CBSE Grace Marks 2027: Policy, Eligibility and How Many Marks You Get

CBSE grace marks are extra marks the board may give if you miss the 33% pass mark in a subject by about one mark. This blog explains the official rule, who is eligible, the subject-wise pass marks, and how grace marks differ from moderation.

If your result shows you just short of passing, read this first. It will tell you whether grace marks can help, and what to do if they cannot.

Key Takeaways

• CBSE may give grace marks only when you miss 33% by about one mark.
• You cannot apply for grace marks. The board decides.
• Class 10 needs 33 out of 100 in total. Class 12 needs 33% separately in theory and practical.
• Grace marks do not raise your percentage. They only help you pass.
• If you are short by more, the second exam (Class 10) or supplementary exam (Class 12) is your route.

What are CBSE Grace Marks?

Grace marks are a small relief CBSE may give to a student who is very close to passing. In its official FAQ, CBSE says that if a student misses 33% by about one mark, a “decision may be taken to award the grace mark(s)” (CBSE FAQ).

Three things matter here:

• It is about passing, not percentage. Grace marks only help you reach 33%. They do not raise a 70% to a 72%.
• It is not automatic. The FAQ says the decision “may be taken”. The board decides, case by case.
• You cannot apply for it. There is no form or request. If CBSE gives grace marks, it does so during result processing.

CBSE Passing Marks: The 33% Rule

You need to know the pass rule to know whether grace marks apply to you. As per the CBSE FAQ:

• Class 10: You need 33% in each subject, with theory and internal assessment marks counted together.
• Class 12: You need 33% separately in theory and in practical, in each subject that has a practical.

Class 12 Subject-Wise Passing Marks

Here are the pass marks for common Class 12 subjects. Being one mark below the theory or practical pass mark is the grace marks zone.

Subject	Theory (max / pass)	Practical or internal (max / pass)
Physics	70 / 23	30 / 9
Chemistry	70 / 23	30 / 9
Biology	70 / 23	30 / 9
Mathematics	80 / 26	20 / 6
English Core	80 / 26	20 / 6
Accountancy	80 / 26	20 / 6
Business Studies	80 / 26	20 / 6
Economics	80 / 26	20 / 6
Psychology	70 / 23	30 / 9
History	80 / 26	20 / 6
Political Science	80 / 26	20 / 6

          Check your own subject’s split in the CBSE curriculum for your year.

Who is Eligible for CBSE Grace Marks?

You may be considered for grace marks if all of these are true:

1. You are short of 33% in a subject by about one mark, as the CBSE FAQ describes.
2. You appeared in the exam and were not found using unfair means.
3. For Class 12, the shortfall is in theory or practical, and you met the pass mark in the other part.

Even if you meet all three, grace marks are still the board’s call. Do not plan your result around them.

How Many Grace Marks Does CBSE Give?

CBSE’s official FAQ only speaks of a shortfall of about one mark. CBSE has not published a fixed number for each subject or a maximum total.

You may see blogs quoting 5, 8, 12 or 15 marks. None of these figures comes from a CBSE document. If you are short by more than a mark or so, do not count on grace marks.

Worked Examples: Will Grace Marks Help You?

These three cases show how the rule plays out. The students are examples, not real results.

• Riya, Class 12 Physics: 22/70 in theory and 28/30 in practical. She is one mark short of the theory pass mark (23). She is in the grace marks zone, but it is still the board’s decision.
• Aman, Class 12 Physics: 19/70 in theory and 29/30 in practical. He is four marks short in theory. Grace marks will not cover this, so he should plan for the supplementary exam.
• Neha, Class 10 Maths: 25/80 in theory and 7/20 in internal assessment, which is 32/100 in total. She is one mark short of 33 and is in the grace marks zone.

CBSE Grace Marks vs Moderation Policy

Students often mix these up, but they work differently.

Basis	Grace marks	Moderation
Who gets it	Individual students just short of passing	All students who took a particular paper
Why it is given	To help a borderline student pass	To balance a paper that was too difficult or had errors
Effect	Helps you reach 33% in one subject	Can change scores across the whole paper
Can you apply?	No	No

Moderation has its own history. In 2017, CBSE tried to stop it midway through the exam cycle. The Delhi High Court then told the board to continue it for that year. The court said the board “cannot change the rules after the game has begun” (Hindustan Times, May 2017).

What If Grace Marks Don’t Help You?

You do not lose the year just because you missed by a few marks.

• Class 10: Since 2026, CBSE holds a second board exam in May for up to three subjects. In 2026, 52.40% of students in the compartment category passed it.
• Class 12: CBSE holds a supplementary exam in July. In 2026 it was held on 28 July. Students in the compartment category can take it only in the subject(s) in which they got the compartment, and the school submits the application.

What to Do Right After Your Result

1. Check your marks subject-wise, including theory and practical separately, on DigiLocker or the CBSE results site.
2. Compare each component with the pass marks table above.
3. If you are one mark short, wait for the final result. Do not count on grace marks.
4. If you are short by more, talk to your school at once about the second exam (Class 10) or the supplementary exam (Class 12). Schools submit the list of candidates, and deadlines are short.

Looking for a school with strong board results? See our list of CBSE schools in Sikar and the CBSE Class 12 Result 2026 Sikar toppers.

Conclusion

CBSE grace marks are a small, discretionary relief for students who miss 33% by about one mark. They do not raise your percentage, you cannot apply for them, and no official CBSE document puts a bigger number on them. Check your marks against the pass marks table. If you are further short, prepare for the second exam or the supplementary exam. Do not wait on grace marks.

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