How to Make a Question Paper: Blueprint, Competency-Based Questions and Review
Make a question paper from a blueprint, not from the textbook's end-of-chapter questions: decide the marks for each chapter, the mix of question types, and the balance of recall, understanding and application before writing a single question. Include competency-based questions (case-based, source-based, data and assertion-reason), write the marking scheme alongside, and have a second teacher or the coordinator review the paper before it is printed.
Start with the blueprint
A blueprint is a table that fixes the paper's shape before any question is written. It answers three questions:
- How many marks for each chapter or unit, in proportion to the time spent teaching it.
- Which question types, and how many of each: multiple choice, very short, short, long, case-based.
- Which kind of thinking: remembering, understanding, applying, analysing.
A simple blueprint for an 80-mark paper:
| Unit | MCQ (1) | Short (2–3) | Long (5) | Case-based (4) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit 1 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 19 |
| Unit 2 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 23 |
| Unit 3 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 26 |
| Unit 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 12 |
| Total | 20 | 24 | 20 | 16 | 80 |
Board classes should follow the board's own design. CBSE publishes sample question papers and marking schemes for every subject each year; use them as the blueprint for board-class papers.
Mix question types deliberately
- MCQs and very short answers check knowledge quickly across many topics.
- Short answers check understanding and explanation.
- Long answers check reasoning, structured writing and multi-step problem solving.
- Case-based and source-based questions check whether students can apply what they learned to a new situation.
Writing competency-based questions
Boards, including CBSE, have been steadily increasing the share of competency-based questions, which test application rather than recall. Check the current sample paper for each subject for the exact share. Types to use:
- Case-based: a short passage or real situation followed by questions that need the concept to answer.
- Source-based: an extract, map, table or graph to interpret.
- Assertion and reason: two statements; students judge whether each is true and whether the reason explains the assertion.
- Data interpretation: a table or chart from a real context.
A recall question asks "What is the formula for simple interest?". A competency question asks "Ravi needs ₹20,000 for 3 years. A bank charges 8% simple interest a year; a friend asks for ₹25,000 back at the end. Which costs less, and by how much?" (The bank: ₹24,800 in all, cheaper by ₹200.)
Write the marking scheme at the same time
Writing the answer key and step marks alongside each question exposes ambiguous wording before students see it. The marking scheme should say what earns each mark, accept equivalent correct answers, and give step marks for working in numerical questions.
Review before printing
Every paper should be checked by a second teacher or the coordinator:
- Totals and section marks add up; the blueprint is followed.
- No question is ambiguous, and every question is answerable in the time allowed.
- Difficulty is balanced, with some questions every student can attempt.
- Instructions, numbering and diagrams are correct.
- Language is clear and appropriate for the class.
Keep a question bank
Questions that worked well, with their difficulty and the outcome they test, are worth keeping in a shared bank. Over a few terms, the bank makes papers faster to set and more consistent across sections.
How EduVizio helps
On the Intelligence plan, teachers can ask for a section-wise question paper or homework drafted by AI, which the teacher reviews and edits before anything reaches students, and question papers still go to the coordinator for approval. The LMS add-on keeps question banks and auto-graded quizzes, and assessment schemes are configured for your board. See report card software and lesson plan format.
Frequently asked questions
What is a question paper blueprint?
A table, prepared before writing questions, that fixes the marks for each chapter, the number of each question type, and the balance of recall, understanding and application in the paper.
What are competency-based questions?
Questions that test whether students can apply what they learned to a new situation — case-based, source-based, data interpretation and assertion-reason questions — rather than recall facts.
How many competency-based questions are in CBSE board papers?
CBSE has been increasing their share in recent years, and the proportion varies by class and subject. Check the current year's official sample question paper and marking scheme for each subject on cbse.gov.in.