Students must secure a minimum of 33% to pass. In cases where a candidate narrowly misses this threshold by a mark or two, the board may exercise discretion and grant grace marks. Additionally, if errors are identified in the question paper, such as misprints or incorrect options, compensatory marks may be awarded. Grace marks can also be considered when questions are deemed excessively difficult, outside the prescribed syllabus, or if the paper is unusually lengthy

The recent controversy surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board examinations has sparked debate among students, parents, educators and coaching institutes.

The issue started after the Class 10 Mathematics exam. Many students said that while some question papers were easy, others were much harder and felt similar to questions asked in competitive exams like the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main and Advanced.

Before the discussion could subside, the Class 12 Physics paper triggered fresh criticism, with teachers arguing that the board failed to maintain uniform difficulty levels across different sets.

The Class 12 Chemistry examination has started. 

Exam Centre Entry Closes At 10 am.

Don't panic if a question appears unfamiliar.

Attempt the full paper and use internal choices wisely.

Maintain neat presentation for a positive psychological impression.

Avoid writing long paragraphs; present answers in points.

Write exactly what is asked, not everything you know.

Entry to the examination centre has started. Students must enter before 10 am. 

Chemistry is considered a scoring subject. However, like Mathematics and Physics, it has faced concerns over variation in difficulty levels across different sets. An educator had reportedly filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against CBSE regarding this issue. Some students also claimed that the Mathematics paper included questions similar to those from JEE Main and JEE Advanced.

For Case Study questions, the educators has advised to read the passage carefully as answers are often directly hidden in the text.

For Numericals: Follow the order - Given data, Formula, Substitution, Final answer with unit.

For Organic Conversions: Show all steps, clearly mention reagents above the arrow, and avoid skipping intermediate steps.

For Mechanisms: Indicate electron movement (use curved arrows where required) and mention carbocation stability if relevant. Name organic reactions correctly.

Coordination Compounds (Nomenclature): Write ligands in alphabetical order followed by the metal and its oxidation state in Roman numerals.

d- and f-block Elements: Focus on lanthanoid contraction - its cause and effects - along with conceptual questions from the textbook.

Geeta Dua, Chemistry Faculty at Satya School, Gurugram, has shared important section-wise tips covering numericals, organic conversions, and key concepts that are highly expected to appear in the paper.

Dua advised students to read the question paper calmly and identify assertion-reason traps, where the reason may be correct but might not justify the assertion.

"They should carefully read the requirements of the question. They should show all steps during calculations in numericals and while solving organic conversions, as these steps carry marks," Dua said.

The entry to the examination centre will begin at 9 am. Students are advised to plan their travel accordingly, keeping traffic conditions in mind.