The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) was successful in holding the Class 10 Mathematics examination on March 10, 2025. According to preliminary student and teacher responses, the paper was tough, long, and concept-based without any direct or simple questions. Experts pointed out that the paper was planned in a manner that it was evaluating students’ proficiency, application-oriented problem-solving capacity, and concepts. In-depth preparation of NCERT and good time management were seen as vital to solving the paper, consisting of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and case study problems involving analytical thinking.

Mathematics subject experts and mathematics teachers noted that the Standard Mathematics paper was designed to assess the mathematical reasoning ability of students rather than mere rote memorization. In Vamanrao S Patil’s opinion, TGT Mathematics, JAIN International Residential School, Bengaluru, the paper was well testing and needed hard work with NCERT resources. He observed that the examination was a well-balanced test of students’ ability to understand the mathematical concepts, problem-solving skill, and the application of their knowledge in day-to-day life.

Shashi Kant Prasad, PG Mathematics, VidyaGyan School, Dulehra, said the question paper was moderate in difficulty level but very lengthy, so timing was the essential aspect. Owing to difference in various question paper sets, the general pattern was as followed by the CBSE curriculum. Most of the questions were self-explanatory with respect to NCERT concept, thus adequately preparing the thorough students for their examination.

Karan Pal, TGT Maths in Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Lucknow, noted that the overall standard of the exam was satisfactory in the opinion of students. Both Standard and Basic Mathematics papers were according to students’ expectations, though a few students found the Standard paper to be a bit too long as there were lots of calculations. However, there were a few tricky questions in between, but good-prepared students could answer them quite confidently.

The CBSE Class 10 Mathematics paper was designed as an 80-mark subjective exam to be answered within 180 minutes. The paper consisted of 38 questions, with 20 one-mark questions, five two-mark questions, six three-mark questions, four five-mark questions, and three case study-based questions of four marks each. This type of paper asked students to balance speed and accuracy to finish the paper within the given time.

Latika Kapoor, a subject-matter specialist at Seth M.R. Jaipuria Schools, termed the Set 1 paper as a well-crafted challenge that required conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities. The paper contained a mix of question types, from MCQs to lengthy, application-based problems. She highlighted that though the paper was tough and thorough, its length necessitated effective time management to finish all sections efficiently.

The difficulty level of sets received varied responses from students. Student Ashish, for one, found Set 1 difficult, particularly MCQs and trigonometry-based three- and five-mark questions. Student Vishal noted that Set 2 was easier compared to other sets but mentioned that Question 25 on coordinate geometry was also very tough. Student Piyush noted that the length of the paper could have made it hard for a few students to finish it in time. Nevertheless, even though, many students opined that the paper was well-organized and perfectly in sync with CBSE’s prescribed question pattern.

Virendra Panchal, TGT Math at Silverline Prestige School, Ghaziabad, mentioned that the Mathematics paper was appreciated by both teachers and students. According to him, the paper was very well aligned with CBSE sample papers so that those students who had practiced them were aware of the pattern and type of questions asked. The judicious distribution of questions and ease of solving case study-based problems enabled students to organize their time properly.

Also, the presence of options in the exam helped to keep students satisfied as they had some leeway while trying questions. Experts highlighted that persistent practice was still the most important thing for excelling at Mathematics, and this year’s exam validated that tenet. The emphasis on competency-based questions instead of straight formulas or memorized answers demonstrated CBSE’s move toward application-based learning.

Overall, the Class 10 Mathematics exam was a just but tough test that probed students’ knowledge beyond textbook. Although some students found it tricky and time-consuming, well-prepared and regular practice students were able to attempt confidently. The paper emphasized the need for conceptual clarity, problem-solving, and efficient time management, validating the changing approach of CBSE in evaluating students’ mathematical skills.