The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is set to introduce a major reform in the Class 10 board examination system starting from the 2025-26 academic session. This new scheme includes two examination options: the first in February-March and the second in May. A key feature of this initiative is that students can choose to appear for either one or both exams, with the best score reflected on the final marksheet.CBSE has released a draft policy outlining the proposed changes, and students will take exams under this scheme for the first time in 2026.
| Exam Phase | Start Date | End Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Exam | February 17, 2026 | March 6, 2026 |
| 2nd Exam | May 5, 2026 | May 20, 2026 |
1. Exam Timing: Class 10 and Class 12 exams will start on the first Tuesday after February 15 each year.
2. Curriculum Coverage: Both exam phases will be based on the full syllabus and prescribed textbooks.
3. Subject Categorization:
– Core subjects (Science, Maths, Social Science, Hindi, and English) will have fixed exam dates.
– Regional and Foreign Language exams will be conducted on a single day.
– Other elective subjects will be scheduled on two or three different days, depending on student choices.
1st Exam (February – March 2026)
| Subject | Exam Date |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | February 17, 2026 |
| Social Science | February 21, 2026 |
| Science | February 25, 2026 |
| Hindi | February 27, 2026 |
| English | March 2, 2026 |
| Other Languages | March 6, 2026 |
| Result Declaration | April 20, 2026 |
2nd Exam (May 2026)
| Subject | Exam Date |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | May 5, 2026 |
| Social Science | May 9, 2026 |
| Science | May 13, 2026 |
| Other Languages | May 15, 2026 |
| English | May 18, 2026 |
| Hindi | May 21, 2026 |
| Result Declaration | June 30, 2026 |
• The exam format and syllabus will remain unchanged.
• Sports students can choose to appear in either of the two exams; no separate exam will be conducted for them.
• Examination centers will remain the same for both phases.
• The List of Candidates (LOC) submission will be finalized by September of the previous year.
• Once the LOC is submitted, no subject changes will be allowed except for the second exam.
• Students opting for the second exam must indicate their choice in the LOC at the time of the first exam’s registration.
• The first and second exams will also serve as supplementary exams for students needing improvement.
• No passing certificate will be issued after the first exam. Instead, results will be available in DigiLocker.
• A final passing certificate will be issued only after the second exam.
• Students who do not pass all subjects in the first exam will be placed under the ‘Improvement Category’ and can reappear in the second exam.
• A merit certificate will be awarded after the second exam.
• No additional subjects will be permitted after passing Class 10.
• Subject changes are only allowed before the second exam. If a student has already appeared for a subject in the first exam, they cannot change it in the second exam.
• Students who skip the first exam and appear only for the second will not be allowed any further attempts that year. However, they may appear in the first exam of the subsequent year, following the updated syllabus.
The proposed two-board exam system by CBSE aims to provide students with greater flexibility and reduce exam-related stress. The draft policy is now available on the official CBSE website, and all stakeholders, including schools, teachers, parents, and students, are encouraged to provide feedback by March 9, 2025.This initiative ensures a more student-friendly assessment system while maintaining the academic rigor of the CBSE curriculum.
