CBSE Class 12 English Core Set 3 - (1/4/3) Question Paper 2026 is available for download here. CBSE conducted the Class 12 English Core exam on March 12, 2026, from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM. The English Core theory paper is of 80 marks, and the internal assessment is of 20 marks.
Also Check: CBSE Class 12 Question Paper 2026 (All Subjects)
The paper has 13 questions, all compulsory, in three sections:
- Section A: Reading Skills (22 marks)
- Section B: Creative Writing Skills (18 marks)
- Section C: Literature (40 marks)
CBSE Class 12 English Core Set 3 - (1/4/3) Question Paper 2026 with Solution PDF
| CBSE Official PDF | CD PDF | CD PDF with Solutions |
|---|---|---|
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CBSE Class 12 English Core 2026 Set 3 (1/4/3) Questions with Solutions
Question 1 (Passage / Extract):
Read the following passage carefully :
(1) Looking at his pile of unpaid bills always makes Ramesh feel uneasy.
More often than not, Ramesh leaves his paperwork undone and sweeps
the floor or watches TV instead, waiting until the last moment to write
the monthly cheques. Sometimes he incurs late fees because of his
habit of putting things off, but in many ways the emotional toll is
worse. ‘‘The longer the bills go unpaid,’’ says Ramesh, 58, ‘‘the more my
anxiety soars.’’
(2) Everyone procrastinates. ‘‘It’s part of the human condition,’’ says
Suresh Kumar, a psychology professor at Universal University. ‘‘One of
the ways we cope is avoidance, and that’s what procrastination comes
down to. We want to feel good at that moment. The way to do that is
avoid the task.’’
(3) You can procrastinate on nearly anything, even enjoyable tasks such as
planning a vacation. ‘‘Some people procrastinate cleaning. Some people
procrastinate by cleaning,’’ says Dr. B.V. Rao, a management professor.
Research has shown that the top tasks people delay are cleaning,
advancing their careers, taking care of their health, and planning their
finances.
Read More
(4) One big factor for them is fear of failure, of not living up to expectations. Arti Singh, a 57-year-old functional health coach, procrastinated about looking for a new job for years. That inability to take action only confirmed her belief that she would never do any better. Some people embrace procrastination, believing that they thrive under pressure. But researchers have debunked that notion. ‘‘I did an experiment several years ago, putting procrastinators under restriction of time,’’ says John Brown, a psychology professor. ‘‘They did worse than non-procrastinators, but they thought they did better. They made more errors. They took longer.’’(5) ‘‘Procrastinators experience higher levels of stress, both from leaving things to the last minute and from their own negative and self-critical feelings about their procrastination,’’ says Farah Ahmed, a psychology lecturer. ‘‘Some of the research has shown that this stress increases their vulnerability for catching colds and experiencing digestion issues, insomnia, migraines, and muscle tension.’’
(6) Bedtime procrastination can lead to sleep deprivation, which in turn can bring about obesity, heart disease and many other health issues. There’s one bit of good news: People tend to procrastinate less as they age.
(7) For those of us in need of motivation, the best advice might be to think small. Next, try sending yourself signals to prompt action. For instance, you might put your lights on a timed dimmer switch to encourage a consistent bedtime. Finally, reward yourself for each step you take towards your goal. After you’ve gone to the gym, take a relaxing bath. After you’ve paid the bills, watch your favourite TV show.
Answer the following questions, based on the above passage :
How, according to paragraph 1, is Ramesh penalised for his habit of procrastinating ?
Explain with two suitable reasons, man’s tendency to procrastinate.
In paragraph 3, what does ‘‘Some people procrastinate cleaning. Some people procrastinate by cleaning.’’ convey ?
How does John Brown, the professor of psychology, prove the claim of procrastinators wrong ? (Paragraph 4)
Complete the analogy with one word from paragraph 4 :
incompetency : inability : : discredit : ________
What lesson do you learn from Arti Singh’s experience ? (Paragraph 4)
Give textual evidence to bring out the adverse impact of bedtime procrastination. (Paragraph 6)
‘There’s one bit of good news.’ (Paragraph 6)
‘good news’ here, refers to :
What inference do you get from the expression ‘to think small’ in paragraph 7 ?
How can rewarding oneself help procrastinators ? (Paragraph 7)
Question 2 (Passage / Extract):
Read the following passage carefully :
(1) Introduction : Biodiversity refers to the wide variety of living
organisms — plants, animals, and microorganisms — that exist on
Earth. India is one of the 17 megadiverse countries in the world, with
ecosystems ranging from the Himalayas to the coastal regions.
Biodiversity ensures food, medicine, oxygen, soil fertility, and balance
in the environment. However, it is under serious threat due to
deforestation, overpopulation, industrial pollution, and climate
change.
(2) Methodology : This case study is based on data collected from
government reports, field surveys, and interviews with farmers,
students, and forest workers. Researchers focused on biodiversity in
forests, rivers, and agricultural land to understand its importance
and the challenges of conservation.
(3) Survey Examination : A survey was carried out in three states —
Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam. Local people were asked how
biodiversity affected their lives. Farmers reported that many crops
were failing due to climate change. Students recognized that forests
are essential for clean air and water. Forest workers shared that
several species like elephants and tigers are decreasing in number.
The survey revealed both awareness and concern among people about
the urgent need for conservation.
Read More
(4) Results : The findings showed that :• forest cover has declined in several regions.
• endangered species are at risk of extinction.
• communities are directly affected by reduced rainfall, poor soil quality, and crop loss.
• people believe that conservation programmes and stricter laws are urgently required.
(5) Implications for Interventions : To protect biodiversity, the government should increase afforestation programmes and create strict rules against illegal hunting and logging. Schools should promote biodiversity education to raise awareness among children. Farmers should be encouraged to use organic farming, water conservation, and mixed cropping. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and local communities must work together to restore forests, rivers, and wetlands.
(6) Conclusion : Biodiversity is the foundation of human survival. It gives us food, medicine, water, and clean air. If biodiversity is destroyed, humans will also suffer. This case study highlights the urgent need for conservation efforts in India. Only by working together — governments, communities, and individuals — can we protect biodiversity and ensure a healthy future for generations to come.
Answer the following questions, based on the given passage.
Complete the following suitably :
India is one of the _________ countries in the world. (Paragraph 1)
Which would the following be classified as ?
Researchers focused on biodiversity in forests, rivers, and agricultural land to understand its importance and the challenges of conservation.
(Paragraph 2)
Give two points to support how biodiversity affects forest workers and farmers. (Paragraph 3)
Based on the case study, analyse areas that have revealed urgent need for awareness and conservation. (Paragraph 3)
Paragraph 5 uses words like ‘afforestation’ and ‘awareness’. Classify the following sentences as ‘afforestation’ and ‘awareness’.
Statement 1 : Local communities must work together to restore forests, rivers, and wetlands.
Statement 2 : Schools must promote biodiversity education.
Identify the stakeholders who should come together to create a healthy future for generations to come. (Paragraph 6)
In what way is biodiversity the foundation of human survival ? (Paragraph 6)
Mention two eco-friendly farming methods in India from the passage.
Attempt in about 50 words. Rising Star School is planning to conduct a week-long pottery workshop after school hours for students of classes VI – VIII. You are Rohini/Rohit, President of the Ceramic Club. Draft a notice for the students informing them of the event and last date of registration. Include other necessary details. Put your notice in a box.
Attempt in about 50 words. Your school, PRS School, is planning to organize a 5-day student exchange programme with Amrapali School in Highbad. You are Baveen/Baljit, school counsellor. Draft a notice informing students of class XI about the exchange programme and asking interested students to submit their names. Include other necessary details. Put your notice in a box.
Attempt in about 50 words. Your school is planning to hold a Felicitation Ceremony for academic achievers in the CBSE board examination. On behalf of the Principal of S.M. Public School, Virshahar, draft a formal invitation card to be sent to parents of the awardees. Include other necessary details. You are Maahira/Mohit.
Attempt in about 50 words. You are Siya/Saurabh Grover, a renowned environmentalist. You are invited by Saraswati Public School, Orangetown, to be the chief guest for the Earth Day Celebrations to be held in their school. Write a letter of reply expressing your inability to accept the invitation. Also include a valid reason for refusal.
Attempt in 120 – 150 words. You are Rakesh/Reema Sharma of Lake View Road, Greentown. You strongly believe that youth of today are smarter, more intelligent and responsible. Write a letter to the editor of a national daily expressing the importance of schools in creating and providing a supportive learning environment. You may use the following cues along with your own ideas to compose the letter.
- Importance of positive learning
- Boosts student engagement and confidence
- Supports academic performance
- Creates a safe place for trust and belonging
- Encourages student-teacher relationship
- Promotes inclusive environment
- Provides positive reinforcement
Attempt in 120 – 150 words. You are Rohit/Ritu Chopra of H.S.R. Layout, Bloomtown. You have recently come across the following advertisement and wish to apply for the post. Write a job application along with your bio-data.
| BIG FM Communication Nahargarh Avenue, Jaitown Requires Radio Jockey Qualification: Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication / Diploma in Radio Journalism Experience: Minimum 2 years in relevant field Skills Required: Strong communication skills, voice modulation skills, creativity and spontaneity, music knowledge, good command over language Apply with bio-data to the Manager, BIG FM Communication |
You are Varsha/Veer of Class XII. You have observed that
healthcare systems in rural areas face a lot of challenges such as
infrastructure and limited resources. Write an article expressing
your concern and suggesting ways to improve the situation. You may
use the following cues along with your own ideas to compose the
article.
Challenges :
• Workforce shortage
• Financial constraints
• Lack of awareness
Solutions :
• Improve public funding
• Volunteer professionals
• Community-based health education
You are Surina/Somesh. Your school recently conducted an
Inter-House Folk Dance Competition. Write a comprehensive report
of the event including details like date, venue, number of
participants, felicitation, etc. and the overall impact of the event on
the school community. You may organize your report by using the
following cues.
Who – What – When – Where – Why – How
Question 7(a) (Passage / Extract):
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from heaven’s brink.
(A Thing of Beauty)
“All lovely tales that we have heard or read.”
What is the idea conveyed by Keats in the above expression ?
Select the correct option from those given in the brackets.
The ‘mighty dead’ refers to _________ (cowardly/heroic) death.
Read the assertion and the reason below, with reference to the given extract.
Assertion : Keats compares tales of the mighty dead to the endless fountain of immortal drink.
Reason : The tales have the power to build our stamina and fight with our adversaries.
Choose the correct option :
Complete the following suitably :
In the poem, Keats uses the word ‘brink’ in the above extract to suggest __________.
What is common between ‘grandeur of the dooms’ and ‘lovely tales’ ?
How can the message in the extract be applied to mitigate stress in today’s times ?
Question 7(b) (Passage / Extract):
The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band
Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand.
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie
Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by.
The tigers in the panel that she made
Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid.
(Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers)
‘Wedding band’ in the above extract symbolises :
Complete the following suitably :
‘Ordeals’ in the above extract refers to __________.
How is the situation of the tigers in the panel different from that of Aunt Jennifer’s ?
Read the assertion and the reason below, with reference to the given extract :
Assertion : Aunt Jennifer embroidered tigers in the panel.
Reason : Aunt Jennifer expressed her desire to be free and fearless through her art.
Choose the correct option :
Select the phrase that suggests that art does not perish.
In the given extract, Aunt Jennifer is a victim of a _________ (patriarchal/matriarchal) society.
Question 8(a) (Passage / Extract):
Read the following extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two, (a) or (b) :
(a) Some fifty rings arrived. The Maharaja sent the whole lot to the
British officer’s good lady. The king and the minister expected the
duraisani to choose one or two rings and send the rest back. Within
no time at all the duraisani sent her reply: ‘Thank you very much for
your gifts.’
Read More
In two days a bill for three lakh of rupees came from the British jewellers. The Maharaja was happy that though he had lost three lakh of rupees, he had managed to retain his kingdom.(The Tiger King)
Why did the king order a set of fifty rings ?
Identify one trait of the Maharaja revealed in the above extract.
In the extract, how does the author bring out the paradox ‘gain through loss’ ?
Complete the following suitably :
The king’s expectations were not met when the duraisani ________.
(b) At the stamp and coin store I go to, I found out that Sam bought
eight hundred dollars’ worth of old-style currency. That ought to
set him up in a nice little hay, feed and grain business; he always
said that’s what he really wished he could do, and he certainly can’t
go back to his old business. Not in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1894. His
old business? Why, Sam was my psychiatrist.
(The Third Level)
8.(b)(i).
Complete the following suitably :
Sam bought old-style currency because __________.
Select the suitable option to complete the following :
Sam in his ‘‘old business” was a :
What inference do we get about the life in Galesburg in 1894 ?
How might the understanding of life in 1894 help us in living a better life in these stressful times ?
Question 9(a) (Passage / Extract):
Read the following extracts and answer the questions for any one of the given two, (a) or (b) :
Read More
(a) ‘‘I am thinking of this stranger here,’’ said the young girl. ‘‘He walks and walks the whole year long, and there is probably not a single place in the whole country where he is welcome and can feel at home. Wherever he turns he is chased away. Always he is afraid of being arrested and cross-examined. I should like to have him enjoy a day of peace with us here — just one in the whole year.’’ The ironmaster mumbled something in his beard. He could not bring himself to oppose her.(The Rattrap)
Select the correct option from those given in the brackets to fill in the blank.
The attitude of the girl towards the stranger is __________. (compassionate/contemptuous)
Select the textual option that is closest to indicating a sense of homelessness.
What does the following line from the extract highlight about the stranger’s life ?
‘‘I should like to have him enjoy a day of peace with us here.’’
The expression ‘cross-examined’ in the above extract suggests that the stranger :
Complete the following suitably :
The young girl keeps thinking about the stranger because she is moved by ____________.
Why was the ironmaster not able to oppose her ?
Question 9(b) (Passage / Extract):
She wished she could be admitted more deeply into her brother’s affections and that someday he might take her with him. Though their father forbade it and Geoff had never expressed an opinion, she knew he thought her too young. And she was impatient. She was conscious of a vast world out there waiting for her and she knew instinctively that she would feel as at home there as in the city which had always been her home. It expectantly awaited her arrival. She saw herself riding there behind Geoff.
Read More
(Going Places)‘...their father forbade it.’ What does ‘it’ refer to ?
What was she impatient about ?
Complete the following with a suitable reason :
She longs to earn her brother’s trust as _________.
Pick up one sentence from the extract to show that she sensed a big world beyond her current life that was beckoning her.
Complete the following with a suitable reason :
Geoff did not take her too seriously because ___________.
What inference do we get about her father’s character from the above extract ?
Answer in 40 – 50 words. What does the ‘rattrap’ symbolise in the peddler’s letter ? (The Rattrap)
Answer in 40 – 50 words. The Champaran incident marked the beginning of their liberation from fear of the British. What does this statement reveal about the change in the attitude of the peasants ? (Indigo)
Answer in 40 – 50 words. What advantage did the office boy think Subbu had ? (Poets and Pancakes)
Answer in 40 – 50 words. The interviewer holds a position of unprecedented power and influence. Explain. (The Interview)
Answer in 40 – 50 words. The late winter’s moon symbolises the natural aging process. Explain in the context of the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’.
Answer in 40 – 50 words. How does the poet describe ‘the exotic moment’ ? (Keeping Quiet)
How has man’s dominance over nature led to environmental degradation as described in ‘Journey to the end of the Earth’ ?
Zitkala-Sa felt like sinking to the floor when she saw the way the Indian girls were dressed. Explain. (Memories of Childhood)
‘It’s got nothing to do with my face and what I look like.’ How do the above words of Derry reflect his changed perspective towards life ? (On The Face Of It)
Analyse the theme of poverty and exploitation as reflected in ‘Lost Spring’ and ‘A Roadside Stand’.
Lack of realisation and the casual attitude of the people of Alsace led to the loss of their mother tongue. In contrast, Douglas’s understanding of his fear of water and its impact urged him to overcome his handicap and emerge as a successful person. Analyse ‘The Last Lesson’ and ‘Deep Water’ in the light of the above comparison.
Education enables one to rise above narrow prejudices. Analyse the character of Dr. Sadao in the light of the above statement. (The Enemy)
Mr. Lamb’s influence on Derry, saved Derry from his life of frustration and alienation. Substantiate the above statement, citing evidences from the text ‘On The Face Of It’.
CBSE Class 12 English Question Paper Pattern and Marking Scheme
The CBSE Class 12 English Core theory paper is of 80 marks (time allowed: 3 hours, plus 15 minutes of reading time) and the internal assessment is of 20 marks. The paper has 13 questions, all compulsory, in three sections. Choice is given in Questions 3 to 13.
CBSE Class 12 English Core Question Paper Pattern 2026
| Section | Q. No. | Type of Questions | Choice | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section A: Reading Skills | 1 | Unseen passage with 10 questions (MCQs, short answers and inference) | All compulsory | 12 |
| 2 | Unseen case-based passage with 8 questions | All compulsory | 10 | |
| Section B: Creative Writing Skills | 3 | Notice or invitation / reply (about 50 words) | Any one of two | 4 |
| 4 | Notice or invitation / reply (about 50 words) | Any one of two | 4 | |
| 5 | Letter or job application with bio-data (120 - 150 words) | Any one of two | 5 | |
| 6 | Article or report (120 - 150 words) | Any one of two | 5 | |
| Section C: Literature | 7 | Extract-based questions, 6 parts of 1 mark (Flamingo / Vistas) | Any one of two extracts | 6 |
| 8 | Extract-based questions, 4 parts of 1 mark | Any one of two extracts | 4 | |
| 9 | Extract-based questions, 6 parts of 1 mark | Any one of two extracts | 6 | |
| 10 | Short-answer questions, 2 marks each (40 - 50 words) | Any five of six | 10 | |
| 11 | Short-answer questions, 2 marks each (40 - 50 words) | Any two of three | 4 | |
| 12 | Long-answer question (120 - 150 words) | Any one of two | 5 | |
| 13 | Long-answer question (120 - 150 words) | Any one of two | 5 | |
| TOTAL (Section A 22 + Section B 18 + Section C 40) | 80 | |||
CBSE Class 12 English Core Marking Scheme 2026
| Type of Question | Marks | How the Marks Are Distributed |
|---|---|---|
| Reading comprehension (Q1 - Q2) | 1 or 2 per part | Marks for understanding; no mark is deducted for mistakes in grammar, spelling or word limit if the core idea is identified |
| Notice / invitation (Q3 - Q4) | 4 | Format 1 + Content 2 + Expression 1 |
| Letter / job application (Q5) | 5 | Format 1 + Content 2 + Expression 2 |
| Article / report (Q6) | 5 | Format 1 + Content 2 + Expression 2 |
| Extract-based questions (Q7 - Q9) | 1 per part | One mark for each correct answer |
| Short answers (Q10 - Q11) | 2 | Content 1 + Expression 1 |
| Long answers (Q12 - Q13) | 5 | Content 3 + Expression 2 |
CBSE Class 12 English Core Section-Wise Weightage
| Section | Marks | Expected Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| Section A: Reading Skills | 22 | 27.5% |
| Section B: Creative Writing Skills | 18 | 22.5% |
| Section C: Literature | 40 | 50% |
| TOTAL | 80 | 100% |
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