CBSE Class 12 Biotechnology Exam 2026 Concludes; Students Report Moderate Difficulty

The CBSE Class 12 Biotechnology Board Examination was successfully conducted on February 17, 2026, marking the official beginning of annual board examinations for CBSE Class 12. The exam was held in the morning shift from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM and concluded at 1:30 PM.

The CBSE Class 12 Biotechnology paper (Code 045) was described by many students as balanced. While the direct questions from the NCERT book provided relief, the case-based questions consumed a lot of time due to analytical thinking. The overall difficulty level of the Class 12 Biotechnology exam was moderate, with students finding some questions tricky. The initial reaction was mixed, with many students happy while some found certain sections tricky and lengthy.

The exam was conducted for 70 marks, with the remaining 30 marks to be allotted based on practical exam performance. The duration was 3 hours, and the exam mode was offline (pen and paper). The question types included MCQs, Assertion-Reason, Short and Long Answer, and Case-Based questions. Internal choices were provided in selected questions, with approximately 33% internal choice available across various sections.

The paper was divided into five sections, ensuring a balanced assessment of conceptual understanding and analytical skills. Section A contained 12 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) worth 1 mark each and 4 Assertion-Reason questions worth 1 mark each. Most sets contained 2 to 3 Assertion-Reasoning questions, primarily found in the objective section. Section B included 5 Short Answer questions worth 2 marks each. Section C had 7 Short Answer questions worth 3 marks each. Section D featured 2 case-based questions carrying 4 marks each. Section E consisted of 3 Long Answer questions worth 5 marks each.

The passing marks for the Biotechnology paper are 23 marks in the theory paper out of 70, 10 marks in the practical/project out of 30, and 33 marks total out of 100. If any mistakes are found in the question paper later, the authorities will allot marks to the students for that question.

Students appearing for the exam were not allowed to leave the premises until the final bell rang at 1:30 PM, ensuring the integrity of the session. No student was allowed to exit early even after submitting their answer sheet.

The CBSE Class 12 Biotechnology Question Paper 2026 was designed strictly as per the latest CBSE board guidelines. The paper assessed students on both conceptual understanding and application-based learning, ensuring a balanced evaluation. Students will soon be able to access the question paper PDF in all sets from official sources. A detailed answer key will also be provided, curated by experienced Biotechnology subject experts and strictly following the official CBSE marking scheme.