CBSE Class 10, 12 Board Exams 2026: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) commenced the Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations today, February 17, 2026, with over 43 lakh students appearing across India and in 26 countries abroad. On the first day, Class 10 students are taking Mathematics (Basics) and Mathematics (Standard), while Class 12 candidates are appearing for Biotechnology, Entrepreneurship, Engineering Graphics, and Business Studies. Exams are being conducted at 8,074 centres for Class 10 and 7,574 centres for Class 12, in a single shift from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM. Entry closes sharply at 10 AM, and students are advised to reach centres early considering traffic conditions.
Large Student Participation
Around 25 lakh students are registered for Class 10, including approximately 14 lakh boys and 10.9 lakh girls. For Class 12, 18.5 lakh students are appearing, with 10.2 lakh boys and 8.3 lakh girls. Class 10 exams will conclude on March 10, while Class 12 exams end on April 10. Students will appear for 83 subjects in Class 10 and 120 subjects in Class 12.
CBSE Clarification On Class 10 Exams
CBSE has issued guidelines for students seeking to appear in the second board examination:- Mandatory First Exam: All students must appear in the first exam.
- Improvement Opportunity: Passed students may improve up to three subjects, including Science, Mathematics, Social Science, and languages.
- Essential Repeat Category: Students missing three or more subjects in the first exam will be placed in this category and can only take the main exam next year.
- Compartment Category: Students with "Compartment" results may appear in the second exam.
- No Additional Subjects: Stand-alone additional subjects are not allowed after passing Class 10.
Advisory Against Social Media Rumours
Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj, CBSE Controller of Examinations, advised students not to follow social media rumours or videos claiming paper leaks. FIRs will be lodged against those spreading misinformation, and students are encouraged to rely only on teachers and official CBSE updates.
On-Screen Marking For Class 12
CBSE has introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) for Class 12, where answer sheets will be scanned and evaluated digitally. This ensures faster and more accurate results, with evaluation expected to finish in nine days instead of 12. Teachers can mark papers from their schools using secure login credentials. Clear handwriting is crucial, and post-result verification may no longer be required.
CBSE is conducting these examinations for more than 31,000 affiliated schools in India and abroad, ensuring smooth and fair conduct for millions of students.
