As the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) prepares to introduce a two-exam system for Class 10 students in 2026, this move, which is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has raised questions among students, parents, and schools regarding the structure, eligibility, flexibility, and evaluation. CBSE Exam Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj is answering frequently asked questions related to this issue:
- What will be the structure of the two Central Board of Secondary Education Exam sessions for Class 10?
- Is the Central Board of Secondary Education second exam mandatory, or optional? Which marks will be considered final?
- Under the two-board exam system, how many subjects can be attempted twice? Is it limited to certain subjects?
- What happens if a student fails in some subjects in the first exam?
What will be the structure of the two Central Board of Secondary Education Exam sessions for Class 10?
Central Board of Secondary Education will conduct two board exams for Class 10 in 2026, the first from February 17 to March 9, and the second from May 15 to June 1. Both exams will be conducted on the same syllabus.
Students will have to appear for the first exam. The second exam is to provide an opportunity to improve performance in the first attempt. CBSE advises students to prepare seriously for the first exam and not assume that the second attempt will be a backup.
Is the Central Board of Secondary Education second exam mandatory, or optional? Which marks will be considered final?
The second board exam is optional. Students can appear for the exam only if they wish to improve their marks. For the final result, the better marks from both exams will be considered for calculating the final result. Parents are advised not to put unnecessary pressure on their children to appear for the second exam if improvement is not needed.
Under the two-board exam system, how many subjects can be attempted twice? Is it limited to certain subjects?
+ Under this scheme, a student can appear for the second exam to improve their marks in a maximum of three subjects.
What happens if a student fails in some subjects in the first exam?
Students who fail in two subjects in the first exam will be placed in the compartment category and will be allowed to appear for the second exam. However, students who fail in three or more subjects or do not appear for the examination will not be eligible for the second examination. They will be able to appear in the main board examinations in 2027.
Also Read: NEET UG 2026 Notification Released: NTA Starts Registration at neet.nta.nic.in
