In short: Nobody outside CBSE knows the exact 2027 History questions, so this list ranks 20 question types by evidence: the 2026-27 paper design (34 questions, 80 marks, three parts of 25 marks plus a 5-mark map), what teachers reported about the March 30, 2026 paper, and the themes educators say repeat. Each part has seven 1-mark MCQs, two 3-mark answers, one 8-mark long answer and one 4-mark source-based question. Source-based and long answers reward interpretation and structure, not memory. Treat this as a practice priority list, not a leak.
Last updated: October 28, 2026. The 2027 date sheet is not out yet. The paper design below is the 2026-27 design.
CBSE Class 12 History 2027 — Quick Reference
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Theory paper | 80 marks, 3 hours |
| Project work | 20 marks |
| Themes in Indian History Part I | 25 marks (4 themes) |
| Themes in Indian History Part II | 25 marks (4 themes) |
| Themes in Indian History Part III | 25 marks (4 themes) |
| Map work | 5 marks |
| Total questions | 34, all compulsory |
| 2026 paper date | Monday, March 30, 2026, 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM |
| Question type | Number | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| MCQs | 21 | 21 |
| Short answer | 6 | 18 |
| Long answer | 3 | 24 |
| Source-based | 3 | 12 |
| Map | 1 | 5 |
| Total | 34 | 80 |
Each part has the same split: seven 1-mark MCQs, two 3-mark short answers, one 8-mark long answer and one 4-mark source-based question, which makes 25 marks.
Sources: PW Live marking scheme page for the 2026-27 design, themes and competency split. Times Now for the 2026 paper date and details.
The 12 themes in 2026-27
| Part | Themes |
|---|---|
| I | Bricks, Beads and Bones; Kings, Farmers and Towns; Kinship, Caste and Class; Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings |
| II | Through the Eyes of Travellers; Bhakti-Sufi Traditions; An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara; Peasants, Zamindars and the State |
| III | Colonialism and the Countryside; Rebels and the Raj; Mahatma Gandhi and the National Movement; Framing the Constitution |
Our History weightage guide lists 15 themes and about 20 marks for source-based questions. That does not match PW's account of the 2026-27 design, which has 12 themes and 12 marks for source-based questions. Follow the 12 themes and the table above, and check your NCERT book's contents page.
What I could not verify
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Marks per theme | Not confirmed from a readable source. Each part carries 25 marks across four themes |
| Which source extracts will appear | Not knowable. Extracts follow NCERT, per teachers |
| The official map list | PW says it covers Harappan sites, ancient kingdoms and towns, Buddhist sites, Vijayanagara, Mughal territories, the Revolt of 1857 and the National Movement. Download the official list and tick each item |
What the 2026 Paper Showed
| Observation | Source |
|---|---|
| Easy to moderate overall, balanced, with focus on conceptual clarity over dating events | Times Now |
| 21 MCQs: 18 easy, 3 statement-based and tricky. One was a picture-based question on the Sanchi Stupa | Times Now (Silverline Prestige School teacher) |
| 3-mark questions were moderate but somewhat lengthy | Times Now |
| 8-mark questions were easy except one | Times Now |
| Source-based questions were easy but lengthy. Extracts were familiar in pattern and aligned with NCERT | Times Now |
| Short and long answers came from important chapters. Internal choice in long answers helped | Times Now (Noida teacher) |
| Short and long answers were analytical and thought-based | Times Now (Guwahati teacher) |
| The map question was straightforward and scoring for students who had practised | Times Now |
| Section B was tough per student reactions | Times of India (headline only, I could not open the page) |
Where reports disagree
| Topic | Report A | Report B |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty | Times Now: easy to moderate | Times of India headline: students said one section was tough |
I cannot tell which section the students meant. The safe reading is that the paper was fair, but the 3-mark answers and source-based questions took time.
How Marks Are Awarded
PW's account of the 2026-27 marking scheme says:
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Value points | Guidelines, not a full answer |
| Own words | Allowed. Correct expression earns due marks |
| Competency-based | A correct answer can earn marks even if worded differently from the scheme |
| Full marks | Evaluators should award full marks where deserved |
| Wrong answer | Marked with a cross and zero |
| Question parts | Marked separately. The OSM portal totals them |
The paper also tests competencies: 21 marks for knowledge, 18 for understanding, 24 for applying and analysing, 12 for formulating, evaluating and creating, and 5 for map skills.
Part I: Early India (25 Marks)
| # | Expected question | Type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Describe Harappan town planning: citadel and lower town, street grid, drains, brick sizes | 3 or 8 marks | Educator-listed recurring theme (Times Now) |
| 2 | Explain how archaeologists reconstruct Harappan life from material evidence, given the undeciphered script | 8 marks | Syllabus |
| 3 | Explain the rise of Magadha: geography, resources, ambitious rulers | 3 or 8 marks | Educator-listed recurring theme (Times Now) |
| 4 | A source-based question on an inscription, such as an Ashokan edict, or on a text on caste or kinship | 4 marks | Syllabus. Source-based questions were in the 2026 paper |
| 5 | Picture-based MCQ on a monument or object, such as the Sanchi Stupa | 1 mark | 2026 paper |
| 6 | Map: locate Harappan sites, early kingdoms or Buddhist sites | 5 marks | Map list (PW) |
Answer format
| Question | What to write |
|---|---|
| Harappan planning | Name the two parts of the settlement, the grid of streets, the covered drains and the standard brick sizes. Add one site as an example, such as Mohenjodaro |
| Material evidence | State the method (excavation, study of artefacts), one example of what it tells, and one limit (the script is undeciphered) |
| Magadha | Give reasons in three groups: geography and fertile land, resources such as iron, and capable rulers. Name Rajagriha and Pataliputra as capitals |
| Source-based | Say what the extract is, who wrote or issued it, and what it tells you. Then add one interpretation line |
Part II: Medieval India (25 Marks)
| # | Expected question | Type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Compare the Bhakti and Sufi traditions: ideas, practices, followers and the role of saints such as Kabir | 3 or 8 marks | Educator-listed recurring theme (Times Now) |
| 8 | Compare what the travellers saw: Al-Biruni, Ibn Battuta and Bernier | 8 marks | Syllabus |
| 9 | Describe the layout of Vijayanagara: royal centre, sacred centre, water systems | 3 or 8 marks | Syllabus |
| 10 | Explain the land revenue system and the role of zamindars in the Mughal empire | 3 or 8 marks | Syllabus |
| 11 | A source-based question on a traveller's account, a Bhakti poem or a Mughal chronicle | 4 marks | Source-based questions in 2026 |
| 12 | Map: locate Vijayanagara or Mughal territories | 5 marks | Map list (PW) |
Answer format
| Question | What to write |
|---|---|
| Bhakti and Sufi | Use a two-column table: ideas on God, rituals, language of expression, leaders, and the link to local culture. End with the common message of devotion and equality |
| Travellers | For each traveller, give the dates or home region, the book, and one theme he observed. Do not mix up the three |
| Vijayanagara | Name the royal centre and sacred centre separately. Mention the Virupaksha temple in the sacred centre and the Lotus Mahal in the royal centre |
| Revenue | Describe how revenue was assessed and collected. Name the Ain-i-Akbari by Abu'l Fazl as the key source |
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Part III: Modern India (25 Marks)
| # | Expected question | Type | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Explain the impact of colonial rule on agrarian society: Permanent Settlement, indigo, cotton, the Deccan riots | 3 or 8 marks | Educator-listed recurring theme (Times Now) |
| 14 | Explain the Revolt of 1857: causes, leaders, spread, suppression and meaning | 3 or 8 marks | Syllabus. Map list includes 1857 sites |
| 15 | Trace Gandhi's role from Champaran to Quit India, including the Salt March | 8 marks | Syllabus |
| 16 | Explain how the Constituent Assembly framed the Constitution, including debates and key members | 3 or 8 marks | Syllabus |
| 17 | A source-based question on a letter, speech, official record or newspaper extract | 4 marks | Source-based questions in 2026 |
| 18 | Map: locate centres of the Revolt of 1857 or places linked to the National Movement | 5 marks | Map list (PW) |
Answer format
| Question | What to write |
|---|---|
| Colonial agrarian impact | Describe the system, who gained and who lost, and one example of a community's response |
| Revolt of 1857 | Give causes in groups (political, economic, military, religious), the main leaders and centres, and the outcome. Add one line on how historians read the revolt |
| Gandhi | Present the movements in order with one feature each. Explain why the Salt March mattered |
| Constitution | Cover the Assembly's makeup, the main debates and the date of adoption. Confirm the dates in your textbook |
Cross-Paper Skills
| # | Expected question | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Statement-based MCQs that need careful reading | 2026 paper (3 tricky statement-based MCQs) |
| 20 | Competency questions that ask you to analyse or evaluate a historical claim | PW competency split (12 marks for formulating, evaluating and creating) |
How to Answer a Source-Based Question
A Lancers Army Schools educator quoted by Times Now stressed interpretation over description: one sharp line on what the passage means earns more than three lines on what it says.
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Read the extract and its attribution. Note who, when and why |
| 2 | Read the sub-questions before the extract a second time |
| 3 | Answer each part in the marks allotted, using one phrase from the extract as evidence |
| 4 | Add one line of interpretation: what does this show about the society, ruler or movement |
| 5 | Do not rewrite the extract |
Our source-based marking guide walks through full examples.
How to Write an 8-Mark Answer
The same educator suggests a fixed structure: two lines of introduction, four developed points with keywords underlined, then a one-line conclusion.
| Part | Content |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Two lines that set out the theme and period |
| Body | Four points, each with a keyword and one piece of evidence |
| Conclusion | One line that answers the question asked |
4-Week Practice Plan
| Week | Focus | Questions in this list |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Part I and its map items | 1 to 6. Write one 8-mark answer |
| Week 2 | Part II and its map items | 7 to 12. Make a comparison table for Bhakti and Sufi, and for the travellers |
| Week 3 | Part III and its map items | 13 to 18. Draw a timeline for Gandhi's movements |
| Week 4 | Skills and full papers | 19, 20, then two full timed papers with the map question |
This is a suggestion, not an official schedule. Our Humanities last 100 days plan places History in the wider calendar.
Paper-Day Time Plan
| Step | Suggested time |
|---|---|
| Reading time (15 minutes) | Choose internal choices for the three 8-mark answers |
| 21 MCQs | About 20 minutes |
| Six 3-mark answers | About 35 minutes, since 2026 teachers called them somewhat lengthy |
| Three source-based questions | About 25 minutes |
| Three 8-mark answers | About 60 minutes |
| Map question | About 10 minutes |
| Review | About 15 minutes |
These timings are illustrative. CBSE publishes no per-section time split.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these the exact questions in the 2027 History board exam?
No. Nobody outside CBSE knows the 2027 questions. This list ranks question types by evidence from the paper design, what teachers reported about the 2026 paper, and the themes educators say repeat. Any page or channel that promises the actual paper is a scam.
What is the paper design for CBSE Class 12 History 2027?
The 2026-27 design has 34 compulsory questions for 80 marks: 21 MCQs, six 3-mark answers, three 8-mark answers, three 4-mark source-based questions and one 5-mark map question. Parts I, II and III carry 25 marks each. Project work carries 20 marks.
How many themes are in the Class 12 History syllabus?
Twelve, four in each of the three parts. Our older weightage guide lists 15, which does not match PW's account of the 2026-27 design. Check the contents page of your NCERT books.
Was the 2026 History paper difficult?
Teachers quoted by Times Now rated it easy to moderate. Of 21 MCQs, 18 were easy and 3 were tricky statement-based questions. The 3-mark questions were lengthy, the 8-mark questions were mostly easy and the source-based questions were easy but lengthy.
How do I prepare for the map question?
The map question carries 5 marks and was straightforward in 2026 for students who had practised. PW says the list covers Harappan sites, ancient kingdoms and towns, Buddhist sites, Vijayanagara, Mughal territories, the Revolt of 1857 and the National Movement. Download the official list and practise each item on a blank map.
How do I score full marks in a source-based question?
Interpret, do not retell. State what the extract shows about the period, then support it with one phrase from the text. Teachers quoted by Times Now say a single sharp interpretation line earns more than three lines of paraphrase.
Related Guides
- CBSE Class 12 History Chapter-Wise Marks Weightage 2027
- CBSE Class 12 History Scoring Guide 2027
- CBSE Class 12 History: Solve Source-Based Questions With Step-by-Step Marking
- How to Study History: Remember Dates and Events
- CBSE Class 12 Humanities Last 100 Days Plan 2027
- CBSE Class 12 Political Science Chapter-Wise Weightage 2027
Sources
- PW Live: CBSE Class 12 History marking scheme 2026-27
- Times Now: Class 12 History exam analysis 2026
- Times Now: Class 12 History last-minute tips and important themes
- Times of India: Class 12 History exam analysis 2026
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