Assertion-reason question

The claim is called the Assertion (A). The statement that may explain it is the Reason (R). You pick one of four options:

• A and R are both true, and R explains A.
• A and R are both true, but R does not explain A.
• A is true, but R is false.
• A is false, but R is true.

So you make three checks, not one. Is A true? Is R true? Does R give the reason for A?

Where are they in the Class 10 paper?

In the 2026-27 CBSE Maths Standard sample paper, Questions 19 and 20 are assertion-reason questions of 1 mark each. The Science sample paper has four, one mark each. ICSE uses them too. Question 1(ii) of CISCE's 2027 Maths specimen paper is one.

A small example

Question 19 of the CBSE paper gives three corners of a parallelogram, in order: (-1, -6), (2, -5) and (7, 2). The assertion says the fourth corner is (4, 1). The reason says the diagonals of a parallelogram cut each other in half. Both are true, and the reason is how you find the corner. The marking scheme's answer is the first option.

The Maths marking scheme says Section A, where these sit, has "no part marks". Only the right option earns the mark. What the marking scheme rewards sets this beside the questions that do give marks for steps.

About the author

Mohit Sardana

Chief Architect

An engineer (B.Tech, Computer Science) with over 20 years of preparing students for entrance exams, including as Dean at FIITJEE and Vice-President at Aakash. He is the chief architect of the TRUpreBoards evaluation engine.

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