The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducted the Class 12 English exams on March 11. The paper. according to students and teachers, was balanced and student-friendly. Most students could complete the paper within the allotted time. According to Sangeeta Rai, HOD English, Global Indian International School, Ahmedabad, the CBSE Class 12 English board exam for 2025 was well-balanced, with a moderate difficulty level. "The paper was designed to assess students’ comprehension, writing skills, and literary analysis while allowing them to manage time efficiently," she added. The HOD English further added that the reading comprehension passages were straightforward, with direct and inferential questions. The questions tested their ability to grasp key ideas, analyze information, and interpret meanings effectively. The writing skills section met students’ expectations, as all writing tasks aligned with the syllabus and previous practice. The formats for letters, reports, and analytical writing were familiar, making it easier for students to attempt them with confidence. In the Literature section, extract-based questions from prose were easier to interpret than those from poetry. The Q&A section featured well-framed questions that encouraged critical thinking. While most questions were direct, some long-answer questions—especially those requiring comparisons between two lessons—challenged students to think deeply before writing. Gargi Parashar, PGT English at Silverline Prestige School, Ghaziabad also analysed the exam aas fair. She said that the paper closely aligned with practice work, and provided a smooth experience for most students. "The CBSE Class 12 English exam on March 11, 2025, was well-balanced and easy, with all three sets featuring familiar questions," she added. Aadi Solanki, a student who appeared for the Class 12 English exam from Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Ghaziabad said: "Set 1 - The paper was well balanced, leaning on the easier side. The 2 marker and 5 marker literature questions were minimally analytical, leaning more on memory based questions. The RTC questions were the main hurdle, they were rather more analytical. Creative writing questions were given in a more to-the-point language, thus did not require much analysis. Comprehension section was by far the easiest section with to-the-point answers, the only limitation was reading and writing speed. Overall the paper was not very lengthy, but required considerably fast speed in order to have ample revision time, also there were only two-three ambiguous questions, mainly the likes of assertion reason and inference-based questions." While another student, Manya Singh from the same school found the Class 12 English board exam quite manageable, with most questions being straightforward and familiar. "The reading section was quite easy to understand. The writing section was also not too difficult. Some literature questions required deep understanding, but they were mostly from expected topics. Overall, the paper was fair, and time management was not a big issue," the student added. Priyanka Yadav, PGT English, KIIT World School, Gurgaon, while analysing the paper said: "All three sections in the paper were presented with an average level of difficulty, offering a well-rounded mix of textual and competency-based questions." Gitika Haloi, PGT-English, Modern English School, Guwahati, Assam reviewed the paper as well-balanced. "The reading passages were thoughtfully selected, requiring students to focus on understanding, clarifying, and identifying key terms in the questions. The advanced writing section tested comprehension and critical thinking, but provided enough clues to help students develop well-structured answers. In the Literature section, the questions were of a good standard, designed to assess thorough reading and understanding. The long questions were competency-based, encouraging students to analyze the questions carefully and focus on key details in their answers. It required students to have a broader understanding of the topics and subtopics. Overall, the exam offered a balanced mix of analytical and application-based questions, making it well-structured and student-friendly," Haloi added. 'Moderately easy' According to Parul Tyagi, HOD English, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, Vasundhara, the paper was moderately easy, with a balanced mix of challenging and straightforward questions. Section A's comprehension passages were well-crafted, clear, easy to attempt, allowing students to effectively evaluate their reading skills. The writing section featured general topics, but required critical thinking, especially in the Letter to the Editor and Article Writing questions. Section C, the literature section, was moderately designed, with questions that were manageable for students who had prepared adequately. "While some students found the paper lengthy, the majority were able to complete it within the allotted time. Overall, the paper pattern was similar to CBSE Sample paper that assessed students' language skills, critical thinking and literary knowledge. Lastly, the students’ feedback was extremely positive," Tyagi added. 'Moderately challenging' Anthony Fernandes, founder of Shaalaa.com said that the Class 12 English exam 2025 was moderately challenging, with a well-structured and balanced paper that comprehensively covered the syllabus. It effectively tested students on comprehension, grammar, and writing skills without introducing unexpected elements. "The reading section featured accessible passages, though some questions required deeper interpretation. The literature segment encouraged critical thinking, pushing students to analyze themes and character developments rather than rely on rote learning. Writing tasks blended creativity with structure, demanding clarity and coherence," he added. While the difficulty level was comparable to previous years, there was a stronger emphasis on analytical and inferential skills. Some students found certain sections demanding, but those with a solid grasp of concepts and regular practice should perform well. Overall, the exam was fair, well-designed, and a true test of language proficiency, the founder said. 'Assessed students' understanding of the subject' According to Richa Sharma, PGT English, Vidyagyan School, Bulandshahr, the question paper effectively assessed students' understanding of the subject without being overly difficult. The students were able to complete the paper within time. "The paper ensured fairness, catering to all abilities. The paper encouraged critical thinking while remaining approachable, making it a well-rounded, competency-based assessment," Sharma added. According to Parv, a student from the same school, most questions were straightforward, yet with a little twist. "We were able to complete it within time," Parv added. According to Nishtha, another student from Vidyagyan School, Bulandshahr, the paper was doable, and the reading passages had inferential questions. "The writing part was easy. Literature was direct," the student added. 'Knowledge-based questions' Vijayalakshmi Dutta (PGT ENGLISH), Jain International Residential School (JIRS), Bengaluru while analysing the paper said: "All three sets of the Core English question paper we're balanced and have taken into consideration all the chapters of the two books. The analytical and comprehending skills of the students have been carefully assessed and examined. The questions both in literature and language have gauged the conceptual learning of the lessons as well as writing skills. The questions were knowledge based and interconnectivity between lessons were clearly harped upon. Overall the paper was a well balanced and student friendly paper." Meenakshi Sharma and Mitu Majumdar, Educators at Shiv Nadar School, Faridabad said that the question paper was a pretty straightforward paper and all the three sets were equally balanced. "The answers of the reading comprehension could be found on reading the passages thoroughly. The writing skills questions were mostly straightforward and based on topics that would interest teenagers. The given cues helped them formulate comprehensive answers. The extracts from literature were mostly inference based. A few short questions were tricky and required deeper understanding of the text. The crossover long answer questions were a judicious mix of language appreciation and competency. All three sets were moderate, balanced and gave ample scope to the students to write expansively and in depth. Overall, the paper went well and almost all the questions had been discussed in the classroom," they added.
