple plot recall. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant is another chapter where board questions zero in on the theme of pride and its consequences, making it essential to understand the story's ironic ending clearly.
CBSE Class 10 Hindi covers two main textbooks - Kshitij and Kritika - along with the supplementary reader Sanchayan. Board questions consistently test students' ability to interpret the deeper meaning of poems and prose, not just surface-level comprehension. For instance, questions on Kabir's Sakhis often ask students to explain the philosophical idea behind a specific doha, which requires understanding the Nirguna Bhakti tradition. Similarly, questions on Ram-Lakshman-Parshuram Samvad from Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas demand that students articulate the significance of the dialogue in the context of the epic - a detail that separates average answers from full-mark ones.
The poetry section of Kshitij Part 2 includes medieval Bhakti poets as well as modern Hindi poets, making it stylistically diverse. Board questions frequently ask for the central idea of a poem or the meaning of a specific line, and students often lose marks by confusing the literal and metaphorical layers. In Utsah aur At Nahin Rahi by Suryakant Tripathi Nirala, for example, questions on the imagery of the monsoon require understanding both the natural description and its emotional resonance.
The prose chapters of Kshitij Part 2 include a mix of short stories, memoirs, and essays. Questions on Bade Bhai Sahab by Premchand consistently appear in board exams, with examiners asking students to comment on the irony in the younger brother's situation or to describe what the story reveals about the Indian education system - a question type that requires both textual evidence and analytical writing.
Kritika Part 2 is a supplementary prose reader whose chapters tend to carry fewer marks individually but are tested through short-answer questions that reward precise, concise responses. Mata ka Aanchal is frequently examined through questions on the author's nostalgic portrayal of rural childhood, and students who can cite specific incidents from the text - such as the snake episode - tend to score full marks on these questions.
The poetry section of Sparsh Part 2 spans a wide range of classical and modern Hindi verse. Board questions on Ram-Lakshman-Parshuram Samvad demand that students quote specific lines from Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas to support their answers - a skill that requires familiarity with the original Awadhi text, not just its meaning. Questions on Yeh Danturit Muskan aur Fasal regularly appear with a focus on Nagarjun's imagery and what it conveys about human warmth and agricultural life.
The prose section of Sparsh Part 2 includes a rich variety of essays, memoirs, and stories. Questions on Netaji ka Chashma by Swayam Prakash regularly test students on the theme of patriotism expressed through ordinary people, and examiners specifically ask what the story suggests about the relationship between memory and national identity. Balgobin Bhagat by Ramvriksh Benipuri is another recurring source for character-sketch questions.
Sanchayan Part 2 is the supplementary Hindi reader whose three chapters appear regularly in board exams as short-answer and long-answer questions. Harihar Kaka examines the conflict between family greed and individual rights - a theme that examiners frequently test through questions asking students to evaluate the role of the mahant or the protagonist's family. Topi Shukla raises questions about friendship across social divides, and board questions often ask students to explain why Topi feels more at home in Iffan's household than his own.
Social Studies is one of the highest-scoring subjects in CBSE Class 10 if students know the board's preferred answer format, and chapter-wise PYQs are the fastest way to learn it. The subject covers four areas - History, Geography, Political Science (Civics), and Economics - each with distinct question styles. History questions, for instance, tend to be analytical ("Why did nationalism develop in Europe in the 19th century?"), while Geography questions on Resources and Development often include map-based or data-interpretation components. Practising PYQs from EduRev chapter by chapter helps students understand the depth of answer expected for 3-mark versus 5-mark questions, which is a distinction many students get wrong.
The History component of Class 10 SST traces the rise of modern nations and economies. Questions on The Rise of Nationalism in Europe frequently ask students to explain the role of culture and language in nation formation, while The Age of Industrialisation questions often focus on the proto-industrial phase and the putting-out system - a concept students commonly confuse with full factory-based production. Chapter-wise PYQs from EduRev clarify these distinctions through repeated exam examples.
Geography questions in Class 10 boards range from the theoretical - explaining types of resources and their conservation - to the applied, such as interpreting rainfall distribution maps for Agriculture. A common student error in Minerals and Energy Resources is to confuse conventional and non-conventional energy sources when answering questions about India's energy policy; PYQs from this chapter on EduRev help students practise the precise terminology that examiners expect.
Civics questions in Class 10 SST boards are heavily concept-based and require students to use precise political science vocabulary. Questions on Federalism regularly ask students to distinguish between coming-together and holding-together federations with Indian examples - a comparison that requires more than just knowing the definition. Questions on Political Parties often test students on the functions and challenges of political parties, with examiners penalising vague answers that lack specific examples.
Economics questions in Class 10 SST often involve interpreting data or explaining real-world phenomena through economic concepts. Questions on Money and Credit consistently test the difference between formal and informal credit sectors in India, and students who can cite the role of Self-Help Groups with specific figures tend to write stronger answers. Questions on Globalisation and the Indian Economy regularly ask students to evaluate the impact of globalisation on Indian producers - a question that requires a balanced argument, not just a one-sided response.
Science in CBSE Class 10 is divided into Chemistry, Biology, and Physics, and the board exam tests all three with a mix of MCQs, short-answer questions, and diagram-based questions. Chapter-wise PYQs reveal that certain chapters are disproportionately important: Chemical Reactions and Equations and Acids, Bases and Salts together account for a large share of Chemistry marks, while Light - Reflection and Refraction is almost guaranteed to include a ray-diagram question worth 3-5 marks. Students who attempt these chapter-wise PYQs on EduRev before the exam are better equipped to manage both the variety and difficulty of board questions.
Students who score above 90% in CBSE Class 10 boards share a specific habit: they solve previous year questions chapter by chapter before moving to full mock tests. This approach works because the CBSE question paper follows a predictable structure - certain chapters are tested in specific question types every year. For example, Probability in Mathematics almost always appears as a case-study or data-based question, while Heredity in Science is routinely tested with a Mendelian cross diagram. Recognising these patterns through chapter-wise PYQs on EduRev allows students to allocate revision time proportional to actual board weightage, rather than spending equal time on every topic regardless of its exam importance.
The most common mistake students make with previous year questions is treating them like mock tests - attempting the entire paper in one sitting and then checking scores. A far more effective approach is to go chapter by chapter: solve all available PYQs for a single chapter, note which question types you consistently get wrong, and then revisit the concept before moving to the next chapter. In Social Studies, this method is particularly powerful for Nationalism in India, where students repeatedly lose marks on timeline-based questions about the Non-Cooperation Movement because they confuse 1920 and 1922. EduRev's chapter-wise PYQ sets make this targeted, error-driven revision straightforward to implement across all five subjects.
| 1. How do I identify which CBSE Class 10 topics appear most frequently in board exams? | ![]() |
| 2. What's the best way to use previous year questions for last-minute exam preparation? | ![]() |
| 3. Why do certain question types repeat in CBSE Class 10 board exams year after year? | ![]() |
| 4. How should I balance solving new problems with practising previous year questions? | ![]() |
| 5. Are there specific chapters in Class 10 where previous year questions differ significantly from textbook examples? | ![]() |