The Maharashtra HSC English 2025 question paper had 80 marks and a three-hour time limit. It covered prose, poetry, writing skills and novels. The English (01) paper, code J-251, included passage-based questions, grammar, a summary, a mind map and descriptive answers.

The 2025 English question paper and suggested solutions are available as PDFs. The answers here include explanations and writing samples; they are not an official board marking scheme.

Maharashtra HSC English 2025 Paper Pattern

The four sections contained five main questions. Prose took the largest share, with Questions 1 and 2 together carrying 34 marks. Writing Skills and Novel carried 16 marks each.

The choice in Writing Skills was within each group. Attempting several tasks from one group did not replace the other groups. The paper also required web diagrams, flowcharts and tables to be answered in their given formats.

Question 1: Prose and Grammar Answers

The first passage followed a software professional who became a writer. It connected his experience of managing people with his decision to choose meaningful work. The comprehension answers depend on this account, including his books and their effect on readers.

Passage Activities: Career, Management and Writing

Question 1 A1: Order of events

Suggested answer: (2), (4), (1), (3)

The narrator first led multinational software companies and learnt lessons while managing them. He then turned down job offers to become a writer. His books later changed readers' lives.

Question 1 A2: Key aspects of management

Suggested answer: Teamwork; leading by example; treating colleagues and subordinates as friends; motivating the team.

These four points come from the narrator's account of managing software companies. Listening, setting targets and delegating work are other management skills he mentions. The answer must come from this passage, not a general management formula.

Question 1 A3: Success as a writer

He values the effect on readers more than sales or money.

Question 1 A4: Is passion more important than wealth?

Sample answer:

I think passion matters more than wealth because it gives us a reason to keep working, even when progress is slow. Money is necessary for everyday needs, but it cannot make every job satisfying. I would choose work I care about while also planning carefully for my financial needs.

Grammar and Vocabulary from the Passage

Question 1 A5(i): Present perfect tense

Suggested answer: (b) I have passed from IIT.

The present perfect uses have or has with the past participle. Here, I takes have, followed by passed.

Question 1 A5(ii): Complex sentence

Suggested answer: (b) Though I made a few mistakes, I learnt a lot about motivation.

Though I made a few mistakes is a subordinate clause. It keeps the contrast expressed by but in the original sentence.

Question 1 A6: Vocabulary

Non-textual Grammar

Question 1 B1(1): Indirect speech: Nandini asks Raj about his holiday

Suggested answer: (i) Nandini asked Raj where he had gone during the holidays last year.

This is the correct choice among the printed options. An indirect question uses statement word order: where he had gone, not where had he gone. In a free rewrite, last year would usually become the previous year; the answer here follows the option in the paper.

Question 1 B1(2): A question whose answer is "Tree planting"

Suggested answer: (iv) What became a natural choice?

Tree planting is the subject and the required answer. Replacing it with what gives the question directly; did is not needed.

Question 1 B1(3): Rewriting the conditional sentence with "unless"

Suggested answer: (ii) Unless children play any games, they will become dull and lazy.

Unless means if not, so the extra negative is removed. The clause after unless uses play; will become remains in the main clause.

Question 1 B2: Correcting "more shorter"

Suggested answer: She is shorter than her brother.

Shorter is already a comparative form. Adding more repeats the comparison.

Question 2: Comprehension, Summary and Mind Map

The second passage discussed Nandan Nilekani's views on changes in technology and work. Its main point was that learning continues after a degree. As machines take over repetitive jobs and new kinds of work appear, people need to learn new skills.

Technology and Lifelong Learning

Question 2 A1: Two main themes of the passage

Suggested answer: (b) and (c)

The passage explains how technology changes work and why people need to keep learning throughout their lives. It is not mainly a biography of Nandan Nilekani, and online education is only one part of its discussion.

Question 2 A2: Flowchart on changing technology

This order follows the final paragraph. These changes make future jobs hard to predict, creating the need to keep learning and relearning.

Question 2 A3: Meaning of lifelong learning

Suggested answer: Lifelong learning means continuing to learn after gaining a degree. It can happen in short periods, whenever and wherever a person needs a new skill, including online.

Nilekani links this learning to changes in technology and work. He does not mean returning to a campus for another long course every time a new skill is needed.

Question 2 A4: Views on online education

Sample answer:

Online education helps people study without travelling to a classroom. Recorded lessons let students revise at their own pace, while working people can learn new skills after work. However, reliable internet and a suitable device are necessary. Practical work and direct discussion may still need classroom support.

Question 2 A5(1): Passive voice

Suggested answer: (ii) The example of iPhone was shared by him.

The original verb, shared, is in the simple past. Its passive form is was shared, with the object becoming the subject.

Question 2 A5(2): A modal showing obligation

Suggested answer: (iii) The constant change must require constant learning and relearning.

Must is the modal used for obligation in the supplied options. May and might express possibility. The original will does not express obligation here.

Question 2 A6: Matching words and meanings

Answer with a wording note: (1)–(b), (3)–(a), (4)–(e). The remaining intended pair appears to be (2)–(c), but the paper's wording is inconsistent.

Entrepreneur matches a person who starts or organises a business; predict means saying what will happen; and automation means using automatic equipment to do work. Definition (c) describes capitalism, not capitalisation. It should not be learnt as the meaning of capitalisation.

Summary Writing

Question 2 B carried three marks. The summary needed to connect disruptive technology, changes in jobs and the need for lifelong learning. A suitable title and a short, connected paragraph work better than separate answers to the comprehension questions.

Question 2 B: Summary of the passage

Sample summary: Learning as Work Changes

Technology is changing quickly, with more services now aimed at consumers. Automation has removed repetitive jobs, while artificial intelligence, machine learning and neural networks are changing how work is done. Since future jobs are difficult to predict, a degree cannot end a person's education. People need to learn and relearn throughout life, often in short periods, online or wherever a new skill is needed.

Mind Map on Developing English Language Skills

Question 2 C carried three marks and allowed students to use their own ideas and design. Listening, speaking, reading, writing and vocabulary provide five useful branches. Each branch can include a few activities rather than a long paragraph.

Question 2 C: Developing English Language Skills

Sample mind map: Developing English Language Skills

• Listening: follow short talks; note unfamiliar words.
• Speaking: practise conversations; take part in discussions.
• Reading: read stories and articles; notice how sentences are formed.
• Writing: keep a diary; revise spelling and sentence structure.
• Vocabulary: learn words in context; use them in your own sentences.

Place the topic in the centre of the mind map and show these five groups as branches.

Question 3: Poetry Answers and Appreciation

The poetry section paired an extract from Walt Whitman's Song of the Open Road with an appreciation of Have You Earned Your Tomorrow. The first part carried 10 marks; the appreciation carried four.

Song of the Open Road

Whitman's speaker sets out freely and trusts his own choices. He accepts the world before him instead of waiting for good fortune. This helps explain both the lines on self-reliance and his contentment with the earth.

Question 3 A1: Lines showing independence and self-reliance

Question 3 A2: Why the speaker does not need the constellations nearer

Suggested answer: The speaker finds the earth sufficient and is content with the life and freedom available to him. He does not need the distant stars brought closer to feel fulfilled.

The lines show satisfaction with the present world. They also support his confidence in choosing his own path.

Question 3 A3: Views on liberty

Sample answer:

Liberty lets a person think, speak and make choices. Without it, someone may be alive but unable to shape their own life. That is why the comparison with a body without a soul is powerful. Freedom also brings responsibility: our choices should not take away another person's rights.

Question 3 A4: Figure of speech in "Henceforth I whimper no more, postpone no more, need nothing"

Suggested answer: Repetition.

The words no more are repeated. This stresses the speaker's decision to stop complaining and putting things off. It is not anaphora: the repeated words do not begin the successive clauses.

Question 3 A5: Four lines on freedom

Sample poem:

I choose the road beneath the sky,
And let my quiet dreams climb high.
No borrowed voice will speak for me;
I find my own and set it free.

Have You Earned Your Tomorrow: Appreciation

An appreciation brings together the poem's theme, language, poetic devices and a personal response. A line-by-line retelling alone would leave out the way the poet expresses his message.

Question 3 B: Appreciation of the poem

Sample appreciation: Have You Earned Your Tomorrow

Edgar Guest's poem asks us to judge a day by the kindness we showed others. A cheerful greeting, a helpful act or a few encouraging words can make someone else's life better. The repeated questions invite honest self-examination rather than praise for the speaker.

The extract uses rhyming couplets, such as way/today and through/you, giving each stanza an aabb pattern. Its simple words and direct questions make the message easy to follow. The contrast between selfish behaviour and helpful actions brings out its central idea. I like the poem because it makes kindness seem practical: we do not need money or fame to help someone feel less alone.

Question 4: Writing Skills Sample Answers

Question 4 had 12 options across four groups. Students had to choose one task from each group, with four marks for each response. The message asked for about 50 to 100 words. The statement of purpose, report, speech, expansion, movie review, blog and appeal asked for about 100 to 150 words. The remaining tasks did not give that word limit.

The responses are examples, so other relevant answers are possible. Names, college details and events in the samples are imaginary unless they form part of the question.

Group A: Message, Statement of Purpose or Group Discussion

The virtual message needed to explain Shubham's urgent departure, the missed 8.30 p.m. movie and his failed calls to Mahesh. The statement of purpose concerned a Fine Arts diploma holder applying for a bachelor's degree in canvas painting. The discussion required four speakers on the importance of English.

Question 4 A(I): Virtual message

Sample message:

11 February 2025, 5.30 p.m.

Hi Mahesh,
I have to leave for my native place this evening because an urgent family matter needs my attention. I will not be able to join you for the movie at 8.30 p.m. I tried calling you several times, but the calls did not connect. Please cancel my ticket if possible. Sorry for changing our plan at short notice. I will call once I reach.
Shubham

Question 4 A(II): Statement of purpose

Sample statement of purpose:

Painting helps me notice details that I might otherwise miss: a changing shadow, a crowded street or a quiet expression. After completing my diploma in Fine Arts, I want to study canvas painting in greater depth through a bachelor's degree.

My diploma introduced me to drawing, colour, composition and different painting materials. I learnt to accept criticism and revise work instead of treating a first attempt as final. I now want regular studio practice and thoughtful feedback from teachers and other artists.

I hope to develop a body of paintings based on everyday life in my community. This course would help me strengthen my technique, explain my choices and build the discipline needed to work as an artist.

Question 4 A(III): Group discussion on the importance of English

Sample discussion:

Asha: English helps us communicate with people who do not speak our home language. It is useful when we study or travel.

Rohan: I agree. Many books and online lessons are available in English, so knowing it gives us more ways to learn.

Meera: But fluency should not be confused with intelligence. Someone can have good ideas and still be learning the language.

Kabir: That is why we need practice without fear of being laughed at. Conversations and reading can help.

Asha: We should also value our own languages. Learning English does not mean leaving them behind.

Rohan: So English is a useful skill, but respect for other languages and speakers matters just as much.

Group B: Email, Report or Interview

The email invited a poet to open a poetry recitation competition. The report described a college visit to a city library. For the singer interview, the questions had to follow the eight topics in the order given in the paper.

Question 4 B(I): Invitation email

Sample email (imaginary names and event details):

To: poet@example.com
Subject: Invitation to inaugurate our poetry recitation competition

Dear Ms Rao,

On behalf of the Literary Association of Sunrise Junior College, I invite you to inaugurate our poetry recitation competition on World Poetry Day, 21 March 2025. The programme will begin at 10 a.m. in our college auditorium in Pune.

Students from Classes 11 and 12 will recite poems in English and Marathi. We would be grateful if you could open the programme and speak briefly about your writing. Your guidance would encourage students who are beginning to write poems of their own.

Please let us know whether you can attend.

Yours sincerely,
Ananya Patil
Secretary, Literary Association
Sunrise Junior College

Question 4 B(II): Report on a library visit

Sample report (imaginary visit): A Visit to the City Library

By the College Magazine Editor

Our junior college organised a visit to the city library to mark World Reading Day. Forty students accompanied by two teachers took part in the visit.

The librarian welcomed the group and explained how books were arranged by subject. Students learnt to use the catalogue, locate a book and apply for membership. They also visited the reference section, newspaper room and children's reading area.

During a short discussion, students shared their favourite books and asked how to choose something beyond their usual reading interests. Each student then spent time reading a book of their choice.

The visit ended with a vote of thanks. Several students decided to return and borrow books during the holidays.

Question 4 B(III): Interview with a singer

Sample interview questions:

The name and interview details below are imaginary.

1. Early motivation: What first made you want to become a singer?
2. Professional development: How has your training shaped the way you sing today?
3. Inspiration/Idols: Which singer has influenced you the most, and why?
4. First recording: What do you remember most clearly about your first recording?
5. Strengths: Which quality has helped you most in your singing career?
6. Best performance: Which performance means the most to you, and what made it special?
7. Achievements: Which achievement are you proudest of?
8. Mission/Vision: What would you like to achieve through your music in the coming years?

Group C: Speech, Compering or Expansion of an Idea

The speech focused on soldiers and farmers. The compering script needed to move through the welcome, song, lighting of the lamp, felicitation and vote of thanks. The expansion covered stepping out of a comfort zone, calculated risks, overcoming fears, mental toughness and building confidence.

Question 4 C(I): Speech on soldiers and farmers

Sample speech: Soldiers and Farmers: The Real Heroes

Respected judges, teachers and my dear friends,

We often notice the people on our screens before those whose work makes our daily lives possible. Today, I want to speak about soldiers and farmers.

Soldiers protect the country, often serving far from their families in difficult conditions. Farmers work through changing weather and uncertain harvests to produce the food we eat. Their work is different, but both carry responsibilities on which many others depend.

Respect should go beyond a slogan. We can begin by avoiding food waste, learning about the challenges farmers face and treating service personnel and their families with care.

Let us recognise their contribution through informed, responsible actions, not only words on special occasions.

Thank you.

Question 4 C(II): Compering for the HSC toppers' felicitation

Sample compering script:

Good morning, respected guests, teachers, parents and students. Welcome to our programme honouring this year's HSC toppers.

To begin, I invite the college choir to present the welcome song. Thank you for that lovely performance.

I now request our chief guest and principal to light the lamp and open the programme.

Today we celebrate our students' hard work and the support they received from teachers and families. May I invite the chief guest to felicitate the toppers as their names are announced?

Congratulations to every student. We wish you well as you take your next step.

Finally, I invite our student representative to propose the vote of thanks. Thank you all for joining us.

Question 4 C(III): Expansion of "Fortune Favours the Brave"

Sample expansion: Fortune Favours the Brave

Good opportunities are easier to use when we are willing to act. A student who enters a speaking competition may be nervous, but staying away guarantees that the chance will be missed. Courage begins with taking that first sensible step.

Being brave does not mean ignoring danger. Calculated risks involve preparation, advice and an honest look at what could go wrong. Success is never certain, but careful action gives us a chance to learn.

Failure can also strengthen us when we examine our mistakes and try again. Each attempt builds confidence and makes fear easier to manage. Fortune may offer an opening; courage and effort help us make use of it.

Group D: Movie Review, Blog or Appeal

The movie review needed a judgement about a film as well as its story and credits. The solar-energy blog covered renewable energy, pollution, electricity bills and government subsidy. The appeal needed to address women's rights, safety, support and collective responsibility.

Question 4 D(I): Movie review

Sample film review: Inception: A Story That Keeps You Thinking

Christopher Nolan's Inception follows Dom Cobb, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who steals information by entering dreams. His new assignment is harder: he must plant an idea instead. The film connects this task with Cobb's wish to return to his children and his struggle with guilt.

DiCaprio gives the character an uneasy mix of skill and vulnerability. Hans Zimmer's music adds tension, while the shifting dream worlds make the action visually striking. The story asks the viewer to pay close attention; its rules can feel complicated at first.

I enjoyed the way the film combines an unusual plot with an emotional problem. I would recommend it to viewers who like discussing a film after it ends.

Question 4 D(II): Blog on solar energy

Sample blog: Solar Energy: Making Use of Everyday Sunshine

Sunlight is a renewable source of energy. Solar panels turn it into electricity without burning fuel while they operate. Using this power can reduce the electricity a home draws from the grid and lower its bill.

That does not mean every rooftop installation gives the same result. Roof space, shade, sunlight and the size of the system all matter. The cost of installation and later maintenance should also be considered.

Government support can make eligible systems more affordable, but subsidy rules must be checked before a purchase. A household should compare suitable options and understand the terms.

Solar energy is a practical choice where the site and costs make sense. Planning carefully is more useful than expecting instant savings.

Question 4 D(III): Appeal for women's security and safety

Sample appeal: Make Safety Everyone's Responsibility

Every woman has the right to study, work and travel without fear. Respect for that right must shape our behaviour at home, in college, at work and in public places.

Speak against harassment. Listen when someone asks for help, and do not blame the person who has been harmed. Colleges and workplaces should make complaint channels clear, protect privacy and explain how support can be reached.

Safer public transport, well-lit streets and prompt responses to complaints need collective effort. Government safety initiatives and support services are useful only when people know how to access them.

Let us challenge disrespectful behaviour and support those who report it. Safety should never depend only on women restricting their own lives.

Question 5: Novel Answers

The Novel section combined short questions on literary terms with answers on To Sir, with Love, Around the World in Eighty Days and The Sign of Four. The answers in parts B, C and D were to be about 50 words each.

History of the Novel

Question 5 A(I) asked for the odd element in each group. The four answers together carried two marks.

Question 5 A(II) asked students to rewrite the statements and mark them true or false. It also carried two marks.

To Sir, with Love

Question 5 B(I): Significance of November 15 at Greenslade School

November 15 was the day of the Students' Council's half-yearly report at Greenslade School. The pupils organised and ran the programme. Class representatives explained what they had learnt, and pupils questioned a panel of teachers. The occasion showed their growing confidence, responsibility and ability to express themselves.

Question 5 B(II): Fernman's presentation on racism

Fernman used a human skeleton to challenge racial prejudice. He said it was female, but he could not tell its nationality or skin colour. The demonstration showed that people share the same basic human structure despite outward differences. His presentation supported the class's theme of human brotherhood.

Around the World in Eighty Days

Question 5 C(I): Importance of the Reform Club

The wager at the Reform Club starts Fogg's journey around the world. His fellow members doubt that he can complete it in eighty days. The club is also the destination he must reach before the deadline. His timely return there resolves the wager and brings the journey to its close.

Question 5 C(II): How Passepartout's visit to the clergyman leads to a happy ending

Passepartout visits the clergyman to arrange Fogg and Aouda's wedding. He discovers that they have gained a day by travelling east around the world. Fogg can still reach the Reform Club before the deadline. Passepartout rushes back, allowing Fogg to win the wager and later marry Aouda.

The Sign of Four

Question 5 D(I): Message in Miss Morstan's letter

The letter asks Miss Morstan to meet its writer at seven that evening, by the third pillar from the left outside the Lyceum Theatre. She may bring two friends if she feels uneasy, but no police. The unknown sender says she has been wronged and promises her justice.

Question 5 D(II): Character sketch of Dr Watson

Dr. Watson is Holmes's companion and the narrator. He is observant, courteous and sympathetic. He notices Miss Morstan's distress and readily agrees to accompany her. Unlike Holmes, who keeps emotion apart from his reasoning, Watson responds warmly to people. His support makes him a dependable friend during the investigation.