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Mixed feedback on Class 10 maths in Gurugram: Standard moderate, basic demanding

Teachers said questions stayed within syllabus and tested concepts. Students cited NCERT focus, manageable MCQs, and one tough trig question in the standard set.

Published on: Feb 18, 2026, 06:59:17 IST
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leena.dhankhar@hindustantimes.com

Educators noted a balance of difficulty and strong conceptual testing. Two items were flagged as out of syllabus by a teacher, which may affect perfect scores. (Parveen Kumar/HT)
Educators noted a balance of difficulty and strong conceptual testing. Two items were flagged as out of syllabus by a teacher, which may affect perfect scores. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Students who appeared for the Class 10 Mathematics board examination on Tuesday reported mixed reactions, with many describing the standard maths paper as easy to moderate but lengthy, while the basic Maths paper surprised candidates with tricky and indirect questions. Teachers said most questions were within the prescribed syllabus and tested conceptual clarity rather than rote learning.

Kushal Kashyap of Lotus Valley International School said he received Set 2 and found it “easy but very lengthy”, with most questions NCERT-based and a few from solved examples in reference books such as RD Sharma. “Compared to previous years, the difficulty level was slightly lower. Only one competency-based question stood out, but since I knew the formula, it was manageable,” he said.

Shivi Sharma of Manav Rachna International School, Sector 46, said the paper felt “super easy” despite initial exam-day nerves. “There wasn’t a single question we hadn’t practised. It was a little lengthy but manageable. A few questions were tricky, but I could recall exactly how my teacher explained them in class. Once I settled down, it went smoothly. After the exam, most students felt they could score full marks,” she said.

Students from Suncity School Sector 54 said many candidates finished early despite the length. Amogh Kapoor said several students completed the exam ahead of time, while Aarav Kumar said the paper had around 38 questions and felt lengthy but doable.

Teachers noted a contrast between the two levels. Praful Agarwaal, a mathematics and science teacher, said the standard paper had a healthy mix of easy, medium and difficult questions that tested conceptual understanding. “However, the basic paper was not ‘basic’ at all. It included indirect questions that unsettled many students. Two questions in the standard paper were effectively out of syllabus, which could cost students full marks,” he claimed.

Binny Gindra, a maths teacher at Suncity School, said the standard paper was quite easy with direct and comparative questions and straightforward case studies. “In contrast, students who opted for Basic Maths found it tougher and more time-consuming due to tricky interpretations,” she said.

Agarwaal said the standard paper was simpler than last year, while the basic paper felt harder than the standard paper. He added that while MCQs were manageable, assertion–reason questions required greater attention, making the exam concept-focused across all sets.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar

Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.

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