CBSE 10th Social Answer Key 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education conducted the SST exam today, on March 7, 2026. Over 20 lakh students appeared for the 80-mark theory paper. Upon completion of the exam, a detailed question paper analysis of history, geography, political science, and economics will be added here. Along with social science analysis, candidates can also check the unofficial answer key prepared by the subject matter experts. Per initial reactions, the SST paper was found to be moderately easy with questions asked from the NCERT textbook. The candidate can make use of the answer key to determine the total number of correct MCQs marked during the exam. Candidates can keep checking the live blog for more updates on the answer key and analysis.
CBSE Class 10 Social Science Answer Key 2026 Unofficial (Set 1 and 2 Available)
The SST exam is scheduled to be conducted between 10:30 and 1:30. Based on our GMU expert's paper analysis, we have prepared CBSE class 10 Social Science answer keys 2026 for Set 1 here:
CBSE SST Set 1 Unofficial Keys
| Questions | Answers |
| Section A(History) | |
| 1) Arrange the following in order | c) II, IV, I, and III |
| 2) Two statements are given below. Choose the correct Assertion and Reason | a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A |
| 3) The given image shows a famous painting. Choose the painter of this work. | d) Raja Ravi Verma |
| 4) Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched | c) Bal Gangadhar Tilak-Kesari |
| Section B(Geography) | |
| 10) Identify the correct soil from the following options. | b) Laterite soil |
| 11) Identify the state related to the Chipko Movement | c) Uttarakhand |
| 12) Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option | c) I-c, II-d, III-b, IV-a |
| 13) Choose the appropriate option to fill | c) Non-ferrous minerals |
| 14) Choose the correct option related to the factors that determined the land use pattern in India | d) Physical and human factors |
| 15) Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched | b) Manas-Assam |
| Section C(Political Science) | |
| 20) Two statements are given below. They are Assertion and Reason. Choose the correct option | c) A is true, but R is false |
| 21) Look at the picture given and choose the appropriate option | c) Multitasking and Dedication |
| 22) Find the odd one out regarding political parties of India | a) Indian National Congress and Communist Party of India |
| 23) Read the following statements and choose the correct option | b) I, III, and IV are correct |
| Section D(Economics) | |
| 29) Study the data of a state given below and answer | c) 82 |
| 30) Match Column I with II | c) a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i |
| 31) Read the following case and choose the correct option | b) Nearest national bank |
| 32) Which one of the following best describes liberalization | c) Removal of restrictions on trade |
| 33) Which of the following organisations published the Human Development Report | d) United Nations Development Program |
| 34) Choose the correct option and fill in the blank Literacy rate is expressed as a proportion of the literate population of the age group___and above |
a) 7years |
CBSE SST Set 2 Unofficial Keys
| Questions | Answers | |
| Section A(History) |
||
| 1) Which country was the most affected by the potato famine during 1845-49? | c) Ireland | |
| 2) Arrange the following historical events in chronological order and choose the correct one | d) II, IV, III, I | |
| 3) Choose the correct Assertion and Reason | a) Both assertion and reason are and reason is correct explanations of the assertion | |
| 4) Between which two leaders was the Poona Pact signed in 1932? | a) Bhimrao Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi | |
| 5) Whom does the picture represent? | c) Germania | |
| 6) Which of the following deadly diseases spread in America through Portugal and Spain in mid sixteenth century? | b) smallpox | |
| Section B(Geography) | ||
| 11) Identify the plantation crop from the following | d) Rubber | |
| 12) In which state is the 'Bamboo drip irrigation' system used? | d) Meghalaya | |
| 13) The largest wind farm cluster in India is located between____________ | a) Nagercoil to Madurai | |
| Section C(Political Science) | ||
| 19) In Sri Lanka, which of the following changes to the 1956 law gave rise to the possibility of civil war? | b) Declaring Sinhala as the official language | |
| 20) Which one of the following countries is an example of a coming together federation? | d) Australia | |
| 21) Read the following statements about the functions of political parties and choose the correct option | a) Only I, II, and III are correct | |
| 22) Match Column I with Column and choose the correct option | d) a-iv, b-i, c-iii, d-ii | |
| Section D(Economics) | ||
| 28) Which of the following is the purpose of collateral in a loan? | b) to secure the loan for the lender | |
| 29) Smt Deepti is a resident of X country. Her country is a developed country. Which of the following would be a characteristic of her country? | b) High per capita income | |
| 30) Which of the following is an example of the public sector? | d) Indian Railways | |
| 31) Study the following table and arrange the States from lower to higher on the basis of Life Expectancy at Birth, and choose the correct option | c) Odisha, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala | |
| 32) Read both the statements and choose the correct option: | d) Assertion is false, and R is true | |
| 33) Why do some countries impose tariffs on imported goods in the context of globalization? Choose the correct option | b) to protect local industries | |
| 34) Why is the rupee accepted as a medium of exchange in India? | b) Because it is issued by RBI on beha;f of the central government | |
CBSE Class 10 SST Question Paper Analysis 2026
We have added a detailed question paper analysis of history, geography, political science, and economics below. The analysis has been prepared with the help of feedback received from the students and the subject matter expert’s review.
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Difficulty Level of Paper |
Moderate |
|
Toughest Section |
Long Answer Questions |
|
Easiest Section |
Multiple Choice Questions |
|
Was the Paper Lengthy? |
No |
Live Updates
As per previous year trends, CBSE 10th result is generally declared around 40 to 50 days after the conclusion of the exam. Students can expect the result to be released between May 11 and 15, 2026. The exact release date will be shared by the exam conducting authority soon.
Students appearing for CBSE 10th examination 2026 have to next prepare langauge paper or music based on choosen subject. The exam will be held at desiganted test centre between 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM on March 9, 2026. We advise candidates to prepare for their respective exams.
Here are the steps to calculate the probable score with the help of CBSE 10th SSC unofficial keys:
- Check the unofficial keys added on our GMU news
- Compare your responses with the unofficial keys
- Now give yourself a score for correct attempts and zero for wrong ones
- Add up the score
GMU subject matter expert Vijay has provided correct responses for the multiple-choice questions for History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics. Students can refer to the keys and compare them with their responses to analyse performance.
According to responses and reviews submitted by students and educators, Set 1 of the CBSE SST paper has been considered to be the easiest one.
Currently, our subject-matter expert team is analyzing the SST questions. Students will soon be provided with the correct responses of questions asked in the paper. Meanwhile, keep refreshing our LIVE blog to get updates on student reactiosn on exam.
- Ahan found the very short answer-type questions directly asked from the textbook
- Vinita says that though her overall paper was good, she faced issues when solving Map questions
- Aman found the paper easy. He expects a score above 70
According to the responses collected from students regarding CBSE 10th SST paper, most students said that the question paper was balanced. Questiosnw ere asked from NCERT textbook exercises.
As per the latest updates, the final bell has rung at all the CBSE SST exam centres at 1:30 PM. Students have been instructed to stop writing as invigilators have begun collecting the answer scripts.
With 15 minutes left for the SST exam to conclude, students are currently re-checking the map questions and ensuring they have pointed locations properly. For any unattempted questions, students must complete.
If we look at the previous year's question paper, social science questions are generally of a moderate to easy difficulty level. Most questions are asked from the NCERT textbooks. We believe this year, a similar level of questions will be asked. A detailed analysis will be possible only after the exam concludes.
Students appearing for CBSE 10th SST exam should gear up to complete their paper as only 1 hour is left for the final bell to ring. Those who want to take an extra sheet should collect it from their respective invigilator and tie it properly with the main answer script.
Yes, very short-answer type questions aim at testing a student's knowledge across various concepts in history, geography, economics, and political science topics. Students must use both subject knowledge and logic in solving these questions.
The examination has now been going on for more than an hour. By now, students should have finished the MCQs and short response questions and be working on longer descriptive questions.
Here is time-divison tactics to compelet SSC paper before time:
- Section A: 15-20 minutes
- Section B: 25-30 minutes
- Section C: 35-40 minutes
- Section D: 50-60 minutes
- Map Section: 10-15 minutes
Teachers believe that the map questions are frequently the simplest part of the Social Science test. Students who practiced map work the right way might do well on this segment.
At 10:30 AM, the CBSE Class 10 Social Science exam officially began at all test centers. After the 15 minutes of reading time that was given earlier to thoroughly go over all the questions, the students have started writing the paper.
In the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam, the expected number of MCQ questions will be 20, as per the question papers of the previous years.
A candidate needs to score 33 marks out of 100 in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam to pass. Hence, the required marks to pass the written paper are 27 out of 80.
According to the question papers of the previous years, the most important History topics in the Social Science Exam are mentioned as follows:
- The Rise of Nationalism in Europe
- Nationalism in India
- Print Culture and the Modern World
The weightage of the Political Science section in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam is 25%. According to the guidelines of the CBSE, the Social Science paper consists of 20 marks.
In the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam, the weightage of the Economics section is 25%. As per the guidelines of the CBSE, this section carries 20 marks in the Social Science paper.
The weightage of the Geography section in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam is 25%. According to the guidelines of the CBSE, the Social Science paper consists of 20 marks.
- On the day before the exam, a candidate must avoid going through any new topic.
- They must avoid studying till late at night.
- A candidate should not take any unnecessary pressureon the day before the exam.
The dress code of the candidates to write the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam is as follows:
- A regular candidate must wear their school uniform.
- A private candidate should wear a simple, light-coloured, and comfortable dress.
The following items are prohibited inside the CBSE 2026 Class 10th exam center for the Social Science Exam.
- Any electronic gadgets, such as a mobile phone, a calculator, headphones, a Bluetooth device, etc.
- Any written note, book, sheets, etc.
- Any food item, unnecessary items, etc.
Experts say that students should carefully go over the Manufacturing Industries chapter. The Social Science test often asks questions about industrial pollution, what affects industries, and the many types of industries.
No, a candidate who does not have their original admit card will not be allowed to enter the exam center for the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam. This is the most important document for each candidate to write this exam.
Yes, all the candidates appearing for the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam must carry their original photo identity card to the exam center. Failing which, candidates will not be allowed to enter the exam center.
In the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam, the weightage of the History section is 25%. As per the guidelines of the CBSE, this section carries 20 marks in the Social Science paper.
The most important Geography topics in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam are mentioned as follows:
- Forest and Wildlife Resources
- Agriculture
- Minerals and Energy Resources
- Manufacturing Industries
The most important Economics topics in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam are mentioned as follows:
- Sectors of the Indian Economy
- Globalisation and the Indian Economy
- Factors that have enabled globalisation
The marks division in the Internal Assessment in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam is mentioned as follows:
- Periodic Assessment: 10 Marks
- Portfolio: 5 Marks
- Subject Enrichment Activities: 5 Marks
As per the question papers of the previous years, the expected number of ‘Very Short Answer Type Questions’ will be 4 in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam.
The expected number of ‘Short Answer Type Questions’ in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam will be 5, as per the question papers of the previous year
In the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam, the expected number of ‘Long Answer Type Questions’ will be 4, as per the question papers of the previous years.
As per the question papers of the previous years, the expected number of ‘Case-Based Questions’ will be 3 in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam.
Students are going over map work themes like dams, minerals, and major sessions of Congress. People think that map questions are easy to get right, yet a lot of students forget to practice them well before the test.
A lot of professors feel that "Nationalism in India" is still one of the most significant chapters every year. Students need to review movements, important leaders, and major events carefully because this subject often has both short and lengthy answer questions.
Students who are going to take the March 7 test should review short notes, timelines from history, and crucial terminology from economics. Experts advise that reading whole chapters again could make things more confusing right now, so fast revision is ideal.
With only a few hours left until the CBSE Class 10 Social Science exam, a lot of pupils are going over the NCERT books' most important chapters. Teachers are telling students to focus more on grasping the concepts than on memorizing long answers, since many questions are now based on application.
Candidates who are appearing in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam must carry the following items:
- The admit card of the candidate.
- The original photo identity card of the candidate.
Here are the last-minute preparation tips for the candidates for the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam, mentioned as follows:
- A last-minute revision is important to score good marks in this exam. Candidates must go through their short notes and important topics.
- Candidates must revise important data, dates, and events before the exam.
- Take proper rest before the day of the exam.
The total time allotted for each candidate in the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam is 3 hours or 180 minutes. Hence, all the candidates have to complete their exams within the mentioned time.
In the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam, the question pattern is mentioned as follows:
|
Sections |
Question Type |
|
Section A |
MCQs |
|
Section B |
Very Short Answer Type Questions |
|
Section C |
Short Answer Type Questions |
|
Section D |
Long Answer Type Questions |
|
Section E |
Case-Based Questions |
|
Section F |
Map Skill-Based Questions |
Instead of extended paragraphs, teachers tell pupils to write their replies in clear bullet points with headings. You may make your presentation much better and get extra points on subjective questions by highlighting keywords, utilising diagrams or flowcharts, and writing structured replies.
The Social Science paper has four equal parts: History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics. Each part usually adds about 20 marks to the theoretical paper. Students can use this structure to plan their revision time better.
Most economics questions are about development, the Indian economy's sectors, money and credit, and globalization and the Indian economy. Students should go over the definitions, comparisons, and examples of jobs, income, and banks.
The CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam will start at 10:30 AM on 7th March 2026, as per the guidelines of the Central Board of Secondary Education.
Some important chapters in Civics include Power Sharing, Federalism, Political Parties, and Gender, Religion, and Caste. These chapters generally have case-study-based questions that evaluate students' knowledge of democracy and governance ideas instead of just their ability to memorize facts.
Experts say that for Geography, you should focus on Manufacturing Industries, Resources and Development, Water Resources, and Minerals & Energy Resources. Students often get map-based questions about dams, power plants, ports, and mineral locations. These questions can help them get full points.
The exam day guidelines for the candidates going to write the CBSE 2026 Class 10th Social Science Exam are as follows:
- All the candidates who are going to write this exam must carry all the essential documents, such as a photo identity card, admit card, etc., to the exam center.
- They must reach the exam center at least 1 to 2 hours prior to the beginning of the exam.
- Candidates must follow all the instructions provided by the exam conducting authority.
The reporting time for the CBSE 2026 Class 10 Social Science Exam is 10:00 AM. All the candidates need to enter the exam center before this time. After this time, no student will be allowed to enter the exam center.
Students should review Nationalism in India, the Rise of Nationalism in Europe, and Print Culture and the Modern World in the History section. Board exams often have questions from these chapters, notably analytical 5-mark questions that ask about causes, movements, and historical events.
Students should review Nationalism in India, the Rise of Nationalism in Europe, and Print Culture and the Modern World in the History section. Board exams often have questions from these chapters, notably analytical 5-mark questions that ask about causes, movements, and historical events.
The CBSE Class 10 Social Science board exam will take place on March 7, 2026. Students are concentrating on going over the most significant NCERT chapters. Experts say that in the last few hours before the exam, you should focus on the most important themes from History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics.