CBSE Class 10, 12 exams today: Easy, tough or tricky? UAE school heads, students react

Today, CBSE students across the UAE appeared for the Grade 10 Maths board exam, while Class 12 students sat for minor subject papers. The day was significant, marking the first exams held after major reforms in the curriculum and assessment pattern. Early reactions collected by Gulf News indicate the Maths paper posed no major surprises, with well-prepared students answering confidently and completing it on time.

Students all smiles

At Bhavans Pearl Wisdom School, Dubai, students were visibly relieved after the Maths exam.
“We’re very happy to see the smiles on their faces after the exam because generally they are very, very tensed,” Jaemi Byju, Principal, said.

“This being the first day of the board exam, and writing it for the first time… all came back happy. Maybe one or two struggled to manage the time, but otherwise, in general, everybody seems very happy. Fingers crossed, we'll wait for the result.”

Siby Abraham, Maths Head of Department at the school, noted: “The Standard Paper was of average difficulty and the Basic Paper more difficult than expected. There were no out-of-syllabus questions, but the assertion and reason, and the mensuration questions were tough for students.”

Challenging but manageable

Nargish Khambatta, Principal and CEO of GEMS Modern Academy and Senior Vice President of GEMS Education, said: “The Maths Basic paper included a few challenging elements, but nothing unexpected or concerning. Overall, feedback from students has been positive.”

‘Well-structured paper’

Deepika Thapar Singh, CEO-Principal of Credence High School, Dubai, said the feedback from students was encouraging.
“Most of the students found the paper well-structured and balanced, with questions that tested understanding rather than rote learning. Students came out confident and relieved, which reflects their strong preparation.”

She pointed out that the Maths exam was aligned with CBSE standards, challenging students to apply concepts logically while allowing well-prepared candidates to complete the paper comfortably.

‘Matched expectations’  

Singh said the questions and overall pattern “largely met the expectations” of both students and teachers.

“Our maths faculty discussed that the question pattern was familiar, and there were no major surprises. Meanwhile, the so-called ‘tricky’ questions were concept-based rather than confusing.”

‘Questions pretty easy’

Students described the maths paper as manageable and less daunting than expected.

Siyalakshmi, a Class 10 student at Bhavans Pearl Wisdom School, said: “The paper was easier than previous year question papers. There were more proof-based questions than calculations, and the MCQs were very easy. I finished on time.”

Meenakshi noted: “The questions were pretty easy overall, though the graph question was a bit of a problem. I finished 20 minutes before time.”

Another student added, “The exam was not difficult. Most of us could complete the paper smoothly in the allotted time. Practising proper time management helped.”

Singh highlighted that practising CBSE sample papers had played a key role in building students’ confidence, improving speed and accuracy, and helping them approach the exam with clarity and calm.