The Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) commenced the Class 10 board exams on February 17, 2026, with mathematics being the first paper students had to attempt. As the shift concluded and students discussed the difficulty level, many agreed that the exam was 'extremely difficult and lengthy.' Reportedly, some students even started weeping outside the test centres as the question paper didn't meet their expectations, and they may end up scoring low marks or reappearing to improve their performance.
The microblogging site X is filled with students' reactions, with a section taking a dig at CBSE for setting a hard question paper, while a majority believes that the paper was 'moderate to easy,' with most questions asked from the NCERT textbook. They argue that if students are finding it difficult, then the bar has 'officially hit the floor.'
CBSE Class 10 Mathematics Paper Review
CBSE Class 10 Maths Paper Review
Highlighting the difficulty level of exam, one user wrote, "Dear @cbseindia29, today's Class X Mathematics (Standard) question paper was extremely tough and quite lengthy. I saw many students coming out of the examination centres in tears. Was this level of difficulty intentional so that more students would need to appear for the second board examination?"
Besides him, many educators and coaching centres believe that the mathematics question paper was tricky and lengthy but of a 'moderate difficulty level.'
Tanmoy Das,PGT Mathematics, Modern English School, Kahilipara, Guwahati, Assam, shared that the Basic Mathematics examination is generally perceived as being of a moderate difficulty level. "While the paper followed a familiar structure, the Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) stood out for being notably lengthy. These initial questions required students to invest significant time in analysis and calculation, demanding more than just a surface-level understanding to navigate the options effectively. In contrast, the case study questions were lauded for their directness and clarity. Since many of these problems reflected scenarios that students had repeatedly practiced, they were considered common and highly approachable," he said.
He added that the 5-mark section also featured straightforward, 'good' questions that allowed students to demonstrate their depth of knowledge, although a specific problem regarding circles introduced a 'tricky' element that tested higher-order thinking skills. The short-answer sections maintained this balanced tone, with 3-mark questions falling into the moderate category and 2-mark questions being described as easy and direct.
Take a look at theShiv Nadar school Gurgaon Faculty feedbackon Standard Mathematics (041) and Basic Mathematics (241) question papers.
The Grade 10 Mathematics Standard question paper conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education was well-balanced and appropriately challenging. It was closely aligned with the prescribed NCERT curriculum, with nearly 70% of the questions based directly on textbook exercises and familiar formats. Students who prepared thoroughly from NCERT found the paper comfortable and accessible.
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