CBSE Board Exams 2026: Five Key Changes Announced

CBSE Board Exams 2026 Updates: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released a tentative datesheet for the class 10 and 12 board examinations. Class 10 exams will commence on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, and conclude on 18 March 2026. The CBSE Senior School Certificate Examination 2026 (Class 12) will be held from 17 February 2026 to 4 April 2026.

Two-Board Exams for Class 10

A significant change this year is the introduction of a two-board examination system for class 10 students. This is designed to support students who fail or miss a subject, saving their academic year and reducing stress. This year, over 4.5 million students are expected to appear for the CBSE class 10 and 12 examinations.

Proposed Examination Scheme

• Both examinations will cover the entire syllabus for the academic year.
• Exams for core subjects, including Science, Mathematics, Social Science, Hindi, and English, will be held on fixed dates.
• Regional and foreign language examinations will be held on the same day, while other subjects will be spread over 2-3 days based on student combinations.

Student Eligibility

• All students must appear for the first examination.
• Students can improve their performance in a maximum of three subjects (Science, Mathematics, Social Science, or a language) during the second examination.
• Students who miss three or more subjects in the first examination will be placed in the “necessary repeat” category and can only retake the examination the following year.
• Special provisions will be made for sports students, winter schools, and CWSN (children with special needs) candidates.

Results and Examination Process

• The first examination results will be declared in April 2026.
• The second examination results will be declared in June 2026.
• Performance in the first examination will be available on DigiLocker for provisional admission to class 11.
• Eligibility certificates and pass documents will be issued after the second examination.
• Facilities for photocopy, verification, and re-evaluation will be available after the second examination results.

Other Changes

• Over time, CBSE may consider modular, semester-wise, or level-based assessments to further reduce pressure on students.
• Schools have been instructed to inform parents and students about the new policy and ensure accurate submission of subject-wise data for the List of Candidates (LOC).