- CBSE board exams 2026 for Class 10 and 12 will start on February 17 and end by March 6
- Two board exams introduced for Class 10 to help students who miss or want to improve scores
- Results for the first exam will be out in April, second exam results in June 2026
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct the board exams 2026 for Class 10 and 12 from February 17, 2026. The schedule for the first board exam has been set from February 17 to March 6, 2026 while that of second board exam is scheduled around May.
Major Changes in CBSE Board Exam 2026
Two Board exams
CBSE will conduct two board exams for Class 10 students this year. The two-board exam system is introduced to help students who miss or fail in their board exams. The alternative board exam will help these students save their academic year and reduce stress. Besides these, those who wish to improve their marks can also appear for the second board exam. Students will be able to appear in the second board exams under the ‘Essential Repeat' or Compartment category.
The results for the first exam will be announced in April 2026, while that of second exams will be out by June 2026. Students can use the scores of the first exam for taking admission to Class 11. Performance in the first exam will be available on DigiLocker for provisional admission to Class 11. However, merit certificates and passing documents will be issued only after the second exam.
Students enrolled in Sports can appear for the second examinations if they are unable to appear for the first one.
Also Read: AI In School: Education Ministry Announces Curriculum Reform From Class 3 Onwards
Paper format
The question paper will have competency-based assignment to evaluate the conceptual understanding and application skills of students rather than rote learning. As per the revised scheme, the question papers for both classes will include a balanced mix of competency-focused, objective and descriptive questions.
This year, over 45 lakh students are expected to appear for the CBSE Class 10 and 12 exams - an increase of three lakh from last year.
Students are required to have at least 75 per cent attendance for appearing in the board exam for both Classes.
