Internal choice

A CBSE Class 10 paper has no overall choice. Every question must be attempted. But some questions come with a second option inside them. You pick one option and answer it.

Where does it appear?

The 2026-27 Maths Standard sample paper lists it in its instructions. There is a choice in 2 questions each in Sections B, C and D. Every 2-mark sub-part in Section E has one too.

In Science, the sample paper says a student should attempt "only one of the alternatives". Its Question 16, for example, says to attempt option A or option B. CBSE's Science curriculum puts internal choice at "approximately 33%" of the paper.

What if you answer both options?

CBSE's 2026 instructions to examiners cover this. If a student answers an extra question, the answer "deserving more marks" is kept. The other is struck out with the note "Extra Question". So a second answer adds no marks. It does use time that other questions need. Our guide to managing time in the 3-hour paper covers how to plan for that.

How does ICSE give a choice?

ICSE builds choice in at the level of a section. In the 2025 ICSE Maths paper, every question in Section A had to be answered. In Section B, candidates chose any four questions. The marking scheme sets the marks for whichever option is answered.

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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