Double Chance for Class 10? CBSE Announces Two Board Exams a Year Starting 2026
Double Chance for Class 10? CBSE Announces Two Board Exams a Year Starting 2026
From the 2026 academic year, students of Class 10 under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will be allowed to take their board exams two times in a year. This was confirmed by CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.
The board said the first exam will be held from February 17 to March 6. This exam will be compulsory for all students. The second exam will be optional and will be held from May 5 to May 20. Students can choose to take the second exam if they are not happy with their first result. If a student appears in both exams, the better score will be used in the final result.
The aim is to reduce the stress of one final exam and give students another chance to improve their marks in the same academic year. This change comes after the board collected public feedback in March this year.
Students can take the second exam only in up to three subjects. These include science, mathematics, social science and two language subjects. If a student fails or does not appear in three or more subjects in the first exam, they will not be allowed to take the second exam. These students will be marked as “essential repeat” and will have to appear for the exam again the next year in February.
Only one round of practical and internal exams will be held in the year. The two-board exam system will apply only to the theory exams.
This change marks a big shift in the way CBSE exams will be held. It is the first time CBSE has decided to give students this kind of flexibility. The board has also said that a similar system could be introduced for Class 12 students in the future.
The decision is part of the new plan under the National Education Policy. The board believes that giving students two chances will help them perform better and feel less pressure.
