MPBSE revises exam pattern for classes 9-12; reasoning-based questions added

Students of Madhya Pradesh Board classes 9 to 12 will see a different kind of question paper in the 2026-27 session. The Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE) has revised its exam pattern to follow CBSE standards, with more weight on reasoning and understanding than on rote recall.

MPBSE Secretary Buddhesh Kumar Vaidya said the examinations for classes 9 to 12 will follow CBSE standards and include logical reasoning questions.

The board has also put the 2026-27 curriculum and subject-wise marking schemes for these classes on its Academics portal.

Not a switch to the CBSE syllabus

The board has made clear that the change is about how students are tested, not what they study.

MPBSE is not adopting the CBSE syllabus. It will keep its own curriculum and examination system.

What changes in the papers

For Class 10, the revised pattern sets a 75-mark written paper. Of these, 30 marks are for objective-type questions. The paper also carries 12 very short-answer questions of two marks each.

For Class 12, the written paper for subjects without practicals is an 80-mark paper.

The board's portal has the detailed blueprint for each subject, and students should check it for their own subjects, since the split of marks varies.

Students have welcomed the move, though some are anxious about adjusting to a new style of questions.

A school principal, Sunanda Yadav, called the change a positive step but said it would only work if teachers, students and parents put in joint effort.

Students can download the 2026-27 curriculum and marking scheme from the portal, and can go through the model papers once they are released, and practise application-based and reasoning questions alongside textbook learning.