Master the CBSE Class 10 Sanskrit syllabus 2026-27 with this comprehensive guide covering Shemushi (शेमुषी), Vyakaranavithi (व्याकरणवीथिः), and Abhyaswaan Bhav (अभ्यासवान् भव). This detailed syllabus includes prose lessons, poetry, grammar topics, exam pattern, marking scheme, scoring strategies, and expert tips to score 95+ marks in your board examination.

Course Structure & Marking Scheme

Total Marks Distribution:

Section-wise Marks Distribution (Theory - 80 Marks)

Complete Syllabus - All Chapters & Topics

Section A: Unseen Passages - अपठित अवबोधनम् (20 Marks)

•        Two Unseen Passages (10 marks each) - Total 20 marks

•        Passage 1 (10 marks): Prose passage (शुल्बः) of about 100 words with 5 questions based on comprehension, analysis, interpretation. Questions may be in Sanskrit or Hindi with answers in Sanskrit

•        Passage 2 (10 marks): Poetry passage (पद्यः) of about 60-70 words with 5 questions testing understanding of verses, meaning, message. May include questions on poetic devices and meter

•        Skills Tested: Reading comprehension, Sanskrit vocabulary, grammatical understanding, interpretation ability

Section B: Shemushi Part-2 (शेमुषी द्वितीयो भागः) - 40 Marks

Prose Lessons (गद्य-पाठाः):

•        पाठः १: शुचिपर्यावरणम् (Shuchi Paryavaranam) - Theme: Environmental cleanliness, hygiene, importance of clean surroundings. Grammar: Simple sentences, present tense usage

•        पाठः २: बुद्धिर्बलवती सदा (Buddhir Balavati Sada) - Theme: Intelligence is superior to physical strength, story of clever animals. Grammar: Compound words, past tense

•        पाठः ३: व्यायामः सर्वदा पथ्यः (Vyayamah Sarvada Pathyah) - Theme: Benefits of exercise, healthy lifestyle, physical fitness. Grammar: Adjectives, health-related vocabulary

•        पाठः ४: शिशुलालनम् (Shishulalanam) - Theme: Child care, parenting, love and affection for children. Grammar: Imperative sentences, verbs related to care

•        पाठः ५: जननी तुल्यवत्सला (Janani Tulyavatsala) - Theme: Mother's unconditional love, sacrifice, comparison with divine love. Grammar: Comparatives, emotional vocabulary

•        पाठः ६: सुभाषितानि (Subhashitani) - Theme: Collection of wise sayings, moral teachings, life lessons. Grammar: Subhashitas, concise expressions, proverbs

Poetry Lessons (पद्य-पाठाः):

•        पाठः ७: सौहार्दं प्रकृतेः शोभा (Sauhardham Prakriteh Shobha) - Theme: Friendship in nature, harmony, mutual cooperation. Poetic devices: Anustup meter, simple Sanskrit poetry

•        पाठः ८: विचित्रः साक्षी (Vichitrah Sakshi) - Theme: Strange witness, justice, truth always prevails. Grammar: Interrogative sentences, legal vocabulary

•        पाठः ९: सूक्तयः (Suktayah) - Theme: Collection of noble thoughts, wisdom verses. Poetic meter: Various Sanskrit meters, proverbs

•        पाठः १०: भूकंपविभीषिका (Bhukamp Vibhishika) - Theme: Earthquake disaster, natural calamity, preparedness. Vocabulary: Disaster-related terms, descriptive language

Section C: Grammar - व्याकरणम् (20 Marks)

Based on Vyakaranavithi (व्याकरणवीथिः):

•        शब्दरूप (Shabdaroop - Word Forms) - 4 marks: Declensions of nouns in all cases, genders, and numbers. Common patterns include राम, फल, लता, मति, मधु, पितृ, नदी with identification and formation of word forms

•        धातुरूप (Dhaturoop - Verb Forms) - 4 marks: Conjugations in different tenses and moods. Common roots: पठ्, लिख्, गम्, दृश्, कृ, अस्, भू covering लट्, लृट्, लङ्, लोट्, विधिलिङ् lakaaras

•        उपसर्ग (Upasarga - Prefixes) - 2 marks: 22 standard Sanskrit prefixes (प्र, परा, अप, सम्, अनु, अव, निस्, etc.) and meaning changes with different prefixes

•        प्रत्यय (Pratyaya - Suffixes) - 2 marks: कृत् प्रत्यय (Primary suffixes - क्त, क्तवतु, शतृ, शानच्) and तद्धित प्रत्यय (Secondary suffixes - मतुप्, वतुप्)

•        समास (Samasa - Compound Words) - 3 marks: Six types (अव्ययीभाव, तत्पुरुष, बहुव्रीहि, द्वंद्व, द्विगु, कर्मधारय) with identification, formation, and समास-विग्रह (breaking compounds into constituent words)

•        संधि (Sandhi - Phonetic Combinations) - 3 marks: स्वर संधि (Vowel sandhi - दीर्घ, गुण, वृद्धि, यण्, अयादि), व्यंजन संधि (Consonant sandhi - श्चुत्व, ष्टुत्व, जश्त्व), विसर्ग संधि (Visarga sandhi - सत्व, रुत्व, उत्व)

•        वाच्य परिवर्तनम् (Voice Transformation) - 2 marks: कर्तृवाच्य (Active voice) to कर्मवाच्य (Passive voice) and भाववाच्य (Impersonal voice)

•        अव्यय (Indeclinables) - Recognition and usage: क्रिया-विशेषण, समुच्चय-बोधक, विस्मयादि-बोधक

Supplementary Book (For Practice Only - No Exam Questions):

Abhyaswaan Bhav - अभ्यासवान् भव (Sanskrit Abhyas Pustika):

•        Additional exercises for grammar practice

•        Extra questions on Shemushi lessons

•        Translation practice (Sanskrit to Hindi/English and vice versa)

•        Composition writing exercises

•        Note: This book is for practice only. No direct questions come from this in the exam.

CBSE Class 10 Sanskrit Exam Pattern 2026-27

Theory Examination Pattern (80 Marks, 3 Hours)

Important: Internal choice will be provided in grammar and literature sections. Answers can be written in Sanskrit, Hindi, or English unless specifically asked in Sanskrit.

Internal Assessment (20 Marks)

Important Dates & Academic Calendar 2026-27

Note: Visit the official CBSE website (cbse.gov.in) for date sheet, sample papers, and marking scheme updates.

Expert Study Tips for 95+ Score in Sanskrit

1. Unseen Passages Strategy

•        Practice 2-3 unseen passages daily - both prose and poetry

•        Build strong Sanskrit vocabulary - learn 10 new words with meanings daily

•        Focus on understanding context rather than word-by-word translation

•        Read the questions first before reading the passage

•        Practice deriving meanings from root words and prefixes/suffixes

•        For poetry passages, understand meter patterns and common poetic expressions

•        Time management: 10-12 minutes per passage maximum

•        Make a word bank of commonly used Sanskrit words with Hindi/English meanings

2. Shemushi (Textbook) Mastery

•        Read NCERT Shemushi thoroughly - minimum 3-4 times

•        Understand word meanings (शब्दार्थाः) given at the end of each lesson

•        Practice Hindi translation of all prose and poetry lessons

•        Learn answers to exercise questions (अभ्यासः) from textbook

•        Memorize important shlokas and subhashitas - frequently asked in exams

•        Understand the central theme and message of each lesson

•        Make character sketches for prose stories

•        Practice संवाद-लेखन (dialogue writing) based on lessons

•        Create lesson summaries in your own words (Sanskrit or Hindi)

3. Grammar Excellence

•        Shabdaroop (शब्दरूप): Memorize declensions of all common nouns - Masculine (राम, फल, हरि, पितृ, गुरु), Feminine (लता, मति, नदी, मातृ, धेनु), Neuter (फल, वारि, मधु, नामन्)

•        Dhaturoop (धातुरूप): Master verb conjugations in all lakaaras - Focus on पठ्, लिख्, गम्, दृश्, कृ, अस्, भू. Practice all persons (प्रथम, मध्यम, उत्तम पुरुष) and numbers

•        Sandhi (संधि): Learn all rules with examples - स्वर संधि (दीर्घ, गुण, वृद्धि, यण्, अयादि), व्यंजन संधि (all rules with minimum 5 examples each), विसर्ग संधि (सत्व, रुत्व, उत्व rules)

•        Samasa (समास): Identify and form all six types - Practice विग्रह (breaking) and समस्तपद formation

•        Pratyaya (प्रत्यय): Learn कृत् and तद्धित pratyayas with meanings

•        Voice (वाच्य): Practice conversion between active, passive, and impersonal

•        Solve Vyakaranavithi exercises thoroughly - chapter-wise

4. Revision Techniques

•        Create flashcards for shabdaroop, dhaturoop, and sandhi rules

•        Make summary sheets for each Shemushi lesson with key points

•        Practice previous year question papers - last 10 years minimum

•        Take mock tests under timed conditions (3 hours)

•        First revision: Within 24 hours of learning

•        Second revision: After one week

•        Final revision: 15-20 days before board exam

•        Revise grammar rules daily - 20-30 minutes

•        Group study for shloka memorization and doubt clearing

Scoring Tips & Answer Writing Strategies

General Answer Writing Guidelines

•        Read the entire question paper in first 15 minutes - plan your approach

•        Attempt questions in order: Unseen → Literature → Grammar

•        Write in clear, legible handwriting - presentation is crucial

•        Use blue or black pen only - no other colors

•        Leave proper margins (1.5 cm on left side)

•        You can answer in Sanskrit, Hindi, or English unless specified

•        Sanskrit answers earn better impression - use when confident

•        Strike through mistakes with single line - don't scribble

•        Time allocation: Unseen 25 min, Literature 60 min, Grammar 65 min, Revision 20 min

Section-wise Scoring Strategy

Unseen Passages (20 Marks)

•        Read passage 2-3 times - first for general understanding, then in detail

•        Underline keywords while reading

•        Questions first, then passage - helps in focused reading

•        For meaning questions, try to derive from root words and context

•        Sanskrit answers preferred but Hindi/English acceptable

•        Keep answers concise and relevant - no unnecessary elaboration

•        Poetry passages: Understand bhava (भाव) and sandesh (सन्देश)

•        Time: 10-12 minutes per passage maximum

Shemushi Literature (40 Marks)

•        MCQs from passages: Read extract carefully, identify the lesson

•        Short answer (2-3 marks): Write in 25-30 words (3-4 lines) with direct and relevant answer. Include one example from text if needed

•        Long answer (4-5 marks): Write in 60-80 words (7-8 lines) using point-wise or paragraph format. Include 2-3 examples from the lesson and write conclusion summarizing the answer

•        Character sketch: Appearance → Qualities → Actions → Message

•        Shloka explanation: Meaning → Context → Message/Moral

•        Always quote relevant lines from the lesson to support your answer

•        For subhashitas, explain both literal and implied meanings

Grammar Section (20 Marks)

•        Shabdaroop: Write complete table format showing all vibhaktis

Clearly label एकवचनम्, द्विवचनम्, बहुवचनम्

Check spelling carefully

•        Dhaturoop: Specify लकार, पुरुष, and वचन

Write in tabular form for clarity

•        Sandhi: Break properly and mention the sandhi rule name

Show विच्छेद clearly: word1 + word2 = compound

•        Samasa: Provide both विग्रह and समासनाम

Example: राजपुरुषः = राजा च असौ पुरुषः (कर्मधारयः)

•        Pratyaya questions: Identify pratyaya and state its type (कृत्/तद्धित)

•        Voice transformation: Maintain meaning while changing voice

•        Double-check all grammar answers - silly mistakes cost marks

Presentation Tips

•        Start each answer on a new line with proper spacing

•        Write question numbers clearly in the margin

•        For Sanskrit text, use proper devanagari script - neat and clear

•        Underline important terms - lesson names, character names, rules

•        Use tables for shabdaroop and dhaturoop - better presentation

•        Leave one line gap between answers

•        If you make a mistake, strike through neatly - single line

•        Check matras (vowel marks) carefully - common source of errors

•        Review entire paper in last 20 minutes before submission

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Sanskrit Exam

Unseen Passage Mistakes

•        Not reading passage completely - leads to wrong answers

•        Word-by-word translation instead of understanding context

•        Spending too much time on difficult words - use context clues

•        Ignoring question type - some ask for meaning, some for interpretation

•        Not understanding poetic expressions in verse passages

Literature (Shemushi) Mistakes

•        Not identifying lesson correctly from extract

•        Writing irrelevant content - answer only what is asked

•        Missing examples from text to support answers

•        Exceeding or not meeting word limit

•        Wrong lesson names or misspelled Sanskrit words

•        Confusing similar lessons or characters

•        Not explaining subhashitas properly - both meaning and message needed

•        Copying entire shloka without explanation in answers

•        Missing the moral/message of the lesson

Grammar Mistakes

•        Shabdaroop errors: Wrong vibhakti forms, gender confusion

Mixing masculine and feminine forms

Incorrect संबोधन (vocative) forms

•        Dhaturoop mistakes: Wrong lakaara, incorrect person/number

Confusing लट् and लङ् forms

मध्यम and उत्तम पुरुष confusion

•        Sandhi errors: Wrong rule application, incomplete विच्छेद

Not mentioning sandhi type/name

Incorrect स्वर or व्यंजन combination

•        Samasa mistakes: Wrong विग्रह or समासनाम

Confusion between तत्पुरुष and कर्मधारय

Not identifying बहुव्रीहि properly

•        Matra (vowel mark) errors: ि vs ी, ु vs ू, े vs ै

•        Anusvara and visarga confusion: ं vs ः placement errors

•        Not writing answers in proper table format for roop questions

General Exam Mistakes

•        Not reading instructions carefully - language choice, format

•        Poor time management - spending too long on one section

•        Illegible Devanagari handwriting - affects marks significantly

•        Not attempting all questions - partial answer better than blank

•        Ignoring internal choice - check all options before deciding

•        Mixing languages unnecessarily in same answer

•        Not revising answer sheet - missing silly errors

•        Panic during exam - stay calm, attempt systematically

High-Scoring Lessons & Topics

Focus on these for maximum marks with moderate effort:

Shemushi - Easy Scoring

•        शुचिपर्यावरणम् - Simple vocabulary, current topic, easy questions

•        बुद्धिर्बलवती सदा - Story-based, interesting, predictable questions

•        व्यायामः सर्वदा पथ्यः - Health topic, practical, easy comprehension

•        सुभाषितानि - Short shlokas, moral teachings, frequently asked

•        सूक्तयः - Collection of verses, easy to memorize and explain

Grammar - High Scoring

•        Shabdaroop - Fixed patterns, easy marks if memorized well

•        Sandhi - Rule-based, practice makes perfect

•        Samasa - Straightforward identification with practice

•        Upasarga-Pratyaya - Simple if basic concepts are clear

Important Grammar Reference

Must-Learn Shabdaroop (Word Forms)

•        Masculine (पुल्लिङ्ग): राम (अकारान्त), फल (अकारान्त), हरि (इकारान्त), गुरु (उकारान्त), पितृ (ऋकारान्त)

•        Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग): लता (आकारान्त), मति (इकारान्त), नदी (ईकारान्त), धेनु (उकारान्त), मातृ (ऋकारान्त)

•        Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग): फल (अकारान्त), वारि (इकारान्त), मधु (उकारान्त), नामन् (नकारान्त)

Essential Dhaturoop (Verb Forms)

•        Common roots: पठ् (to read), लिख् (to write), गम् (to go), दृश् (to see), कृ (to do), अस् (to be), भू (to become)

•        Important Lakaaras: लट् (present), लृट् (future), लङ् (past), लोट् (imperative), विधिलिङ् (potential)

Six Types of Samasa (Compound Words)

•        अव्ययीभाव समास: Indeclinable compound (यथाशक्ति, प्रतिदिनम्)

•        तत्पुरुष समास: Determinative compound (राजपुरुषः, देशभक्तिः)

•        कर्मधारय समास: Appositional compound (नीलकमलम्, महात्मा)

•        द्विगु समास: Numerical compound (त्रिलोकी, पञ्चवटी)

•        द्वन्द्व समास: Copulative compound (रामकृष्णौ, माता-पिता)

•        बहुव्रीहि समास: Possessive compound (चक्रपाणिः, लम्बोदरः)

Last 30 Days Preparation Strategy

•        Days 30-25: Complete final revision of all Shemushi lessons - prose and poetry

•        Days 24-20: Master all grammar topics - shabdaroop, dhaturoop, sandhi, samasa

•        Days 19-15: Solve 5-7 sample papers under timed conditions (3 hours each)

•        Days 14-10: Practice unseen passages daily - 3-4 passages per day

•        Days 9-7: Revise important shlokas, subhashitas and their meanings

•        Days 6-4: Solve previous year question papers (last 10 years)

•        Day 3: Light revision - go through notes, flashcards, grammar tables

•        Day 2: Revise shabdaroop, dhaturoop tables, sandhi rules

•        Day 1: Complete rest - don't study new content, review only key points

•        Exam Day: Reach center 30 minutes early, stay calm, manage time wisely