CBSE internal assessment: 20 marks, one attempt

CBSE Class 10 internal marks are the 20 marks your child's school gives in most subjects. The other 80 come from the board paper. The 20 are made up of four parts: periodic tests, multiple assessment, a portfolio and subject enrichment. They are given once, before the February exam, and cannot be improved later.

What are internal marks in CBSE Class 10?

Internal assessment is the part of a subject the school marks, across the year. CBSE's Secondary Curriculum for 2026-27 sets it at 20 marks for major subjects. The board exam is worth 80. Together they make 100.

Every student must take part in both. The curriculum says no student is declared successful without completing both parts.

How are the 20 internal marks broken up?

Into four parts, each worth a quarter. For a 20-mark subject that is 5 marks each. The Science and Maths syllabuses for 2026-27 show the same split.

• Periodic tests - written tests held through the year.
• Multiple assessment - quizzes, projects, oral work, experiments and group tasks.
• Portfolio - a file of your child's own work that shows progress over the year.
• Subject enrichment - lab and practical work in Science and Maths, and speaking and listening in languages.

How does the best two of three periodic tests work?

The school holds three periodic tests in each subject during the year. The average of the best two is used. The curriculum also asks that at least one test uses case studies, data or real problems.

Here is an example. Say your child scores 12, 16 and 18 out of 20 in the three tests. The 12 is dropped. The average of 16 and 18 is 17, and that is the score this part is built from.

So one bad test does not decide this part. But the two better tests both count, so each one matters.

Are internal marks added to board marks?

Yes. The final mark in a subject combines the 80 board marks and the 20 school marks. For passing, CBSE's 2026-27 curriculum asks for "a minimum of 33% marks separately in external and internal assessments, calculated on the combined total of Internal Assessment and External Examination marks".

What the passing rules actually say sets out the rule and what it means for your child.

Can internal marks be improved in the second board exam?

"Internal assessment will be conducted only once before the main examinations."

That line is from CBSE's notification on the two board exams. The school marks are given once, before February, and carried over to May. Only the written paper can be sat again.

The reason is simple. Internal marks measure work done over a year. There is no single paper to write again. The two board exams explains what else carries over. Whether your child should sit the second exam helps with that choice.

The same is true after results. CBSE's checks on marking cover the written paper only. Photocopy, verification and re-evaluation do not reopen the school marks. That is worth knowing before you read whether re-evaluation is worth it.

What should parents and schools check during the year?

• Ask how each part is marked. The curriculum asks schools to share simple rubrics - marking guides - with students in advance.
• Ask for feedback after each periodic test. The curriculum says each test should be followed by feedback, and help where it is needed.
• Keep the portfolio up to date. It is meant to show growth, not bulk, so a few good pieces beat a thick file.
• Know the scores before they are sent to CBSE. It is the one part of the result that is still open during the year.

How does internal assessment work in ICSE?

Every ICSE subject also has an internal part, set by the school. CISCE's regulations for the ICSE exam say it covers assignments, project work, practicals and coursework. These marks are added to the written exam marks.

In ICSE's improvement exam, the project work marks from the main exam are carried forward. The student sits the written paper again. These rules are from CISCE's latest published edition, the one for the 2028 exam. Check the edition for your child's exam year.

What this page does not cover

Each school turns test scores into the 5 marks for each part. The curriculum gives the weights, not a formula, so we do not print one. Ask the school how it does this. Some subjects use a different split, so check that subject's syllabus.

About the author

Prabhjeet Singh

Founder Member & Director

An MBA (Finance and Strategy) with over 16 years across strategy, technology and operations. At TRUtesting he makes sure the platform is built to serve schools reliably and at scale.

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