CBSE takes BIG decision, Class 10 board exams to be held twice a year from…, best score….

The National Education Policy (NEP) had recommended allowing students two opportunities in a school year to reduce the high-pressure nature of board exams.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has drafted new guidelines to conduct Class 10 board exams twice a year, starting from the 2026-27 academic session. According to senior CBSE officials, the first exam will take place in February-March, while the second will be held in May. The draft policy will be open for public feedback until March 9, after which final decisions will be made.

As per the draft, the first round of Class 10 board exams will be held from February 17 to March 6, while the second round will take place from May 5 to May 20. Both exams will cover the full syllabus, and students will be assigned the same exam center for both sessions. The examination fee for both attempts must be paid at the time of registration.

As per PTI, a CBSE official clarified that these two exam sessions will act as supplementary exams, meaning no additional or special exams will be conducted under any circumstances. The National Education Policy (NEP) had recommended allowing students two opportunities in a school year to reduce the high-pressure nature of board exams. This proposal was discussed in detail during a key meeting chaired by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

For the 2026 board exams, CBSE plans to conduct exams over 34 days, covering 84 subjects. Around 26.60 lakh students are expected to appear. Moving forward, CBSE will conduct the first session of exams on the first Tuesday after February 15, and the second session on the first Tuesday after May 5 every year.

CBSE has also decided that practical and internal assessments will be conducted only once per academic year. Students will not receive a separate certificate after the February-March exams.

An official stated, “The final marksheet and passing certificate will be issued only after the May exams. This document will reflect scores from both exam sessions (if a student appeared in both), with the best score for each subject being considered.”

Under the new exam system, subjects have been divided into seven categories: Language 1, Language 2, Elective 1, Elective 2, Elective 3, Regional and Foreign Languages, and Other Subjects.

The main goal of holding Class 10 board exams twice a year is to give students a chance to improve their scores while reducing exam stress and pressure.