CBSE class 12 Physics exam 2026: Expert-backed tips for better scores
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct the Class 12 Physics exam on February 20, 2026. For many students, Physics feels challenging—not because it is impossible, but because it cannot be studied by rote learning alone. The subject demands clear understanding, visual thinking, and correct application of concepts. Since the paper has theory questions, numericals, and derivations, students need strong basics and should practise in a smart and organised way.Scoring well in Physics can significantly improve your overall board results and also play an important role in shaping future careers in engineering, research, data science, and other technical fields. Teachers observe that students who revise regularly, practise questions with a strategy, and manage their time well usually feel calm and confident in the exam hall.
Important topics to revise for CBSE Class 12 Physics 2026
Teachers advise students to focus first on high-weightage chapters and revise them thoroughly to maximise scores.Neeraj Kumar Singh, PGT Physics, Sunbeam School, Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, emphasizes that students must first focus on chapters like Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Moving Charges and Magnetism, Ray Optics, Alternating Current, and Semiconductors.He further suggests that students keep a brief and lucid formula sheet handy for their daily revision.Singh says that it is always better to concentrate only on the important chapters and keep revising the formulas and derivations every day. Concentrate on chapters that carry more weight in the exam and keep revising derivations and formulas daily. Also, make a short formula sheet for quick reference. This practice enables students to quickly recall the concepts and eases the pressure of the last moment.Nishant Bharti, PGT Physics, Uttam School for Girls, Shastri Nagar, Ghaziabad, said, “Students should also focus on these topics along with the ones mentioned: electric dipoles, Gauss’s law, capacitors, Kirchhoff’s laws, Wheatstone bridge, BiotSavart law, electromagnetic induction, alternating currents, ray and wave optics, dual nature of radiation and matter, atoms and nuclei, and electronic devices.“Bharti believes that understanding is the key to scoring well. He notes that students should be thorough with derivations, numericals, and applications, saying, “Understanding is more important than rote learning.” Regular revision helps students remain accurate and confident during the exam.Making short notes and revising derivations daily can make last-minute preparation smoother and less stressful.
CBSE class 12 Physics tip: Visualise concepts to remember better
Teachers claim that if students visualise concepts, it will become easier for them to understand and remember those concepts. Singh recommends students starting the paper with questions that they are sure of and also advises them to keep their answers clean and attractive.He explains that recalling the physical idea behind a derivation before writing it improves both memory and presentation. “Before writing any derivation, recall the physical principle behind it—this enhances retention and presentation.” He also advises students to maintain clear handwriting, draw neat and labelled diagrams, and always include proper units in numerical answers. Staying consistent, clear, and calm can make a big difference on exam day.Using diagrams, simple sketches, or real-life examples while studying can help concepts stay in mind and make problem-solving quicker.
CBSE Physics class 12: Take your time and solve smartly
Teachers say that many mistakes happen because students rush through questions. Bharti advises students to slow down, read each question properly, and think for a moment before starting. He also reminds students not to panic if a question seems tough at first. “Take a few seconds to understand the question. If it still feels difficult, leave it and come back to it later,” he says.He adds that planning your studies based on chapter weightage helps you prepare better. When you focus more on important topics, you save time, avoid unnecessary stress, make fewer careless errors, and feel more confident while writing the exam.
CBSE class 12 Physics: Master NCERT textbooks
Teachers agree that NCERT textbooks should be every student’s first priority for the board exam. Raji Suresh, PGT Physics, Summerfields School, Gurgaon, feels that Physics becomes much easier when students think step by step and use maths properly while solving problems.According to Suresh, reading NCERT carefully and understanding the logic behind each concept makes a big difference. He says that students should approach questions in a mathematical way, use dimensional analysis to check their steps, and practise graphs regularly. A strong grip on NCERT, he adds, helps students feel confident while handling theory questions, reasoning-based problems, and numericals in the exam.
Common mistakes students must avoid
Teachers point out that small mistakes can cost valuable marks. Singh highlights that students often memorise derivations without understanding them, ignore graph-based questions, or make errors in units and sign conventions, especially in lenses and mirrors.Bharti urges students to consistently present the formula even if the answer is numerical and also to write the correct units. He suggests that the answers be kept neat and logical and that no lengthy explanations be written for low, mark questions.Moreover, Suresh points to that error that the students may misinterpret magnetic flux, get confused in EMF concepts, incorrectly draw refraction diagrams, make wrong connections in transformers or mix up capacitance with inductance.Avoiding these mistakes can help students save crucial marks in the final paper.
Final revision tips for CBSE class 12 Physics
Teachers agree that students performance can be greatly enhanced if they get regular practice and keep revising, have a strong understanding of concepts, and use these tricks throughout the exam: writing answers neatly, maintaining a logical order, and keeping calm.Students should definitely do sample papers with a timer to get accuracy in both knowledge and time. Understanding and memorizing derivations is also very important. Students must make a formula sheet to use it daily. It will serve as a great revision tool during the day and will also be helpful in the exam.
