CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2025 for All Subjects

CBSE Passing Marks for Class 12 are given below for all streams. Students appearing for the CBSE board exam this year should check the passing marks to ensure they pass and aim for a good score.

CBSE Passing Marks For Class 12: CBSE Passing Marks for Class 12 are set by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to ensure that students meet the minimum requirements for passing their exams. To pass any subject in the CBSE Class 12 Board Exams 2025, students must obtain at least 33% marks in each external exam as per CBSE rules.

For subjects with practicals, students must score at least 33% in both the theory and practical exams separately, in addition to the overall 33% in the subject. Meeting these passing marks is crucial for students to qualify for higher studies. Scoring higher than the minimum can also open up better opportunities for students in the future. Students should check detailed CBSE passing marks for class 12 below for different streams.

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CBSE Passing Marks For Class 12 & Why it is Important?

The CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education) has set clear criteria for passing Class 12 exams. To pass the Senior School Certificate Examination, students must achieve at least 33% in each subject. This applies to both theory and practical exams.

• For subjects with practicals, students must obtain 33% marks separately in theory and practicals, in addition to securing 33% in aggregate.
  In the grading system, the CBSE awards grades based on the student’s performance in relation to their peers. For external subjects, letter grades are used on a nine-point scale, with grades such as A1, A2, B1, and so on.
• Knowing CBSE passing marks is important because students who fail to achieve the required passing percentage (33%) will be placed in the "compartment" category.
• They can appear for compartment exams to improve their results. The grading system helps to rank students and distinguish those who perform exceptionally well, with Merit Certificates being awarded to the top 0.1% of candidates in each subject.

CBSE Passing Marks For Class 12 For All Subjects

It is essential for students to understand the passing criteria for each subject in CBSE Class 12. Knowing the maximum marks helps students understand the weightage of theory and practical components, allowing them to plan their preparation accordingly for the exams.

CBSE Passing Marks For Class 12 For PCMB (Medical and Non-medical)

For students in the Science stream (Medical and Non-medical), the table below provides the maximum marks for each subject. Students must know that they must score at least 33% of maximum marks separately in both theory and practical exams, in addition to securing 33% overall in the subject to pass.
Maximum Marks For Class 12 For PCMB (Medical and Non-medical)

CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2025 for Commerce Stream

The table below outlines the maximum marks for students in the Commerce stream. Students must achieve at least 33% marks of maximum marks in both theory and practical components of their exams, in addition to securing 33% in total for each subject. Knowing the maximum marks helps students understand the distribution of marks and prepare effectively for the exams.

Maximum Marks For Class 12 For Commerce Stream

CBSE Class 12 Passing Marks 2025 for Arts Stream

For students in the Arts stream, the table below presents the maximum marks for each subject. It is important for students to know the passing criteria: at least 33% marks of maximum marks in both theory and practical exams (where applicable), and 33% overall. Understanding the maximum marks for each subject is vital for planning effective study strategies.

Maximum Marks For Class 12 For Arts Stream

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Previous Year's Trends of CBSE Class 12 Result Statistics

Students should refer to the table below to understand the academic performance of CBSE Class 12 students over the past few years. It showcases the total number of students who appeared, the overall pass percentage, and a comparison of boys’ and girls’ success rates from 2015 to 2023.

CBSE Class 12 Result Statistics Previous Year's Trends 

CBSE Class 12th 2025 Passing Marks for Other Subjects

For subjects in the arts stream, such as Geography and Biotechnology, the theoretical paper is usually of 70 marks. Meanwhile, CBSE skill-based subjects like Painting, Graphics, Sculpture, and Computer Applications typically have a 30-mark theory paper and follow specific passing criteria. To pass these subjects, students must secure at least 33% in theory and practicals where applicable.

CBSE Class 12 2025 Passing Marks Criteria

Students should be aware of the following key points about the minimum passing marks set by CBSE:

1. To receive the official Pass Certificate from the Board, students must score higher than an 'E' grade in all internal assessments unless they are exempt. Failure to meet this requirement will delay their external exam results for up to a year.
2. To be considered as having passed the examination, students must score more than an 'E' grade (at least 33%) in all five subjects during the main or compartment exams.
3. The pass marks for each external examination subject are set at 33%. However, no overall division, distinction, or aggregate score will be given.
   Students who fail in two of their five subjects must take the compartment exams.

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CBSE Class 12 Merit Certificate 2025

CBSE will provide Merit Certificates to top-performing students based on the following guidelines:

1. Merit Certificates will be awarded to the top 0.1% of candidates in each subject, provided they meet the passing criteria.
2. The number of Merit Certificates in any subject will be calculated by rounding the number of successful candidates to the nearest thousand. No Merit Certificates will be issued if fewer than 500 candidates pass a subject.
3. In case of a tie, where multiple students achieve the same score, all those students will receive the Merit Certificate.