First board exam in Class 10 will be conducted in February and second board exam will be held in May month
Under the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP-2020), many revolutionary changes have been proposed in the education system. In the direction of these changes, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced to conduct board examinations twice for class 10 from the year 2026.
This decision has been taken with the aim of reducing the pressure of board exams on the students, making the learning process more flexible and student-centric.
Background of National Education Policy 2020
In para 4.37 and 4.38 of NEP 2020, it was suggested that board examinations should be made less ‘high-stakes’, so that students can perform according to their real abilities. The following reforms were suggested in it:
- All students should be allowed to give two opportunities in a year – main examination and improvement examination.
- Exams should be based on less content so that exam pressure is reduced.
- Subjects should be offered at two levels (standard and higher).
- Both multiple choice and descriptive type questions should be included.
CBSE decision: New system to be implemented from 2026
CBSE has decided to conduct two board examinations in class 10 from the year 2026 after the recommendations of NEP 2020 and consultation with the concerned stakeholders.
Highlights: Structure of two board exams
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General guidelines
- The first board exam will be compulsory for all students.
- Students can appear in the second exam for improvement in any three subjects out of Science, Mathematics, Social Sciences and Languages.
- If a student does not appear in three or more subjects in the first exam, he/she will not be allowed to appear in the second exam.
- Compartmental students can appear for the second exam under the same category.
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Guidelines for Special Category
- Sports participating students will be allowed to appear for the second exam for subjects clashing with their competitions.
- Students of winter bound schools can opt for either the first or second exam.
- CWSN candidates will get special facilities in both the exams.
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Internal Assessment
- Internal assessment will be conducted only once in the whole year which will be before the main exam.
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Exam Time Table
- First exam: Will start from mid-February.
- Second exam: Will be conducted in the month of May.
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Eligibility Criteria
Students eligible for 1st exam:
- Regular students
- Students appearing for 2nd attempt of Compartment
- Compulsory revision of previous year
- Willing to appear for improvement exam
Students eligible for 2nd exam:
- Willing to appear for improvement exam in upto 3 core subjects
- Students appearing for 1st or 3rd attempt of Compartment
- Students from Compartment + Improvement category
- Students passing on the basis of subject substitution
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Syllabus and Examination Scheme
- Both the exams will be based on the complete syllabus.
- No change will be made in the study and examination scheme.
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LOC (List of Candidates) Process
- Filling of LOC is mandatory for 1st exam.
- Separate LOC will be filled for 2nd exam, but no new name can be added.
- Change of subject will be allowed only as per policy.
Result Declaration
- Result of the first exam: Will be declared in April.
- Result of the second exam: Will be declared in June.
- Marks will be made available on DigiLocker of all the students.
- Students who do not take the improvement exam will be able to take admission in class 11 on the basis of the marks of the first exam.
- All students will get the eligibility certificate only after the second exam.
Post Result Services
- Photocopy, verification and re-evaluation facilities will be made available only after the results of both the exams are out.
Admission to Class 11
- Students who fail in the first exam will get temporary admission, which will be made permanent on the basis of the result of the second exam.
Guidelines for Schools
- All schools have been directed to inform the parents and students about this new system being implemented in the year 2025-26 in time.
- It will be the responsibility of the schools to collect correct and updated data of all students while filling the LOC.
- Schools, students and parents should ensure that all processes are completed timely and accurately.
Final words
This decision of CBSE is definitely a big step towards a positive and structural reform in the Indian education system. This will not only reduce the mental pressure of exams on students, but will also give them an opportunity to present their abilities in a better way. Also, this step can limit the need for coaching culture, making the education system more inclusive, accessible and practical.
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