In Class 9, grades come from fixed mark bands set by the school: 91 to 100 marks is A1, 81 to 90 is A2, and so on down to 33 to 40 for D. In Class 10, CBSE's board grades are positional: all students who pass a subject are ranked, and the top one-eighth get A1, the next one-eighth get A2, and so on. So a Class 10 grade tells you where a student stands among those who passed, not a fixed number of marks. A student must also secure at least 33% to pass, and the curriculum states it separately for the external and internal components.
Class 9: fixed mark bands
In Class 9 the school conducts the annual examination and awards grades using an absolute scale. CBSE's curriculum gives this scale for scholastic areas, and says the school will award grades according to it. CBSE says absolute grading is used in Class 9 keeping in view the number of students appearing from any particular school, as against the positional grading used for Class 10.
| Marks range | Grade |
|---|---|
| 91 to 100 | A1 |
| 81 to 90 | A2 |
| 71 to 80 | B1 |
| 61 to 70 | B2 |
| 51 to 60 | C1 |
| 41 to 50 | C2 |
| 33 to 40 | D |
Source: Table 9 in CBSE's 2026-27 Secondary Curriculum. These bands apply to Class 9 grades awarded by the school.
Here a grade is simply a label for a mark. If your child scores 84 in a subject, that is an A2, whatever anyone else scored.
Class 10: grades based on rank
For the Class 10 board examination, CBSE uses a nine-point grading scale and awards grades by position. The curriculum says the Board puts all the passed students in a rank order and awards grades as follows.
| Grade | Who receives it |
|---|---|
| A1 | The top one-eighth of the passed candidates |
| A2 | The next one-eighth |
| B1 | The next one-eighth |
| B2 | The next one-eighth |
| C1 | The next one-eighth |
| C2 | The next one-eighth |
| D1 | The next one-eighth |
| D2 | The next one-eighth |
| E | Essential repeat |
Source: Table 8 in CBSE's 2026-27 Secondary Curriculum. CBSE notes that minor variations in the proportions may be made to adjust ties, and that students with the same score get the same grade.
Each of the eight passing grades therefore covers roughly 12.5% of the students who passed that subject. As an illustration, if 100,000 students pass a subject, about 12,500 would receive A1 in it, give or take adjustments for ties. CBSE adds that this method is used in subjects where more than 500 candidates have passed, and that for subjects with fewer than 500 passing candidates, the grading follows the pattern used in other similar subjects.
What this means in practice
Because Class 10 grades are set by rank and not by a fixed mark band, three things follow.
- A Class 9 grade does not translate to a Class 10 grade. A child with an A1 in Class 9, which means 91 or more, is not automatically in the top one-eighth in Class 10. That depends on how everyone else performs in the board paper.
- The marks behind a grade can differ by subject and year. Since the bands follow rank, the marks needed for A1 in one subject can be different from another, and the marks that separate grades move with how the cohort performs on that paper.
- The marks matter as much as the grade. Things families often care about, such as a school's subject requirements for Class 11 streams, are usually expressed in marks and percentages, not grades. Track both. If you are thinking about streams, our guide on choosing a stream after Class 10 covers what to check.
A helpful way to think about it is that a Class 9 grade answers "how many marks?", while a Class 10 grade answers "where did my child stand among those who passed?". Both are useful, but they are different questions.
What the 33% rule says
CBSE's curriculum describes how a student is declared successful in a subject. It says the final result is determined by combining the external examination and the internal assessment, and that "to be declared successful in a subject, a student must secure a minimum of 33% marks separately in external and internal assessments, calculated on the combined total of Internal Assessment and External Examination marks, as per the prescribed scheme."
That sentence can be read in more than one way, and coaching websites explain it differently. If a separate 33% is applied to each component, the arithmetic is 33% of 80, which is 26.4 marks, in the board paper and 33% of 20, which is 6.6 marks, in internal assessment. Other sources describe an overall 33% across the 100 marks. The exact method, including how fractions of a mark are treated, is set out in CBSE's examination bye-laws, so confirm it with your school rather than relying on a website's table.
Whichever way it is applied, the practical advice is the same. Treat 33% as a floor, not a target, and make sure both the board paper and the internal assessment are taken seriously. Our guide on how the 20 internal marks are earned shows how to protect the smaller component.
Essential repeat and the second exam
A student who does not pass receives the grade E, which CBSE describes as essential repeat. Class 10 students now also have a second board exam opportunity, which we explain in how CBSE's two board exams work. Use that guide for the rules on who can appear and how the results are combined.
The third language is graded differently
The third language (R3) is a qualifying subject assessed by the school. CBSE says its marksheet entry will read Qualified or Not Qualified, and encourages schools to award internal grades from A to E with qualitative feedback. We explain the rule in our guide to the CBSE three-language policy.
How to use grades without chasing them
- Look at marks per subject first. They show exactly how far the child is from the next target, which a grade hides.
- Look at the trend, not one result. Two or three terms in a row say far more than a single grade. Our guide to reading a half-yearly report card shows how.
- Compare your child with their own earlier results. The fairest comparison is with themselves last term, not with a classmate.
- Ask where the marks were lost. The useful question after any grade is which chapters or question types cost marks, so effort goes to the real gap.
- Be careful what you say at home. A child who hears "only B1?" learns to fear the grade, not to learn. Praise effort and improvement, and use the grade as information.
Where tuition fits
If marks sit close to the pass line, or a grade has slipped over several terms, the most useful step is a specific diagnosis of which topics and skills are weak, not a general push to study more. TutorHive's CBSE online tuition works on the school syllabus, with regular recap and targeted practice, and parents can see how a session works in a free 30-minute trial class first.
A note on sources: the grading scales above are quoted from CBSE's Secondary Curriculum document for 2026-27 on the CBSE Academic website. Exact result rules are set by CBSE's examination bye-laws and circulars, which the board can update, so check cbse.gov.in or your school for the latest.
Frequently asked questions
What marks is an A1 in CBSE Class 9?
In Class 9, where the school awards grades on an absolute scale, 91 to 100 marks is A1, 81 to 90 is A2, 71 to 80 is B1, 61 to 70 is B2, 51 to 60 is C1, 41 to 50 is C2 and 33 to 40 is D.
What marks is an A1 in CBSE Class 10?
There is no fixed mark range. CBSE's Class 10 grades are positional: students who pass a subject are ranked, and the top one-eighth get A1. The marks needed therefore depend on how all candidates perform in that subject in that year.
What is the passing grade in CBSE?
In the Class 9 school scale, D (33 to 40 marks) is the lowest passing grade. In Class 10, D2 is the last of the eight passing grades, and E means essential repeat. CBSE's curriculum also sets a minimum of 33% for success in a subject, with the external and internal components both mentioned.
Is the pass mark 33% overall or in each component?
CBSE's curriculum says a student must secure a minimum of 33% marks separately in external and internal assessments, calculated on the combined total, as per the prescribed scheme. Websites interpret this differently, so confirm the exact calculation with your school and CBSE's examination bye-laws.
Are Class 9 grades the same as Class 10 grades?
No. Class 9 grades are awarded by the school from fixed mark bands. Class 10 board grades are positional, based on the rank of passed candidates. A Class 9 A1 does not guarantee a Class 10 A1.
How is the third language graded?
The third language, R3, is assessed by the school and is a qualifying subject. CBSE says the marksheet will show Qualified or Not Qualified, and schools are encouraged to award internal grades from A to E with feedback in the Holistic Progress Card.
Related guides
CBSE Class 10 Internal Assessment 2027: 20 Marks Explained
How to Read Your Child's Half-Yearly Report Card
CBSE Class 10 Two Board Exams 2027: How It Works
How to Choose Science, Commerce or Humanities After Class 10
CBSE Three-Language Policy: R1, R2, R3 Explained for Parents