The Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE, has decided to conduct the Class 10 board examinations twice a year from 2026 – a move that the board feels will eliminate the ‘high stakes’ aspect of board exams, and making the pressure associated with it better distributed and less intense. 

As per the board, it is mandatory to appear for the first exam (main exam) to appear for the second exam, wherein students will be allowed to improve their scores in any of the three subjects out of Science, Mathematics, Social Science and languages.

Also read: CBSE Class 10 board exam twice a year from 2026, all students must take 1st exam

However, it is mandatory to appear for three or more subjects in the main exam to take the second exam. 

Eligiblity to appear in the Main Exam: 

As already informed, students will have to take the main examination first. The eligibility to appear in the main examination will be:

(a) Fresh students of Class 10

(b) Second Chance Compartment

(c) Essential Repeat of previous year

(d) Improvement examination

Eligiblity to appear in the Second Exam:

(i) Improvement category up to 3 main subjects

(ii) First/Third Chance Compartment

(iii) Compartment Improvement

(iv) Improvement for the students passed by the replacement of the subject. 

The CBSE informed that the syllabus for the both the examinations will remain the same. 

Furthermore, while filling of LOC and appearing in the Main/first examination will be compulsory, the LOC for the second examinations will have to be filled in separately. No new names will be added to the LOC of the 2nd examination.

Besides, no change in subject will be allowed from first examination to second examinations except permitted as per policy, the CBSE informed. 

Tentative schedule of exam

The CBSE informed that the main examination will continue to be conducted around mid-February, whereas the second exam will be held in May. 

When will results be declared?

As per the CBSE, the result of main examinations will be declared in the month of April, and result of second examinations will be declared in the month of June.

The passing document will be issued to all the students after the results of second examinations, and the merit certificate will also be issued after second examination.

In addition, other facilities such as photocopy, verification and re-evaluation will be available only after declaration of results of both examination. 

Meanwhile, those students who do not qualify in the main examination will be allowed provisional admission in Class 11, which will be confirmed based on the result of the second examination. 

For more details, students, guardians and teachers may visit the official website of CBSE at cbse.gov.in.