How to Solve CBSE Class 10 Competency-Based Questions
To solve a competency-based question (CBQ), read the situation, pick out the useful facts, decide which concept fits, work in small steps, and check that your answer matches what the question asked. These questions test whether you can use what you learned, not whether you can repeat it. CBSE has kept about half of the marks in Class 10 theory papers for such questions, so a clear method can lift your score in every subject.
What Are Competency-Based Questions in CBSE Class 10?
A competency-based question gives you a real-life situation and asks you to use a concept to solve a problem or explain something. It does not ask you to write a definition from memory. CBSE has set around 50% of the marks in Class 10 theory papers for these questions, along with other types that require understanding.
They show up in several forms:
Case-based questions: a short story or data, followed by 3–4 small questions.
Source-based or extract-based questions: a passage, map, picture, table or quote, followed by questions on it.
Assertion–reason questions: two statements that you must judge.
Application-based MCQs: one-mark questions set in a daily-life situation.
Here is how a normal question differs from a competency-based one:
Normal question | Competency-based question | |
What it tests | Memory of a formula or fact | Using the idea in a situation |
Example | Find the area of a circle of radius 7 cm. | A circular park has a radius of 7 m. Grass costs ₹20 per m². What will it cost to cover the park with grass? |
What you must do | Put numbers in a formula | Decide which formula is needed, find the area, then find the cost |
Where the answer comes from | Your memory | The situation plus your concept |
In the park example, the area is 22/7 × 7 × 7 = 154 m². The cost is 154 × 20 = ₹3,080. The maths is easy. The skill lies in seeing that you need the area first, and the cost second.
Step-by-Step Method to Solve Any Competency-Based Question
Use the same six steps every time. A fixed routine stops you from panicking when a question looks long or unfamiliar. It also stops you from skipping the reading, which is where most marks are lost.
Read the questions first. Look at what you must find before you read the case. You will then know what to look for.
Read the case and underline the facts. Mark numbers, names, conditions and keywords. Cross out details that do not help.
Link the facts to a chapter and a concept. Ask yourself: "Which chapter is this from? Which formula, law or idea fits?"
Work in small steps. Write each step on its own line. Step marks are given for the method, not only the final answer.
Answer in the form asked. If the question says "justify", give a reason. If it says "find", give a number with a unit.
Do a quick check. Spend ten seconds asking whether the answer makes sense.
Worked example (Maths). Ravi's garden is a rectangle. Its length is 4 m more than its width. He fenced it at ₹50 per metre and paid ₹4,000 in all. Find the length and width.
Facts: length = width + 4. Cost per metre = ₹50. Total cost = ₹4,000.
Concept: the fence goes around the garden, so its length is the perimeter.
Working: fence length = 4,000 ÷ 50 = 80 m. So 2(l + w) = 80, which gives l + w = 40. Put l = w + 4: 2w + 4 = 40, so w = 18 and l = 22.
Check: perimeter = 2(22 + 18) = 80 m, and 80 × 50 = ₹4,000. The answer fits.
Notice that the question never said, "find the perimeter". Step 3 is where you work that out.
How to Solve Each Question Type
Each type needs a slightly different approach. The six-step method stays the same, but where you look and how you check changes from one type to the next.
Case-based and source-based questions
Your answer is almost always hiding in the passage or data, so treat the text as your main source. Read the sub-questions first, then go back to the passage and find the lines that match each one.
Mark the lines that answer each question, so you can find them again.
Ignore extra details that do not help. Case studies often include them on purpose.
Use the words of the passage in your answer, then add the concept from your textbook.
In Social Science, for example, a source may describe people carrying salt from the sea during the Dandi March. Do not just copy the lines. Say what they show, such as peaceful protest against the salt law, and connect that to the idea of civil disobedience.
Assertion–reason questions
In these questions, you get an Assertion (A) and a Reason (R). First check each statement alone. Then check whether R explains A.
Is A true or false?
Is R true or false?
If both are true, does R explain why A is true?
Then pick your option:
A | R | Does R explain A? | Choose |
True | True | Yes | Both true, and R is the correct explanation |
True | True | No | Both true, but R is not the correct explanation |
True | False | – | A is true, R is false |
False | True | – | A is false, R is true |
A common trap is a true reason that has nothing to do with the assertion. Always test the link, not just the two statements.
Application and MCQ-based CBQs
One-mark questions in a real-life setting need speed and care. Read the full question, then remove options that break a basic rule. For instance, drop an option with the wrong unit or one that goes against a law you know. If two options remain, go back to the question and check what exactly it asks.
Subject-Wise Strategy and Examples
The method stays the same in every subject, but the thing you look for changes. Maths needs you to turn words into numbers. Science needs you to link a situation to a rule. Social Science needs you to use evidence. English needs you to read between the lines.
Maths: Turn the story into an equation or a diagram. Write down what is given and what is needed. After solving, check units and whether the answer is realistic. A length cannot be negative, and a number of people cannot be a fraction.
Science: Find the scientific rule behind the situation and use it to explain.
Example: A student puts an iron nail in copper sulphate solution. After 30 minutes, the blue solution turns pale green and the nail gets a brown coating. Why? Iron is more reactive than copper, so it pushes copper out of the solution. The brown coating is copper, and the pale green colour comes from iron sulphate.
A good answer names the idea (displacement reaction), applies it to what was seen, and gives a reason. Do not stop at "a reaction happened".
Social Science: Pull one or two pieces of evidence from the source, such as a date, a statement, or a figure. Then connect them to a concept from your chapter. Keep answers to the marks: one clear point per mark.
English and Hindi: Read the passage once for the main idea and once for details. For "why" and "what does this show" questions, use clues from the text, and write the answer in your own words.
How to Manage Time on Competency-Based Questions
CBQs take longer to read than normal questions, so plan your time before the exam starts. Most theory papers are 80 marks in 3 hours. That works out to a little over two minutes per mark, but you should keep 15–20 minutes at the end to review.
A simple guide to use while practising:
Question type | Marks | Suggested time |
MCQ or assertion–reason | 1 | About 1 minute |
Short answer | 2–3 | 3–5 minutes |
Case-based question (with sub-parts) | 4 | 6–8 minutes |
Long answer | 5 | 8–10 minutes |
These times are suggestions, not CBSE rules. Adjust them after a few timed practice sessions.
If a question confuses you for more than two minutes, mark it and move on.
Read the sub-questions first to avoid reading the case twice.
Do your easy marks first, so you build confidence.
Common Mistakes That Cost Marks (and How to Fix Them)
Most lost marks come from habits, not from lack of knowledge. If you know your mistake pattern, you can fix it with a small change in how you read and write.
Mistake | Why it happens | Fix |
Answering a different question | Reading too fast | Underline the command word, such as find, justify or explain |
Skipping steps | Doing it in your head | Write each step on its own line |
Forgetting units or the final statement | Rushing at the end | Finish with a line like "So, the width is 18 m" |
Using facts from memory, not from the case | Seeing a familiar topic and ignoring the data | Check that your answer uses at least one fact from the passage |
Not testing the reason in assertion–reason | Judging only whether both statements are true | Ask "does R explain A?" every time |
Leaving case questions for last and running out of time | Fear of long text | Attempt them in the middle of the paper, with a time limit |
How to Practice Competency-Based Questions Effectively
Begin with concepts, then move to direct questions, and only then try CBQs. Without clear basics, CBQs feel impossible. Once your NCERT concepts are firm, regular practice with the right material makes these questions feel familiar.
Where to practise:
NCERT textbook examples and exercises, to build the base.
CBSE's official competency-focused practice questions and sample papers, available on the CBSE website.
Previous years' board papers, to see how CBSE words these questions.
A simple weekly plan:
Days 1–2: Revise one chapter and solve direct questions.
Days 3–4: Solve 5–8 CBQs from that chapter using the six steps.
Day 5: Attempt a timed set of mixed questions.
Day 6: Review all errors.
Day 7: Rest or revise weak chapters.
Solving a few questions properly is better than rushing through many. For most students, 5-10 well-checked CBQs a day is a sensible target.
Keep an error log. Use a small notebook. For each mistake, write the question, what went wrong, and the fix. Read it before every mock test. After two weeks, you will see which mistakes repeat, and those are the ones to fix first.
FAQs About Competency-Based Questions
What are competency-based questions in CBSE Class 10?
They are questions set in real-life situations that test whether you can apply a concept. They include case-based, source-based, and assertion–reason questions, along with application-based MCQs.
What percentage of the Class 10 paper is competency-based?
CBSE has set about 50% of the marks in Class 10 theory papers for competency-based questions. Check the latest CBSE circular and your subject's sample paper for the current pattern.
Are competency-based questions harder than normal questions?
They feel harder because they are longer and need you to decide which concept to use. The concepts themselves are the same ones from your textbook. With a clear method and practice, they become manageable.
How many competency-based questions should I solve daily?
Five to ten carefully checked questions a day is enough for most students. Review each mistake before moving on.
Where can I get CBSE competency-based practice questions?
CBSE website publishes competency-focused practice questions and sample papers for Class 10. You can also use previous years' board papers and your NCERT book.
Can I score full marks in CBQs without coaching?
Yes. NCERT, CBSE sample papers, and a steady routine of practice and error review are enough to build the skill. Coaching can help, but it is not a requirement.
How do I stop getting confused in case-study questions?
Read the sub-questions first, underline the facts, and ignore details that do not help. Then answer one sub-question at a time, using the six-step method.
Conclusion
Competency-based questions reward understanding over memory. The method is the same each time: read the questions, pick out the facts, find the concept, work in steps, answer in the form asked, and check. Start today with one chapter. Solve five CBQs using the six steps, write down every mistake in an error log, and review it before your next practice session.
Comments