The CBSE Class X Board Exams 2025 have kicked off with the English paper as the exam season began. Held from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, these exams are pivotal for students nationwide. A total of 24,12,072 students are writing the exams at 7,842 centres located across India.

In order to help students with their travel, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has declared special arrangements. Students with their CBSE Admit Cards will be given preference at security check points and at the time of buying tickets from Ticket Office Machines (TOM) and Customer Care (CC) counters so that they can reach examination centres on time.

Tight rules have been implemented to ensure discipline and fairness. Students need to report to the exam hall by 10 am, as no entry will be allowed after the gates are closed. Bringing the CBSE Class X Admit Card and a school ID is compulsory, failing which students will not be allowed to appear for the exam. Moreover, all exam centres have Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) installed to avoid malpractices.

The English paper has a systematic weightage pattern, with Reading Skills being worth 20 marks, Writing Skills and Grammar being worth another 20 marks, and Language Through Literature being worth 40 marks, making a total of 80 marks. Students must obtain at least 33% in theory and practical exams. Students who fail in one or two subjects can take the CBSE Class X compartment exams later during the year.

CBSE made it clear that there is no syllabus cut for Class X or Class XII, and rumors about a 15% cut are incorrect. Students are required to study the complete syllabus according to the guidelines of the academic year.

To assist the students who are going through stress during exams, CBSE has launched free psycho-social counselling facilities, which run till April 4, 2025. These facilities intend to assist the students in calming their nerves and concentrating better in this critical period.

CBSE has also laid stress on fulfilling attendance requirements to qualify for the exams, strictly disapproving the practice of dummy admissions. Regular classes have to be attended by students to qualify for the exams.

On the day of the exam, students must appear in their school uniform. All electronic gadgets like mobile phones, smartwatches, and calculators are strictly banned, as well as no food items within the exam room. Simple stationery pouches or pencil boxes are allowed but nothing fancy is allowed.

Students are requested to report to the examination centre a minimum of an hour prior to the commencement of the exam. They will have 15 extra minutes to refer to the question paper before starting the exam. The rough work has to be carried out on the writing pad made available by the invigilator, and students will have to stick to all guidelines issued by the staff conducting the exam.

The Class X examinations will go on till March 18, 2025, for a variety of subjects. With strict rules and plenty of assistance, CBSE wants to make the examination process smooth and unbiased for all the students.