The passing marks out of 40 depend on what percentage your school, college, or exam board uses as the minimum to pass.

Typical passing marks out of 40

Most systems set pass percentage between 33% and 40%. Here’s what that looks like out of 40 marks:

  • If passing is 33%:
    • Passing marks ≈ 40×33%=13.240×33%=13.240×33%=13.2 → usually 13 or 14 marks.
  • If passing is 35%:
    • Passing marks = 40×35%=1440×35%=1440×35%=14 marks.
  • If passing is 40%:
    • Passing marks = 40×40%=1640×40%=1640×40%=16 marks.
  • If passing is 50%:
    • Passing marks = 40×50%=2040×50%=2040×50%=20 marks.

So in many schools and universities where 40% is the pass mark , you need 16 out of 40 to pass.

Quick formula you can use

You can calculate it yourself with a simple formula:

Passing marks=Total marks×Pass percentage100\text{Passing marks}=\text{Total marks}×\frac{\text{Pass percentage}}{100}Passing marks=Total marks×100Pass percentage​

Example: If pass percentage is 40% out of 40 marks:

40×40100=1640×\frac{40}{100}=1640×10040​=16

Important note

  • Different boards and universities have different rules (some use 33%, some 35%, some 40%, some even 50%).
  • Always check your specific board/school rule (exam instructions, student handbook, or ask your teacher) to know the exact passing percentage for your exam.

TL;DR:

  • If your pass percentage is 40%, passing marks of 40 = 16 marks.
  • If your pass percentage is different, use the formula above with your actual percentage.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.