Starting Class 10 can feel overwhelming. Five subjects, board exams, everyone talking about "career-deciding year." But here's the truth — students who start with a plan always outperform those who start with panic.
This guide walks you through Class 10 step by step — from the first day of the academic year to the night before your board exam.
This guide is for students who want to build a full-year strategy. If your exams are in a few weeks, check out our Last-Minute Revision Tips instead.
Phase 1: The Foundation (April – June)
This is when most students do nothing — and that's exactly why starting here gives you an edge.
Get your NCERT textbooks on day one
Don't wait for school to distribute them. Download PDFs from the NCERT website or buy them. The NCERT textbook is the single most important resource for CBSE Class 10. Board papers are 90%+ NCERT-based.
You need these 5:
- Mathematics (NCERT)
- Science (NCERT)
- Social Science — History, Geography, Political Science, Economics (4 books)
- English — First Flight + Footprints Without Feet
- Second Language textbook
Read the syllabus and mark weightage
Before you study anything, know what carries the most marks. CBSE publishes chapter-wise weightage every year.
| Subject | Highest-Weight Topics | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Maths | Algebra + Geometry | ~30 |
| Science | Chemical Reactions + Life Processes | ~23 |
| SST | India & Contemporary World + Economics | ~40 |
| English | Writing Section + Literature | ~30 |
Don't spend equal time on everything. Spend more time where the marks are.
Set up your study space
This sounds basic, but it matters. You need:
- A dedicated spot where you only study (not your bed)
- Good lighting
- Your phone in another room (not on silent — in another room)
- A notebook for each subject
- A wall calendar or planner you can see daily
Students who start reading NCERT chapters casually in April — even 30 minutes a day — are 2 chapters ahead by July. That gap compounds. By December, they're revising while others are still learning new topics.
Phase 2: Build the Habit (July – September)
School is in full swing now. Your goal: keep pace with school + build a revision habit.
Follow the 'Same Day' rule
Whatever your teacher covers in class, revise it the same evening. Just 20-30 minutes. Read the chapter, highlight key points, and solve 5 NCERT questions.
Why? Because memory decays fast. Studies show you forget 70% of new information within 24 hours if you don't revisit it. Same-day revision cuts that to under 20%.
Start a formula and facts notebook
Buy a small pocket notebook. Every time you learn something worth memorising, write it down:
- Maths: Formulas (quadratic formula, AP formulas, mensuration)
- Science: Chemical equations, laws, diagram labels
- SST: Dates, events, definitions
- English: Grammar rules, formats (letter, article, notice)
Carry this everywhere. Flip through it during bus rides, lunch breaks, waiting time.
Take your first mock test in September
Most students wait until January to attempt a sample paper. That's too late. Take one in September — even if you haven't finished the syllabus.
Why? Because it shows you:
- How the paper is structured
- How much time you actually need per question
- Which topics you're weakest in (so you can focus on them October–December)
Don't stress about the score. The purpose is awareness, not performance.
Phase 3: Deep Work (October – December)
This is where toppers separate from average students. The syllabus is mostly covered in school. Now you go deeper.
Finish all NCERT exercises — every single one
Not "most." All. Including the ones your teacher skipped. Including the "optional" exercises in Maths. Including the in-text questions in Science.
CBSE board papers pull directly from NCERT exercises. Students who solve every exercise have already seen 60-70% of the paper before they sit for it.
Start solving previous year papers (PYPs)
Get the last 10 years of CBSE board papers. Start with the most recent one.
How to use PYPs effectively:
- Solve under timed conditions (3 hours, no breaks)
- Check your answers against the marking scheme (not just answer keys — the actual marking scheme that shows step-wise marks)
- List every question you got wrong or couldn't attempt
- Revise those topics the next day
- Re-attempt the same paper after a week
Fix your weak chapters NOW
By December, you should know exactly which chapters scare you. For most students, it's some combination of:
- Maths: Trigonometry, Constructions, or Probability
- Science: Magnetic Effects of Current, Carbon Compounds, or Heredity
- SST: Novels/Society/History chapters, or Economics terminology
- English: Unseen passages or Writing section formats
Spend extra time on these. Don't avoid them. The board exam doesn't care about your preferences.
December is when students either accelerate or collapse. Holiday season + festivals + "I'll start in January" thinking kills momentum. Keep studying through December. Even 2 hours a day during holidays keeps the engine running.
Phase 4: Exam Mode (January – February)
The finish line is visible. Now it's all about revision, speed, and confidence.
Revision, not new learning
If you've followed the plan, you've covered everything by now. January is for strengthening what you know, not learning new things.
The 3-cycle revision method:
- Cycle 1 (Week 1-2): Read all NCERT chapters quickly. Highlight what you've forgotten
- Cycle 2 (Week 3): Focus only on highlighted/weak areas. Solve related questions
- Cycle 3 (Last week): Flip through your formula notebook + review all marked sections
One full mock test per week
Simulate exam conditions every Sunday:
- Sit at a desk (not your bed)
- Set a 3-hour timer
- No phone, no breaks
- Use the actual CBSE sample paper
After each test, calculate your score honestly. Track improvement week by week.
Master your exam-day routine
The night before the exam:
- Do NOT study new topics
- Review your formula notebook for 30 minutes
- Pack your bag: admit card, pens (2 blue, 1 black), pencil, eraser, ruler, compass, calculator (if allowed)
- Set 2 alarms
- Sleep by 10 PM
The morning of the exam:
- Eat a proper breakfast (not heavy, not empty stomach)
- Reach the centre 30 minutes early
- Don't discuss "what did you study" with other students — it only creates panic
The Exam Itself — 7 Rules
- Read the entire paper first (15-minute reading time). Mark which questions you'll attempt first
- Start with your strongest section — build confidence and save time
- Attempt all questions — never leave a question blank. Partial marks exist
- Write in points wherever possible — examiners prefer structured answers
- Draw diagrams for Science — labelled diagrams carry guaranteed marks
- Watch the clock — spend 1.5 minutes per mark (a 3-mark question gets ~4.5 minutes)
- Save 15 minutes at the end for review — check for unanswered questions and silly errors
Your Month-by-Month Checklist
| Month | What to Do | Time/Day |
|---|---|---|
| April–May | Read NCERT casually, set up study space | 30 min |
| June–July | Follow school + same-day revision | 1-2 hrs |
| Aug–Sep | NCERT exercises + first mock test | 2-3 hrs |
| Oct–Nov | Finish all NCERT + start PYPs | 3-4 hrs |
| December | Fix weak chapters, don't stop studying | 3-4 hrs |
| January | Revision cycles + weekly mock tests | 4-5 hrs |
| February | Final revision + exam-day prep | 4-5 hrs |
The difference between a 70% student and a 95% student is rarely intelligence. It's consistency. Studying 2 hours every day for a year beats studying 10 hours a day for a month. Start today, stay steady, and you'll be surprised how easy the exam feels by February.
Start Practising Now
JoyOfExams gives you chapter-wise practice questions, mock tests, and AI-powered doubt solving — everything you need to follow this plan. Start your free trial and see the difference structured practice makes.