CBSE Announces Two Board Exams for 10th Class from 2026 – Check New Exam Schedule
Sakshi Education
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced that Class 10 board exams will be held in two terms starting from 2026.
CBSE Introduces Dual Board Exams for Class 10 from 2026-All You Need to Know
The decision aims to reduce the stress of a single annual exam and offer students multiple chances to perform better. As per the latest update, the first exam will be mandatory, while the second will be optional for improvement.
New Exam Schedule
First Board Exam: February 2026 (Mandatory for all students)
Second Board Exam: May 2026 (Optional for improvement in up to 3 subjects)
Final Results: By first week of June 2026
Important Guidelines for Students
Appearing in the first board exam is mandatory for all students.
Students who pass the first exam can improve up to three subjects (from Science, Math, Social Science, and Languages) in the second exam.
Students can choose to appear in either one or both exams.
If a student skips three or more subjects in the first exam, they won’t be allowed to take the second exam and will be marked as “Essential Repeat”, eligible only for the next year’s main exams in February.
Students who receive a Compartment result in the first exam can attempt the same subject(s) in the second exam under the Compartment category.
Additional subjects will not be allowed post Class 10. Students can only pursue standalone subjects separately.
No Change in Syllabus or Exam Format
CBSE confirmed that the mode of exam, syllabus, and question pattern will remain the same as the current system.
This change follows the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which supports flexible learning and student-friendly exams. By holding two board exams, CBSE wants to give students a fair chance to improve and reduce exam pressure.
