The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a major change in its examination system: starting from 2026, Class 10 board exams will be held twice a year. This move is part of the efforts to reduce exam stress and give students more flexibility, as recommended by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
What’s Changing?
Under the new system, students will appear for two board exams in an academic year—the first in February and the second in May. While the February exam will be mandatory, the May session will be optional, allowing students to improve their scores in up to three subjects: Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and Languages. The best score out of the two attempts will be retained for the final result.
The goal of this change is to reduce pressure on students by giving them two chances to take the board exams in the same school year, instead of waiting a full year to try again if they want to improve their marks.
CBSE 10 Board Eligibility and Structure
According to CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj, all students must appear for the February exam. Candidates who have taken at least three subjects in the first phase will be eligible for the second phase. Students who skip three or more subjects in the first exam will be marked as “essential repeat” and will have to reappear the following year.
The syllabus for both exams will remain the same, and internal assessments will be conducted only once per academic year. Students from winter-bound schools will have the flexibility to choose either of the two phases, depending on their academic calendar.
CBSE 10 Board Special Provisions
CBSE has also made special accommodations for students involved in sports or other national-level events that may clash with the February exam schedule. Students in this situation will have the option to appear for the impacted subjects during the May session. The board has further stated that fresh registrations will not be accepted for the second exam, and subject changes between the two sessions will not be allowed unless specifically permitted under CBSE guidelines.
