The CBSE Class 12 English Core (301) marking scheme for 2026-27 carries 100 marks in total, with an 80-mark theory paper of 3 hours and 20 marks for internal assessment.
- Theory paper: The paper has 13 questions in three sections, namely Reading Skills (22 marks), Creative Writing Skills (18 marks) and Literature (40 marks).
- Highest weightage: Literature carries 40 marks, which is 50% of the theory paper.
- Internal assessment: The 20 marks are split into listening (5), speaking (5) and project work (10).
- Pattern: CBSE has mentioned that there is no change in the question paper design and assessment pattern for 2026-27.
Related Articles:
- Class 12 English Core NCERT Notes - Free PDF Download
- CBSE Class 12 Syllabus 2027: Revised Syllabus Released, Subject Wise PDF Download and Deleted Topics
Key Summary
- The scheme below is based on the official 2026-27 sample question paper and the syllabus released by CBSE for the Class 12 Board Exam 2027.
- All 13 questions are compulsory, and students must follow the prescribed word limits for each answer.
- The final board paper may differ in passages and topics, but the section-wise structure is expected to follow the sample paper.
- Writing tasks are marked on format, content, organisation and accuracy, so each element should be covered.
CBSE Class 12 English Core 2026-27: Theory Paper Marking Scheme
The theory paper of 80 marks has 13 questions, and Section C (Literature) carries the highest marks (40 marks).
- Section A has two unseen passages, one of 12 marks (Q1) and one of 10 marks (Q2), and the second passage is a case-based factual passage with data or charts.
- Section B has four writing tasks (Q3 to Q6), and students attempt one out of two in each.
| Sections | Topics | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section A: Reading Skills | Unseen descriptive/factual/literary passage; case-based factual passage | Q1 and Q2 | 22 |
| Section B: Creative Writing Skills | Notice; Invitation and Reply; Letter Writing; Article/Report Writing | Q3 to Q6 | 18 |
| Section C: Literature | Flamingo and Vistas—extracts, short-answer, and long-answer questions | Q7 to Q13 | 40 |
| Total Theory | 80 | ||
| Internal Assessment | Listening, Speaking, and Project Work | 20 |
Ques. How many marks is the CBSE Class 12 English Core theory paper?
Ans. The theory paper is of 80 marks with a duration of 3 hours. The remaining 20 marks are for internal assessment, making the total 100 marks.
CBSE Class 12 English Core 2026-27: Creative Writing Marking Scheme (18 Marks)
Each writing task is marked on separate parameters, and content carries the highest share of marks in every task.
| Task | Word Limit | Marks | Mark Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice (Q3) | Up to 50 words | 4 | Format 1, Content 2, Accuracy of Spelling and Grammar 1 |
| Invitation and Reply (Q4) | Up to 50 words | 4 | Format 1, Content 2, Accuracy of Spelling and Grammar 1 |
| Letter (Q5) | 120 – 150 words | 5 | Format 1, Organisation of Ideas 1, Content 2, Accuracy 1 |
| Article or Report (Q6) | 120 – 150 words | 5 | Format 1, Organisation of Ideas 1, Content 2, Accuracy 1 |
- Choice: One out of two questions is to be attempted in each writing task.
- Notice: The sample paper asks students to put the notice in a box.
Read: CBSE Class 12 Syllabus 2027: Download PDF Link, Topic-Wise Weightage, Question Pattern
Ques. Is there internal choice in the CBSE Class 12 English Core paper?
Ans. Yes, students attempt one out of two in the writing tasks, the extract-based questions and the long answer questions. In the short answer questions, they attempt five out of six and two out of three.
CBSE Class 12 English Core 2026-27: Literature Marking Scheme (40 Marks)
Literature is split between Flamingo and Vistas, and Flamingo carries 27 of the 40 marks in the sample paper.
| Question | Source | Question Type | Attempt | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q7 | Poetry extract (Flamingo) | Objective and short questions | One out of two | 6 x 1 = 6 |
| Q8 | Prose extract (Vistas) | Objective and short questions | One out of two | 4 x 1 = 4 |
| Q9 | Prose extract (Flamingo) | Objective and short questions | One out of two | 6 x 1 = 6 |
| Q10 | Prose and poetry (Flamingo) | Short answer (40 – 50 words) | Five out of six | 5 x 2 = 10 |
| Q11 | Prose (Vistas) | Short answer (40 – 50 words) | Two out of three | 2 x 2 = 4 |
| Q12 | Flamingo | Long answer (120 – 150 words) | One out of two | 1 x 5 = 5 |
| Q13 | Vistas | Long answer (120 – 150 words) | One out of two | 1 x 5 = 5 |
| Total | 40 |
Ques. How many marks are there for Reading Skills in CBSE Class 12 English Core?
Ans. Reading Skills carries 22 marks, split as 12 marks for the first passage and 10 marks for the second. Questions are MCQs, fill-in-the-blanks and short answers of about 40 words in the sample paper.
CBSE Class 12 English Core Internal Assessment (20 Marks)
The internal assessment is of 20 marks, and project work carries 10 marks.
| Component | Marks |
|---|---|
| Listening Skills | 5 |
| Speaking Skills | 5 |
| Project Work | 10 |
| Total | 20 |
CBSE Class 12 English Core Marking Scheme Official PDFs: Last 3 Years
Students can download the official CBSE Class 12 English Core marking scheme from the links below:
| Session | Document | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | CBSE Class 12 English Core Marking Scheme 2026-27 | Download PDF | Official Page |
| 2025-26 | CBSE Class 12 English Core Marking Scheme 2025-26 | Download PDF | Official Page |
| 2024-25 | CBSE Class 12 English Core Marking Scheme 2024-25 | Download PDF | Official Page |
CBSE Class 12 English Core Chapter-wise Important Questions
The five chapter groups below carry most of the CBSE 2026 Class 12 English Core paper. They repeat almost every year.
- The first column lists the long-answer topics that come back as 3-mark and 5-mark questions.
- The second column lists the shorter questions that appear as 1-3 mark MCQs and case studies in CBSE and CUET UG.
| Chapter Cluster | Important Themes / Long Answers (6 marks) | Important Short-Answer / Value-based (2-3 marks) |
|---|---|---|
| Flamingo Prose (Last Lesson, Lost Spring, Deep Water, Indigo, Poets and Pancakes, Interview, Going Places) | 1. Themes of language and identity in 'The Last Lesson'.2. Social injustice and exploitation in 'Lost Spring'.3. Character of Gandhi in 'Indigo' and his Champaran movement. | Symbolism of bangles, Douglas overcoming fear, the role of interviews in journalism. |
| Flamingo Poetry (My Mother at Sixty-six, Keeping Quiet, A Thing of Beauty, Aunt Jennifer's Tigers, A Roadside Stand) | 1. Theme of mortality and ageing in 'My Mother at Sixty-six'.2. Pablo Neruda's call for introspection in 'Keeping Quiet'.3. Patriarchy and oppression in 'Aunt Jennifer's Tigers'. | Figures of speech identification, central idea explanation, poetic devices used. |
| Vistas (The Third Level, The Tiger King, Journey to the End of the Earth, The Enemy, On the Face of It, Memories of Childhood, Should Wizard Hit Mommy, Evans Tries an O-Level) | 1. Escapism vs reality in 'The Third Level'.2. Satire of monarchy in 'The Tiger King'.3. Climate change urgency in 'Journey to the End of the Earth'. | Character sketches of Sadao, Derry, Evans; theme of human relationships and morality. |
| Reading Comprehension and Note-Making | 1. Critical analysis of an unseen factual passage.2. Summarising in 80-100 words with title.3. Note-making in standard format with abbreviations. | Vocabulary in context, identifying tone and purpose, inference-based MCQs. |
| Writing Skills (Letter, Report, Article, Notice, Invitation) | 1. Article writing on a given social / educational topic.2. Formal letter: complaint, enquiry, application.3. Report writing on an event or survey finding. | Notice writing for school / community events, invitation and reply (formal / informal), email writing format. |
CBSE Class 12 English Core Marking Scheme FAQs
Ques. Where can I download the CBSE Class 12 English Core marking scheme 2026-27?
Ans. The marking scheme is available on cbseacademic.nic.in under the Class XII Sample Question Paper and Marking Scheme section for 2026-27. The direct PDF link is given in the table above.
Ques. Does CBSE release an official answer key for English Core after the board exam?
Ans. CBSE does not generally release an official answer key right after the exam. Students can use the official sample paper marking scheme to understand how answers are evaluated.
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