SyllabusCBSE class 10 Science syllabus, 2026-27
Units, chapters and marks for Science, from the CBSE curriculum for the session 2026-27.
- Board and class
- CBSE, class 10
- Subject code
- 086
- Theory paper
- 80 marks, 3 hours
- Internal assessment
- 20 marks
- Total
- 100 marks
- Official file
- Open the CBSE file (PDF)
- Read on
- 12 November 2026
About this syllabus
Science is one paper covering chemistry, biology and physics. The syllabus groups its five units under themes: Materials, The World of the Living, Natural Phenomena, How Things Work and Natural Resources. The file marks some topics as included in the syllabus but assessed only formatively, that is, in school and not in the year-end paper. Periodic Classification of Elements and Evolution are named in this way. Read the notes in the official file to see exactly which topics these are for your year.
Marks by unit
| Unit | Marks | Share of the paper |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical Substances: Nature and Behaviour | 25 | 31% |
| World of Living | 25 | 31% |
| Natural Phenomena | 12 | 15% |
| Effects of Current | 13 | 16% |
| Natural Resources | 5 | 6% |
| Total, theory | 80 | 100% |
Units and chapters
- Chemical Substances: Nature and Behaviour
- Chemical Reactions and Equations
- Acids, Bases and Salts
- Metals and Non-metals
- Carbon and its Compounds
- World of Living
- Life Processes
- Control and Co-ordination in Animals and Plants
- Reproduction
- Heredity
- Natural Phenomena
- Reflection of light by curved surfaces
- Refraction and lenses
- The human eye, prism, dispersion and scattering of light
- Effects of Current
- Electric current, potential difference, Ohm's law and resistance
- Magnetic effects of current
- Natural Resources
- Our Environment
Where the marks are
The theory paper is 80 marks in 3 hours. The largest share goes to Chemical Substances: Nature and Behaviour with 25 marks, which is 31% of the paper. The smallest is Natural Resources with 5 marks. The two largest entries in the table together carry 50 marks, 62% of the paper. With 14 chapters in all, an average chapter is worth about 5.7 marks, but the table shows how unevenly they are spread.
The other marks
| Part | Marks | How it is split |
|---|---|---|
| Internal assessment | 20 | Periodic assessment 5, multiple assessment 5, portfolio 5, subject enrichment (practical work) 5 |
Using this to plan
- Chemistry and biology units carry 25 marks each: together, 50 of 80. Physics (light and electricity) carries 25.
- Practical work is assessed inside the 20 internal marks, and the file lists the practicals unit by unit.
- Natural Resources is only 5 marks, but it is one short chapter. Do not skip it.
Make a study plan from these marks Official file
Questions people ask
How many marks is the CBSE class 10 Science theory paper?
The theory paper is 80 marks. With internal assessment (20) it makes a total of 100.
Which unit carries the most marks in class 10 Science?
Chemical Substances: Nature and Behaviour, with 25 of the 80 marks, according to the CBSE curriculum for 2026-27.
Where is the official syllabus?
On CBSE's academic website, cbseacademic.nic.in, under Curriculum. This page links to the exact file for Science.
Always check the official file. This page is a summary of the CBSE curriculum for 2026-27, made from the subject file on cbseacademic.nic.in, which we read on 12 November 2026. CBSE can revise a syllabus by circular during the year. Before an examination, download the current file from the official site. This is an independent site, not connected with CBSE.