CBSE's Bi-Annual 10th Exam Initiative:
If you're a student sitting for the Class 10 exams in 2026, familiarize yourself with CBSE's groundbreaking new rules. Starting 2026, a noteworthy change is coming to the CBSE Class 10 exams. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that the 10th Board exams will now be held twice annually, starting 2026.
(CBSE Two-Times Board Exam)
This seeks to provide students a second chance to refine their preparation and achieve better results.
A draft of this change is currently prepared for public feedback and will be made available. Stakeholders, including school administrations, parents' associations, teachers' groups, policymakers, and selected NGOs, are invited to offer insights by March 9, 2025. The policy will then be finalized. We must examine how this change will impact examinations, student performance, and the exam system.
When Will the Exams Be Conducted in 2026?
Starting 2026, the Class 10 board exam will be held twice yearly. The first phase runs from February 17 to March 6, while the second phase is scheduled from May 5 to May 20. This change expands the examination process to approximately 34 days, covering 84 subjects. In 2025, nearly 2.4 million students are expected, a number that may rise to approximately 2.66 million by 2026.
What if a Student Prefers to Take Only One Exam?
Students are allowed to participate in both exams, but it's not mandatory. If a student opts to take only one exam, they have the liberty to do so. Should they underperform in the first attempt, the second exam offers a chance for improvement, reducing the stress on students and enabling stress-free academic preparation.
Source: aajtak
What About Supplementary Exams?
The syllabus for both CBSE exams will remain the same. Students will be assigned the same exam center for both attempts. Exam fees will be determined upon application and must be paid during registration. Both exams are regarded as supplementary opportunities, meaning a separate supplementary exam for Class 10 will no longer exist. Students will be briefed by their schools about this. Before filling out board exam forms, students must decide if they want to participate in the second exam. Only the first exam’s mark sheet will be considered if a student opts out of the second.
Organizing the Examination Process
For the major subjects like Science, Math, Social Science, Hindi, and English, exams will be scheduled on different days, while regional and foreign languages will be collectively scheduled on a single day. Sports students can choose any one of the examinations, while practical exams will only occur once.
Validating the Marksheet
If a student doesn’t sit for the first exam but takes the second, the marks from the latter will be considered valid for admission to Class 11. If a student takes both exams, their marks and practical scores from both will be recorded in the mark sheet. However, the higher of the scores from both attempts will be prioritized in their mark sheet. Merit certificates will be issued after the second exam.
Source: aajtak
Failing a Subject in the First Attempt
If a student fails in all subjects during the first phase, they must reattempt the second exam to improve. The syllabus for both exams remains consistent. If a student fails any of the principal subjects—Hindi, Math, Social Science, Science, or English—in the first exam, they must retake all subjects in the second sitting. However, if they fail in a sixth or seventh subject, like a foreign or regional language, they can choose to retake just those specific subjects in the second exam. It's not mandatory for students to retake all subjects if they were unsuccessful in some during the first phase.
If students submit the List of Candidates (LOC), changes in subject choices post-submission are not permitted. Should alterations be necessary, students can only make adjustments during the second exam.
For subjects, students may choose not to attend the first exam. If a student attends a subject exam in the first go, they cannot change it for the second. It means attending a subject in the first necessitates participation in the same for the second. No additional exams will be held for students only participating in the second exam.
Source: aajtak
CBSE's revamped policy opens more opportunities and reduces exam-related stress. Students now have avenues to further improve and enhance their performance.
