Gurugram students find CBSE Class 10 Science balanced, Physics tougher

Students said physics numericals and assertion-reasoning items needed careful reading, while chemistry reactions and biology were largely direct and scoring.

The Class 10 Science board examination of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), held on Wednesday, was described by most students as easy to moderate, balanced and closely aligned with the NCERT syllabus, though many said the physics section was comparatively more time-consuming and conceptually demanding.

Many students reported finishing on time despite tricky, application-based questions, and said nothing was asked outside the NCERT syllabus. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Students across centres said the paper combined direct and application-based questions. Divyam Arora, a student of Salwan Public School who appeared for Set 3, said physics was slightly tougher. “Overall, the paper was easy to moderate. Physics needed careful reading and conceptual clarity, while chemistry and biology were mostly direct from the syllabus. There were a few tricky questions, but nothing out of syllabus,” he said, adding that physics took more time but did not affect overall time management.

Adarsh Kumar, a Class X student from Lady Florence Convent School, said the paper was easier than expected. “Physics numericals required attention but were manageable. Chemistry was direct, and biology was quite simple. I completed the paper on time and feel confident about scoring well,” he said.

Teachers echoed similar views. Praful Agarwaal, a maths and science teacher and IIT Roorkee alumnus, said the paper rewarded consistent preparation. “The paper successfully connected theory with real-life application. While the intricate physics, numerics and chemical reaction chains require focused reasoning, the biology sections provide a steady platform for scoring through clear, diagram-based understanding. The inclusion of practical, case-based scenarios successfully bridges the gap between classroom theory and real-world scientific inquiry. Overall, the paper represents a comprehensive yet accessible assessment where clarity of thought and textbook mastery are the keys to success,” he said.

Deepika Sachdeva, Science teacher at Lady Florence Convent School, said the paper was well-designed. “It covered all major chapters effectively. Physics numericals were fair; chemistry questions—especially reactions and equations—were direct; and biology focused more on conceptual understanding rather than rote learning,” she said.

Student reactions varied across sets. Several who appeared for Set 2 said chemistry and physics were easy, while biology was of medium difficulty, with revision notes proving helpful. Others described Set 1 as extremely easy with ample time left. Some said biology was unusually easy with no diagrams asked, while physics had fewer numericals but more theory-based questions.

Virajh Agarwal from Lotus Valley International School, Gurugram, said assertion-reasoning questions were time-consuming and application-based questions appeared in unexpected topics. “Overall, some of the questions were tricky and required deep understanding of the material, while others were straight as an arrow. Objectively speaking, none of the questions were out of the NCERT syllabus, and CBSE hasn’t given us much to complain about,” he said. Amaira Kaur from Shriram Millennium School described Set 2 as moderately difficult, with some vague biology questions. Janya Syal of GD Goenka High School said the paper tested conceptual understanding rather than memorisation, while Adityaraj Chakraborty of DPS Sector 45 termed Set 1 easy, especially Chemistry.