CBSE 12th result 2026 is expected to be announced anytime soon. Students who appeared in the exam must know CBSE 12th pass marks to know how much they need to secure in order to qualify. The passing marks are 33% in each subject. In subjects where there is practical work, students need to obtain 33% separately in both. Read this article below to get more details related to CBSE 12th passing marks.
CBSE Class 12th Passing Marks
CBSE 12th passing marks are prescribed by the Central Board of Secondary Education. It is done to ensure uniform academic standards across schools in India. The pass marks in each subject are 33%. For subjects involving practical work in CBSE Class 12, candidates must obtain 33% separately in both practical and theory papers. Students are required to appear in five papers. The grade that students need to achieve in every subject must be above Grade E. CBSE follows a 9-point grading system in the CBSE Class 12 exam. The grades offered to students are A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, D2, E1 & E2. The grades are offered on the basis of percentage and division. Qualifying marks for 70 marks paper are 35%. CBSE also offers merit certificates in each subject to the top 0.1% of the candidates.
Students need to meet the minimum subject-wise and component-wise criteria prescribed by the board. Understanding the rules is necessary for result interpretation. In this article, we have explained CBSE Class 12 pass marks, merit certificates, grading system, etc.
- What are the CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026?
- CBSE 12th Passing Marks 2026 Stream-Wise
- CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026 for Arts Stream
- CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026 for Commerce Stream
- CBSE 12th Class Marks 2026 for Other Subjects
- CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks Criteria 2026
- What is Qualifying Marks in Class 12th out of 100?
- CBSE Class 12 Grading System
- What is the CBSE Class 12 Grading Criteria?
- CBSE Class 12 Merit Certificates 2026
What are the CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026?
In CBSE Class 12, this is the minimum mark a student needs to secure to be declared as qualified in a subject as well as overall. The board follows a criteria-based evaluation system, not relative grading. Students need to pass individually in each subject. They are also required to pass both theory and practical exams separately.
Also Read: CBSE Class 12 Result 2026
Commonly asked questions
The pass marks in each subject are 33%. For subjects involving practical work, candidates must obtain 33% separately in both practical and theory papers. Students are required to appear in five papers. CBSE follows 9-point grading system.
CBSE Class 12 merit certificate in each subject is awarded to the top 0.1 % of
candidates passing that subject. This is subject to passing the exam.
The grading system of CBSE Class 12 is given below.
Grade | Grade Points | Proportion of Students |
A-1 | 10 | Top 1/8th of the passed candidates |
A-2 | 9 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
B-1 | 8 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
B-2 | 7 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
C-1 | 6 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
C-2 | 5 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
D-1 | 4 | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
D-2 | C | Next 1/8th of the passed candidates
|
E | C | Failed candidates |
CBSE 12th Passing Marks 2026 Stream-Wise
We have provided below the stream-wise CBSE Class 12 passing marks separately for Science, Arts, and Commerce.
CBSE 12 th Passing Marks for Science Stream
Qualifying marks in CBSE Class 12 Science stream out of 70 are given below.
| Subject | Marks in Theory | Marks in Practical and Internal Assessment | Passing Marks for Theory Exam | Passing Marks for Internal Assessment/Practical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing marks of Physics Class 12 |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| Chemistry |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| Maths passing marks Class 12 |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
| Biology |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| English Core |
80 |
20 |
23 |
6 |
CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026 for Arts Stream
| Subject | Marks in Theory | Marks in Practical and Internal Assessment | Passing Marks for Theory Exam | Passing Marks for Internal Assessment/Practical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sociology |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
| Political Science |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
| Psychology |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| History |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
Also Read: CBSE Class 12 Dates 2026
Commonly asked questions
CBSE may award grace marks in exceptional cases where a student falls short of passing by a small margin. It is given at the discretion of the board.
For subjects whose total marks are calculated out of 100, the passing marks are 33%. This applies to subjects without internal/practical or to those where theory and internal assessment are combined into a single score.
Many CBSE Class 12 follows an 80-mark theory and 20-mark internal assessment pattern. In such cases, students must secure a minimum of 26 marks out of 80 in the theory paper and 7 marks out of 20 in internal assessment.
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CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2026 for Commerce Stream
CBSE 12th pass marks for the Commerce stream are given below.
| Subject | Marks in Theory | Marks in Practical and Internal Assessment | Passing Marks for Theory Exam | Passing Marks for Internal Assessment/Practical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BS |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| Accountancy |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
| Economics |
80 |
20 |
26 |
6 |
| Maths |
70 |
30 |
23 |
9 |
CBSE 12th Class Marks 2026 for Other Subjects
Other subjects in Arts Stream like Geography and Biotechnology, have a 70-mark theoretical paper. Skill subjects like Painting, Graphics, Computer Applications, etc., are usually held for 30 marks and thus follow relevant criteria. Students are required to secure 33% to pass the subjects.
Commonly asked questions
It is compulsory to pass in CBSE Class 12 internal assessment. Students will be considered as fail if they don't qualify in internal assessment.
If a student fails in one subject in CBSE Class 12, they become eligible for the compartment exam. Passing the exam allows the student to be declared passed without repeating the year.
CBSE maintains a consistent passing criteria of 33%. Any changes to passing marks are officially notified by CBSE.
CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks Criteria 2026
Candidates must check the criteria mentioned below by CBSE.
- To get the pass certificate from the Board, candidates must achieve a grade higher than E in all subjects of internal assessment. The result of the external examination will be withheld for one year if candidates fail to meet the criteria.
- Students must obtain a grade higher than E, which is atleast 33% marks in all five subjects of the external exam in the main or compartmental. The pass marks in each subject are 33%
- Students will not be awarded division, distinction, or aggregate
- If candidates fail in two of five subjects, they will have to appear for the compartment exam
What is Qualifying Marks in Class 12th out of 100?
CBSE 12th passing marks for a 100-mark paper depend on the distribution of theory and practical marks. To qualify exam, it is necessary to secure 33 marks out of 100. For subjects where there are both theory and practical papers, they need to secure the marks separately. Those who fail to meet the minimum qualifying criteria are required to appear in the compartment exams.
CBSE Class 12 Grading System
Students are offered grades from A1 to E. For awarding the grades, the Board puts all the passed students in a rank order and then award the same. In the table below, we have explained the grading system.
| Grade | Grade Points | Proportion of Students |
|---|---|---|
| A-1 |
10 |
Top 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| A-2 |
9 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| B-1 |
8 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| B-2 |
7 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| C-1 |
6 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| C-2 |
5 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| D-1 |
4 |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| D-2 |
C |
Next 1/8th of the passed candidates |
| E |
C |
Failed candidates |
What is the CBSE Class 12 Grading Criteria?
The grading criteria of CBSE 12th Class 2026 exam are given below.
- Minor variations in the proportion of candidates are made to adjust ties
- In case of a tie, all the students getting the same score will get the same grade
- If the number of students at a score point needs to be divided into two segments, the smaller segment will go with the larger.
- The method of grading will be used in subjects where the number of candidates who have passed is more than 500
- In respect of subjects where the total number of candidates qualifying in a subject is less than 500, the grading is adopted on the pattern of grading and distribution in other similar subjects
CBSE Class 12 Merit Certificates 2026
The guidelines related to awarding merit certificates are given below.
- CBSE awards Merit Certificates in each subject to the top 0.1 % of candidates clearing that subject, as per the criteria set by the board
- The number of CBSE Merit Certificates in a subject is determined by rounding the number of candidates passing the subject to the nearest multiple of a thousand
- If the number of candidates passing a subject is less than 500, no merit certificate is issued
- In the matter of a tie, if one student gets a Merit Certificate, all candidates getting that score will get the Merit Certificate
News & Updates
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Yes, you can take admission in Class 12 with 60%—no problem.
And no, there isn't any SC/ST reservation in Class 12 admissions based on marks.
🏫 Admission to Class 12 (how it actually works)
Class 12 admission isn't like college entrance exams. It's mostly a continuation from Class 11.
- If you're alread
S
Beginner-Level 4
Answered a week ago
No. You have to pursue higher school from science stream for it .
C
Beginner-Level 1
Answered a week ago
JKBOSE 12th Result 2026 will be annouced soon. Last year, it was announced on April 30. The result can be checked online by logging with the required details.
I
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
No, you cannot apply. MANET strictly requires candidates to have completed their Senior Secondary Examination (10+2) through a regular, full-time mode of education. The maritime industry demands rigorous physical and academic preparation that distance or correspondence courses cannot provide. Theref
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Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
No. MANET only accepts candidates who completed their education through regular schooling. Applications for B.Tech Marine Engineering or B.Sc. Nautical Science involving part-time, distance learning, or correspondence courses will not be considered for any of the maritime programs.
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Contributor-Level 9
Answered a week ago
| Parameter | Your Score | Impact |
| CAT | 72.33%ile | Tier-2/3 Eligibility |
| NMAT | 187 | Target non-Mumbai NMIMS campuses |
| 10th/12th | 72.6% / 65.4% | Average; may limit "Old IIMs" even if scores were higher |
| BE | 77.6% | Strong Point helps in engineering-preferred pools |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Yes, you can apply for B.Tech CSE at IES University now, even though your CBSE Class 12th results have not yet been declared.
Most universities, including IES University, Bhopal, allow students to apply under the "Result Awaited" category. You can start your application process online or offline to s
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
The Bihar School Education Board (BSEB), Patna, released the Bihar Board Class 12th Compartment Exam Date 2026 on April 13, 2026. As per the announced date, Bihar Board Intermediate compartment exams 2026 will be conducted from May 2 to 11, 2026.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Students are charged an associated fee for the Class 12 compartment marksheet. This includes the fees for issuances of the new marksheet.
M
Contributor-Level 8
Answered a week ago
CBSE 12th result 2026 will be announced by the end of April. Students can check their results online.
C
Contributor-Level 8