Competency-Based Questions Class 10: What They Are, with Examples
What competency-based questions are in CBSE Class 10, their share of the paper and formats, with solved examples from Maths, Science, SST and English.
Competency-based questions ask you to apply what you learned to a real or unfamiliar situation instead of recalling a fact. In CBSE Class 10 they appear as case-based, source-based and data-based questions, application MCQs and assertion-reason items. They make up about half the marks in the 2025-26 papers. To solve them, identify the concept behind the situation, then apply it step by step.
If your Class 10 practice is mostly "define", "state" and "list" questions, you are preparing for half the paper. CBSE now gives about half of the marks to competency-based questions: questions that check whether you can use what you learned. This guide explains what they are, how they look in each subject, and how to solve them, with ten worked examples.
What is a competency-based question?
A competency-based question puts a concept you have studied into a real-life or unfamiliar situation and asks you to apply it. The knowledge needed is from your syllabus. What changes is that the question does not tell you which formula or fact to use; you have to work that out.
| Recall question | Competency-based question |
|---|---|
| State the formula for the sum of n terms of an AP. | An auditorium's first row has 20 seats and each row has 2 more than the one before. How many seats are in 25 rows? |
| What is the pH of a neutral solution? | A farmer's soil has pH 5 and crops are growing poorly. What should be added, and why? |
How much of the paper are they?
For 2025-26, CBSE Class 10 papers follow roughly this split:
- About 50% competency-focused questions: case-based, source-based, data-based, application MCQs and similar.
- About 20% selected-response questions such as MCQs.
- About 30% constructed-response questions: short and long answers.
The exact sections differ by subject, so always check the official CBSE Class 10 sample papers for 2025-26. The shift comes from the National Education Policy 2020, which asks for assessment that tests understanding and application rather than rote memory. NCERT's national assessment centre, PARAKH, works on the same approach.
Common formats
- Case-based: a short situation with 3 or 4 linked questions. See our case study questions for every Maths chapter.
- Source-based: an extract, quote or notice followed by questions.
- Data-based: a table, graph or chart to interpret.
- Application MCQ: four options, but you must apply a concept to choose.
- Assertion-reason: judge two statements and the link between them. Try our Science assertion-reason set.
10 solved examples
Mathematics
1. An auditorium's first row has 20 seats, and each row has 2 more seats than the row in front. There are 25 rows. How many seats are there in total?
Show solution
This is an AP with a = 20, d = 2, n = 25. S₂₅ = 25/2 × [2(20) + 24(2)] = 25/2 × 88 = 1,100 seats.
2. A game spinner has eight equal sectors numbered 1 to 8. You win if it stops on a multiple of 3. What is the probability of winning?
Show solution
Multiples of 3 from 1 to 8 are 3 and 6. P(win) = 2/8 = 1/4.
3. A kite is flying on a 60 m long string that makes an angle of 60° with the ground. Assuming the string is straight, how high is the kite? (√3 ≈ 1.732)
Show solution
Height = 60 × sin 60° = 60 × (√3/2) = 30√3 ≈ 51.96 m.
Science
4. A farmer's soil has a pH of 5 and his crops are growing poorly. What could he add to the soil, and why?
Show solution
The soil is too acidic. He can add a base such as slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) or chalk to neutralise the acid and bring the pH closer to neutral.
5. A 1.5 kW room heater is used for 2 hours a day for 30 days. If electricity costs ₹8 per unit, what is the cost?
Show solution
Energy = 1.5 kW × 2 h × 30 = 90 kWh = 90 units. Cost = 90 × 8 = ₹720.
6. A dentist wants to see an enlarged, upright image of a tooth. Which type of mirror should she use, and where should the tooth be?
Show solution
A concave mirror, with the tooth placed between the pole and the focus of the mirror.
Social Science
7. In a village, 70% of workers are in farming, but farming produces only about a quarter of the village's income. If some farm workers left to work elsewhere, farm output would not fall. What problem does this show?
Show solution
Disguised unemployment: more people are working on the farms than are actually needed, so their extra labour adds little to output.
8. In parts of western Rajasthan, many houses have underground tanks connected to their rooftops. Why?
Show solution
Rainfall there is low and seasonal. The tanks collect rooftop rainwater and store it for drinking through the dry months. This is a traditional form of rainwater harvesting.
English
9. Read the notice: "The school library will remain closed on Saturday for stock-taking. Books due on Saturday may be returned on Monday without a fine." A student's book is due on Saturday and she returns it on Monday. Will she pay a fine?
Show solution
No. The notice says books due on Saturday can be returned on Monday without a fine.
10. From the same notice, what does "stock-taking" most likely mean?
Show solution
Counting and checking all the library's books and records. The context, a library closing for a day, is the clue.
How to prepare for competency-based questions
- Learn the "why": for every concept, know why it works and where it is used in real life.
- Read slowly: find the sentence that tells you which concept is being tested.
- Practise weekly: do a few case-based and data-based questions every week, not only before exams.
- Show your reasoning: in written answers, state the concept, then apply it.
- Review mistakes: note whether you misread the situation or did not know the concept.
Intellicamp's chapter-wise tests include case-based, source-based and assertion-reason items among 24 question types, and the results show which chapters cost you marks. Teachers can set competency-heavy papers with the AI question paper generator. Students, see how it works for you, and plan your revision with our guide to preparing for the Class 10 board exam. For the full syllabus, check the CBSE curriculum for 2025-26.
- Competency-based questions test applying concepts to real situations.
- They make up about half of CBSE Class 10 marks in 2025-26.
- Prepare by learning the reason behind concepts and practising case and data questions weekly.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of the Class 10 paper is competency-based?
For 2025-26, CBSE Class 10 papers give about 50% of marks to competency-focused questions, about 20% to selected-response questions such as MCQs and about 30% to short and long answers. Check the sample paper for each subject.
Are competency-based questions out of syllabus?
No. They test the same syllabus, but through situations, data or passages rather than direct recall.
How can I prepare for competency-based questions?
Understand the reason behind every concept, practise case-based and data-based questions every week, and read questions slowly to find which concept they are really asking about.
Is an MCQ a competency-based question?
It can be. An MCQ that asks you to apply a concept to a new situation is competency-based; one that asks you to recall a definition is not.
Where can I find official competency-based questions?
CBSE's sample question papers for 2025-26 on cbseacademic.nic.in include many. Practise them alongside chapter-wise tests.
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